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FACTCHECK
Debunked: Scam ads falsely claim that Dublin Airport is clearing out 'lost luggage' for €2
The ads have appeared on Facebook in recent weeks.
A SERIES OF scam advertisements have appeared on social media suggesting that Dublin Airport is clearing out its warehouse by selling off unclaimed suitcases.
The ads have appeared on Facebook and Twitter in recent weeks, and fraudulently offer members of the public the chance to buy one of hundreds of pieces of lost luggage for as little as €2.
The posts often feature images of an arrivals hall packed with suitcases, with a sign featuring Dublin Airport’s logo and a €2 pricetag.
“We are urgently clearing out the airport warehouse and selling more than 750 lost suitcases! To buy, go to the website and place an order,” one such post reads.
However, the ads are a scam and Dublin Airport is not selling off lost luggage for €2.
“We are aware of several fake social media accounts which are impersonating Dublin Airport and using elements of our branding,” a Dublin Airport spokesperson said.
“We have reported these accounts ourselves to the relevant platforms and anyone coming across these accounts should also report them. Dublin Airport will never ask you to DM us a phone number or end a message with initials or a name.”
Comments beneath the ads suggest that the offer is legitimate, with apparent real-life testimonies and photos from those who claim they have availed of the offer.
The photos feature opened suitcases with expensive items such as laptops, smartphones and bluetooth headphones, as well as other personal items.
Occasionally, the admin of the page responds to such pictures thanking the ‘customers’ for leaving positive feedback.
Similar testimonies are contained on the website linked in the ad posts, which also contains the Dublin Airport logo.
“We are urgently clearing out the airport warehouse and selling luggage that has been unattended for more than 6 months,” the website reads.
“According to the rules, it should be disposed of, but we are organising a charity event and giving it away for just €2.”
But the URL of the website provides further proof that it’s a scam: rather than being a link to Dublin Airport’s legitimate website, the address starts off as ‘dorooty6.shop’.
The scam plays on issues with luggage at the airport in the summer of 2022, when suitcases piled up in Dublin Airport’s terminal as a result of delays and issues with baggage handling, in part because of staff shortages.
However, Dublin Airport has previously said it has no responsibility for handling the luggage that passes through: it has instead said that airlines such as Ryanair and Aer Lingus are responsible for most bags, with Sky Handling Partner (SHP) and another handler Swissport dealing with the remainder between them.
There is currently no offer by the airport to sell unclaimed baggage for €2 – and ads offering such a service should be treated with skepticism.
The Journal’s FactCheck is a signatory to the International Fact-Checking Network’s Code of Principles. You can read it here. For information on how FactCheck works, what the verdicts mean, and how you can take part, check out our Reader’s Guide here. You can read about the team of editors and reporters who work on the factchecks here.
