The Threat of Online Housing Scams
Finding furnished housing online is convenient but has risks. Scammers are constantly evolving their tactics, making it essential for renters to stay informed to protect themselves.
Furnished Finder takes fraud prevention seriously. However, since we're not involved in the booking or leasing process, we can't issue refunds if a scam occurs. We recommend that you protect yourself from housing fraud by staying vigilant and following the best practices below.
How Furnished Finder Combats Scams
- Verifying listings' property status with the relevant county
- Partnering with fraud prevention companies to verify the identities of our customers
- Warning travelers never to send money to someone whose name doesn’t match the contact information on our site
- Reviewing and removing reported scam listings
- Monitoring site communications for scam-related keywords and phrases
- Reporting known bad actors and supporting law enforcement investigations
- Investigating suspicious listings and taking legal action when possible
Common Housing Scams
Scammers use several deceptive tactics, but the three most common are:
- Fake Ads: Fraudulent listings designed to lure in renters
- Spoofed Ads: Copies of real listings with altered contact information and discounted prices to attract interest
- Identity Theft Ads: Scammers impersonate legitimate property owners or managers to deceive renters
How to Protect Yourself
- Is it Too Good to Be True? If the rental is significantly cheaper than similar listings, be cautious.
- Never Wire Money: Scammers prefer wire transfers because they are irreversible.
- Suspicious Stories: Excuses like being overseas for an ill family member are common red flags.
- Odd Communication Patterns: Late-night messages and poor spelling and grammar are red flags.
- Demand Face-to-Face Meetings: Scammers will avoid in-person interactions and video calls or make last-minute excuses.
- Beware of Fake Affiliations: Scammers may claim to be "with Furnished Finder," but Furnished Finder does not handle bookings or leases.
- Verify Property Ownership: If the name on the records doesn’t match the person you’re speaking with or the person requesting payment from you, request proof of property ownership before sending money.
- Check the Listing Details: Read the entire listing carefully and look for multiple 5-star reviews, clear professional photos, and how long the landlord has been active on Furnished Finder.
Learn from real travelers: See what one traveler learned after 5 stays in a year in our Landlord Diaries episode, What Makes a GREAT Monthly Rental?
To Report a Scam:
- Navigate to the listing's Property Details Page.
- To the right of the map, select Report this property to Furnished Finder.
- Complete all fields in the "Report this Property" form and click Submit.
If you are unable to locate the listing, please contact our Customer Support team.