Top 17 Scams That Travel Nurses Must Know While Searching for Short-Term Rentals

How Can Healthcare Travelers Fall Into Scams On Facebook Groups?

Moving to a new place and looking for the perfect apartment is a heavenly feeling. To find a nice cozy space that perfectly complements your aesthetic and requirements is a tiring process, but with excitement at its peak, it is less noticeable. That is when travel nurses refer to travel nurse housing groups and trusted online rental sites. Because of being convenient and accessible within the comfort of your smartphone. travel nurse housing groups especially has gained some mass attention.

However, the mass adoption of these Facebook groups by travel nurses has drawn some unwanted attention from scammers. Especially that they are equally convenient and easy to use for scammers! Yes, that is right. Tenant-owner scams are not a new element in society; however, they have grown massively over the past few years. Many victims are nonnative to the area such as healthcare travelers including doctors, nurses, and other essential workers. Being new to the place, such travelers do not know how to suspect a scammer and stay away from them. So in order to be safe and sound, away from the scammers while looking for your ideal apartment, here are the top best tips and tricks:

Self research is the way to go

When you consider finding an affordable short term renting, first go through a detailed google search and take your time here. Navigate the market for the current rent prices in your desired locality. Many healthcare travelers who are not natives end up getting scammed due to the scam websites offering low rents. By having in-depth information on approximate rent prices, you would be able to spot any scammer offering a good apartment with suspiciously low rent. Also, google search the images of the property provided to you by your landlord. If you happen to come across those pictures belonging to some other authentic person or website, it is most likely that your landlord has stolen those. Keep this golden rule in mind, when it is too good to be true, simply walk away.

Fake Facebook accounts

Scammers do not tend to use an FB account for a long period of time. They use recently made or hacked Facebook accounts and usually discard them after being exposed and reported. It is easy to spot a scammer by going through their Facebook profile and looking for signs of any suspicion. If their FB account seems new and has 1-2 posts and very few friends, then it can most likely be a scammer. So look for authentic websites having a good ranking and views.

Make sure you practice these tips to avoid being a victim to scammers:

• Do not TALK on Messenger. Landlord should include a phone number with the property details. Most of these scammers are overseas and their only means of communication is Messenger. However, it is easier for foreigners to obtain a US phone number. So practice caution.
• Use phone number validation tool and check it in google.
• Scrutinize profiles thoroughly, check who is giving likes/hearts, check followers.
• Scammers always have an excuse as to why they are out of town. That is a red flag.
• Wiring money is a big NO. That's always a Red Flag and it is irreversible.
• Always verify property owner against public records.
• Don't fill out an application or transferred money until you have toured the property in person or by a trustee and confirmed its availability.
• Odd communication hours to the US business hours.
• Do Video Calls provided by your phone service provider. Do not Whatsapp.
• If the property is listed by a Realtor. Search the credibility of the company online and contact the company directly via the company's contact number listed on their website. FYI - scammers pretend to be employees of reputable Real-estate companies and pass fake numbers. Best to call phone number listed on a trusted rental Real-estate website
• Each Facebook profile has a unique URI that cannot be changed. However, scammers frequently change the name on the profile and pictures. make sure you compare profile's name with name in the URI.
• Scammers offer unbeatable prices to attract tenants. Do a details search on rental costs in your desired location.
• Do a google reverse image search.

Suspicious ads

Scammers usually post stolen pictures of rental properties from elsewhere and paste them along with their own contact details. They also reduce the price by a great bunch of dollars to attract the tenants. Most scam ads contain pleasing and aesthetic pictures of the exterior of houses only. Most of these pictures are copied and pasted or even clicked outside random houses. If you spend some more time researching, you might even come across the same ad with different contact information. So make sure you utilize reverse image search by google.

Visit the place physically

The problem arises when you totally rely on your renting website or the renter without visiting the place yourself. This leaves you at a high risk of getting scammed. Scammers often steal pictures of the property that does not belong to them. You could be tricked into renting and committing to a rental that does not even exist. So make sure you actually visit the place by yourself or a trustee before you sign any documents and pay any amount of money as a security deposit or other advance requirements. Visiting the place would also introduce you to the community or surroundings of your rental place. You would also get a broader idea of other features such as quietness and safety of the area, furniture, views, cleanness, and heating system of the apartment. If you live out of town at the moment and wish to rent an apartment beforehand, then it would be a good idea to ask a family member, friend, or coworker to visit and check the place for you.

Dealing in cash or wiring money is a big no no

The surface marker of scammers is their requirement of paying in cash. Cash money is the easiest for them to grab and disappear as it cannot be traced, nor does it provide you any evidence of the actual money transfer. Many scammers urge you to pay in cash or wire transfer and would move on to the next candidate tenant if you refuse to do so. Many of them make the most common excuse of being out of town or country and requesting a wire transfer. This also saves them from showing you the place, which is nonexistent in most cases. Make sure to pay through a credit card or check so that it can be traced if you end up getting scammed.

Oral documentation is a red flag

Oral leases and other documentation are a big red flag. Scammers always prefer making the documentation process online or oral. Scammers trick travel nurses by saying they live abroad or far away from the location of the apartment. Furthermore, convince healthcare travelers that seeking them for a written lease could be a deal breaker.

A written lease would keep you safe if you get into a difficult situation in the future, requiring the interference of the court. Legal processes require a written lease and other original solid documents instead of online dealings. If you encounter any such situation where the landlord avoids signing a written lease, moving on to another option would be a wise step.

Meet the landlord in person

New and naive travel nurses, and nurses in rush to find a rental property are the main and preferred target of scammers. This makes it very easy for them to hide after confiscating the money, as it is hard for the police to trace a person living in a far-off locality. In the worst-case scenario, if a tenant has already paid the scammer through a wired transfer such as Paypal, Western Union, Payoneer, etc., then, unfortunately, their money has gone down the drain, and there is no coming back.

Even in the best-case scenario, meeting with the landlord could give you a hint about whether the person is cooperative and welcoming or not.

Involve a trustee

It is always better to have a trustee by your side, especially someone who is familiar with the Facebook marketplace and its scams, as well as the desired location. It is a must to have a friend or parents accompany you to meet the owner and visit the place, especially if you are still young and inexperienced. So NEVER visit a rental property alone for the first time.

Middleman scammers

This is one widely used cover by a scammer. Even native people could get tricked by a middleman scammer easily. They pretend to be the landlord of some property, falsely claiming they are the manager of its dealing. They could even show you the documents of the actual owner. Most websites and Facebook groups are full of such scams. So it is better to opt for a good and trustworthy option.

Contact another tenant

Before finalizing your decision about any rental, ask the landlord to provide you the contact of the previous tenant or the tenant who is currently living there. People who are already living there would be able to guide you better about the pros and cons of the place. Most importantly, they can give you an honest opinion about the landlord and their experience with him/her. They would also brief you about any issues within the property. They can even share with you top rated tourists attractions nearby.

Double-check the lease

Even the smartest people could be scammed by the slightest carelessness; even if you had a smooth and unsuspicious documentation process, always double-check the lease before signing it. Many scammers use this tactic of mentioning greater than agreed rent and advance payment on the lease. If you blindly trust the landlord and sign the lease, then you are in big trouble! Signing the lease means that you have agreed to pay the mentioned amount. This way, there is no going back, and you would be bound to pay. Apart from that, some landlords may not mention or fail to mention verbally all the details of the lease, especially what is included in rent and what is not. So make it a habit; a double-check never hurts!

Scammers will rush

One way to identify a scammer is that they always try to rush the process. They prefer not to delay any dealing in case they get caught. Once you seem interested in renting their property, they will persuade you to finalize the deal and especially to pay the dues. They try to shorten the documentation process or avoid written documentation at all. If you take time thinking and prodding, they would most probably move on to the next candidate. This is a big red fag, and you better stay away from any such person.

Check ownership

Always check property ownership against public records. Ask your potential landlord to show you a legal document and match the name on the document with the name on the public record of the property. An actual landlord would never hesitate to show you these documents because that would only build your trust for him/her. On the contrary, a scammer who obviously does not have any such documents would avoid the topic. So, asking for ownership is a good way to find a legitimate landlord.

Pay only when you are sure

Paying the advance payments should be your last step. Many landlords, as well as scammers, ask for a security deposit and the rent of 1st and/or last month. This quickly adds up to a large and handsome amount. So always pay after you are done with investigating the property and satisfied with the landlord.

Agreeing without background information

It is not only travel nurses who are at risk of being scammed on Facebook groups. Many honest landlords also end up getting into trouble by renting to people involved in suspicious activities or those who simply run away without paying their piling rent for months. A legitimate landlord would interview you about your personal background, such as your hometown, workplace, income, and a copy of your identity card. Whereas a scammer mostly never cares to interrogate about any background information.

Know your rights

Travel nurse housing groups can be a place for scammers to shoot their shots. Many scammers are so professional and sophisticated that after building your trust and accepting the payment, they find other ways to scam you. They ask for your sensitive information like SSN, previous work history, birthplace, and other personal info. This is a big red flag. A truthful landlord would never ask you such detailed particulars except for a very few ones.

Report a scammer

If you have come across a scammer through Facebook, make sure your report that profile account to Facebook. Scams occurring on the Facebook marketplace is actually cyber-crime and can be reported to the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Reporting as soon as possible could get you your money back but it could also save tonnes of other innocent travel nurses from getting scammed.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While the online marketplace has made so many routine tasks easier and efficient, it has also made the scammers evolve to the next level. Facebook marketplace is one such platform where hundreds of criminals are roaming around trying to capture their target. They are fast and hard to reach after getting scammed. So being safe than sorry is always the best option when it comes to heavy amounts of money and mental peace.