As a travel nurse, avoiding Furnished Finder scams and finding safe and reliable travel nurse housing is a top priority. 

Furnished Finder is a popular platform for finding short-term furnished housing, but like any online marketplace, it’s not immune to scams.

Scammers are always coming up with new ways to trick people out of their hard-earned money, so it’s crucial to know what to look out for.

In this post, I’ll cover common Furnished Finder scams and give you tips on how to avoid them.

What Are Furnished Finder Scams?

Furnished Finder offers a great service, but unfortunately, there are some people who try to take advantage of renters by creating fake ads, spoof ads, or misleading offers.

If you’re wondering if Furnished Finder is legit, the answer is yes. But just like with any legitimate website, there are always going to be those people out there who will find any way possible to scam a person.

What kind of scams are on Furnished Finder?

These online housing scams range from overcharging for low-quality properties to straight-up fraudulent listings that don’t exist. 

Or, they gather the information they obtained from your housing application and then perform identity theft using that info.

The 3 most common types of Furnished Finder scams:

• The Fake Ad: This should be the easiest kind of scam to spot, but people who find themselves desperate for housing often fall for these.
• The Spoof Ad: Where the scammer copies a legitimate ad, but changes the price and contact information, resulting in you sending money to the scammer.
• The Identity Theft Ad: This is the hardest type of scam ad to spot. The scammer either copies or creates a fake housing ad, including the name of the property owner, but changes the contact information, you do your due diligence and research everything, it looks legit, you fill out an application and send money, then they use that information to steal your identity and they take off with your deposit money.

The last thing you want is to end up in a bad situation—especially after moving across state lines, only to find out that the place you rented doesn’t exist.

How to Spot Furnished Finder Scams

To avoid getting scammed on Furnished Finder, here are a few red flags to watch out for:

• Unusually low rent prices: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers often lure people in with rent that’s way below market value. By the time you actually get to the property and see that it’s a dump, you’re already out thousands of dollars.
• Pressure to send money upfront: Scammers will often push for you to pay quickly before you’ve had a chance to verify the property. They might say there’s a “huge demand” or claim you’ll lose the rental if you don’t act fast. If you’re getting pressured like this, I suggest walking away and flagging the post on Furnished Finder.
• They’re not requesting any kind of background information: If I am not being asked to submit to a background and credit check for the verification process, I know something’s off. The reason is that not only are they not following common procedures, but it also tells me that they just want to rush and get your money. If you were renting out your property to a stranger, wouldn’t you want to know that they have good credit and aren’t a felon!?
• Poor communication: If the property owner is dodging your questions or their communication seems inconsistent, that’s a major warning sign. Legitimate hosts will be antsy to rent out their units and will also be transparent and willing to answer any questions or concerns. 
• No in-person or virtual tours: A big red flag is when the host refuses to show the property, even virtually. Always ask for a tour before you commit to anything. If I can’t get a Facetime walk-through of the unit, I’m not signing anything. Period.
• Requests for payment outside of secure platforms: Scammers will try to get you to pay through untraceable methods like wire transfers or prepaid cards. Stick to secure payment methods like Venmo or Zelle.

Remember to always ask questions. And if you want more questions about Furnished Finder answered, make sure you get them before using the platform.

Tips to Avoid Furnished Finder Scams And Recognize Red Flags

Avoiding housing scams is 99% possible with some due diligence and trusting your gut. Here are a few tips to protect yourself:

1. Verify the Property

• Ask for photos and videos of the property.
• Try to set up an in-person or virtual tour. If the host can’t offer either, that’s a red flag.
• Use Google Maps to check the property’s address and surrounding area. Make sure everything lines up.

2. Ask the Right Questions

You can avoid a lot of Furnished Finder scams by asking the right questions upfront. Don’t be shy about getting details. Some good questions include:

• How long have you been renting the property?
• Are you the owner of the property?
• Can I speak with previous tenants?
• Are utilities included in the rent?
• Are there any additional fees (cleaning, security deposit, etc.)?

Scammers will often stumble over basic questions or provide vague answers. If something feels off, trust your gut.

3. Use Secure Payment Methods

• Never wire money or use payment apps that don’t offer protection (like Venmo or Zelle).
• Only make payments through platforms that offer fraud protection, such as PayPal or a credit card.
• Avoid paying in cash or sending money directly to someone’s bank account until you’ve verified everything. If you pay in cash, there is no way to verify that the payment was made. I.e., the owner can say you never paid and you can’t verify that you in fact did.

4. Do a Background Check on the Host

• Perform your own owner verification: Google the host’s name and see if their name and a corresponding photo appear. A LinkedIn profile is best.
• Check Furnished Finder for reviews of their previous listings.
• Ask if they have references from other travel nurses or renters.
• If they use Keycheck or some other service to run a background and credit check on you, that’s a good sign that they are serious. 

5. Trust Your Instincts

• If something feels off, listen to your instincts. Scammers are experts at manipulating emotions, especially urgency.
• If you feel pressured or unsure, it’s perfectly okay to walk away from the deal.

How I Almost Got Scammed As A Traveler

My experience with Furnished Finder has mostly been positive…except for one time when I was almost scammed.

And it was the worst kind of scam — the identity theft ad.

Read on and see just how many red flags I ignored 🚩.

I was working as a travel nurse and had accepted a job in San Francisco. 

If you don’t know, the housing market there is insane. 

The amount of money that property owners make off of travel nurses here blows my mind. But, good for them.

I was sending out tons of messages to inquire about furnished rentals, and this ad for this apartment came up that was just perfect (🚩 #1). It had everything I wanted —  a dishwasher, a lot of square footage, allowed pets and included parking.

So after I sent a message request, I almost immediately got an email response from the property manager with an application attached (🚩 #2). I filled out the application, sent it back, and within minutes, I got a reply saying, “You are approved!”.

Big red flag 🚩 #3.

How could I be approved for an apartment without undergoing a background or at least a credit check (🚩 #4)? 

Also attached was a lease agreement with instructions on how to send the deposit. 

So, giving them the benefit of the doubt (and because I was desperate), I called the guy to ask some questions and also asked if I could speak with the building manager (I was living in Palm Springs at the time so I wasn’t in SF).

A few hours later, I received a call from a woman with a strange accent who was just a little too reassuring (🚩 #5). She kept saying, “Oh yes Ashly, you have nothing to worry about. I guarantee everything, Ashly. Yes, Ashly. Yes, Ashly”. 

It was weird.

After much thought and deliberation, I decided not to go with the apartment and went with another one instead. 

It really was a difficult choice. 

I also continued to receive three more emails and two phone calls asking if I was going to sign the lease or not (🚩 #6).

But after remembering my own advice, I decided that since I did have some doubts and my spidey senses were going off, I thought it would be best to just trust my gut. 

And I am so glad that I did. 

I would have been out almost $6K.

And despite being so diligent and knowing everything I know about housing scams, I still ignored 6 red flags. This can happen to anyone.

Lesson learned.

How Furnished Finder Protects You from Scams

While it’s important to protect yourself, Furnished Finder does offer a few built-in safeguards to help:

• Background checks for landlords: Furnished Finder requires landlords to undergo a background check before listing properties, which can help weed out scammers.
• Verified listings: Look for listings marked as “verified” by Furnished Finder. This means the property owner has passed the site’s verification process.

Even with these safeguards, it’s always a good idea to do your own due diligence to avoid Furnished Finder scams.

What to Do If You Encounter a Scam

If you think you’ve come across a scam on Furnished Finder, take these steps:

• Report the listing immediately: Use Furnished Finder’s built-in reporting system to flag suspicious listings.
• Contact Furnished Finder support: Reach out to their customer service team to let them know about any scams.
• File a complaint: If you’ve lost money, consider filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and your local authorities.
• If possible, try to pay the deposit with a credit card: There are protections built into most cards. Be aware that there will probably be a fee that might not be worth it though.

Protect Yourself From Online Housing Platform Scams

The good news is that most rentals on Furnished Finder, and other platforms, are legitimate.

Furnished Finder scams are the exception, not the rule.

By staying vigilant and following these tips, you can minimize the risk of getting scammed and enjoy a safe, comfortable stay during your travel nursing assignment.

Key Takeaways:

• Be cautious of listings with unusually low prices or pressure to pay quickly.
• If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
• Always verify the property and host with photos, virtual tours, references, and Googling.
• Use secure payment methods and avoid wiring money or sending cash.
• Trust your gut—if something feels off, don’t be afraid to walk away.

Final Thoughts

Travel nursing comes with enough challenges—finding safe, reliable housing shouldn’t be one of them.

Furnished Finder is a wonderful and very useful website to use — don’t let a few people who weren’t using their brains scare you away and miss out on a potentially perfect short-term rental for your assignment.

Hopefully, this article will be a resource to help protect you from potential scams and avoid scams altogether.

By following these tips and staying alert, you can avoid Furnished Finder scams and recognize the red flags, leaving you to focus on what really matters — your job and your adventure in a new city.

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