Travel Nurse Housing Scams: How to Spot and Avoid Them

Introduction: Why Travel Nurses Are Prime Scam Targets

Every year, travel nurses lose thousands of dollars to housing scams. Some lose their security deposit and first month’s rent to a listing that does not exist. Others hand over personal information to scammers posing as landlords, only to discover months later that their identity has been stolen.

It is not because travel nurses are gullible. It is because the nature of travel nursing creates the perfect conditions for scammers to exploit.

You are searching for housing remotely, often in a city you have never visited. You are on a tight timeline with a start date looming. You are willing — sometimes forced — to pay deposits on places you have not seen in person. And you are doing all of this while managing credentialing, packing, and possibly finishing up a current contract.

Scammers know this. They target travel nurse Facebook groups, post on Craigslist and Furnished Finder, and create convincing fake listings designed to separate you from your money before you ever set foot in the city.

This guide covers the most common scam types, the red flags that should stop you in your tracks, and a step-by-step process for verifying any listing before you send a dime.

The Most Common Housing Scam Types

The Fake Listing Scam

This is the most common scam targeting travel nurses. Here is how it works:

A scammer finds attractive photos of a real rental property, often pulled from Zillow, Realtor.com, or a legitimate Airbnb listing. They create a new listing on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or sometimes even Furnished Finder using those stolen photos. The listing is priced below market rate to attract quick interest.

When you reach out, the “landlord” is friendly and professional. They claim the property is available for your exact dates. They may even send you a lease agreement that looks legitimate. Then comes the ask: they need a security deposit and first month’s rent to hold the unit. They accept Zelle, Venmo, or wire transfer.

You send the money. The landlord stops responding. The listing disappears. When you arrive at the address, you discover the property is occupied by someone who has never heard of you, or it does not exist at all.

The financial damage: Typically $2,000 to $5,000 in lost deposits and prepaid rent.

The Phantom Landlord Scam

This variation is more sophisticated. The scammer identifies a real property that is currently vacant or for sale. They find the listing on Zillow or a real estate site and pose as the property owner.

They may offer to show you the exterior of the property or send you a virtual tour using photos from the real listing. Everything checks out because the property is real. The scammer just does not own it.

They collect your deposit, provide you with a fake move-in date, and disappear. When you show up to move in, the actual owner or property manager has no idea who you are.

The Overpayment and Wire Transfer Scam

In this scheme, a scammer responds to your “housing wanted” post. They claim to have the perfect property and offer a great deal. Then they send you a check for more than the agreed-upon deposit, claiming it was an accounting error. They ask you to deposit the check and wire back the difference.

The check bounces days or weeks later, and your bank reverses the deposit. You are now out the amount you wired, which came from your own funds.

Variations of this scam use Zelle, Venmo, or cryptocurrency. The common thread is a request to return overpayment through an untraceable or hard-to-reverse method.

The Bait-and-Switch

This scam is different because there is a real property and a real landlord, but what you get is not what you were promised.

You find a great listing with beautiful photos and a reasonable price. You pay the deposit and show up on move-in day. The landlord informs you that the listed unit is “no longer available” but offers you a different unit at the same price. The substitute unit is smaller, dirtier, in a worse location, or missing amenities you were promised.

Because you have already traveled to the area and your assignment starts in days, you feel pressured to accept. The landlord is counting on that pressure.

The Identity Theft Scam

Some scammers are not after your money directly. They are after your personal information.

They create a convincing listing and, as part of the “rental application process,” ask for your Social Security number, bank account numbers, a copy of your driver’s license, and employment details. They use this information to open credit accounts in your name, file fraudulent tax returns, or sell your data on the dark web.

Legitimate landlords may eventually need some of this information for a background check, but they should never ask for your SSN or banking details before you have verified the property, met the landlord (even virtually), and reached a rental agreement.

Red Flags to Watch For

Consider any of these a warning sign. Two or more together is reason to walk away immediately.

Price is significantly below market rate. If comparable listings in the area are $1,800/month and this one is $1,200, there is probably a reason. Research comparable rentals before you start searching so you know what a realistic price looks like.
Landlord is “out of town” and cannot show the property. This is one of the most common excuses scammers use to avoid in-person or video contact with the property. A legitimate landlord can arrange a video tour or have a property manager show the place.
Urgency and pressure. “You need to send the deposit today or I will rent it to someone else.” Legitimate landlords understand that travel nurses need time to verify listings and will not pressure you into instant payments.
Communication only via text or email. If the landlord avoids phone calls, video calls, or any form of live interaction, be cautious. Scammers prefer text and email because it is easier to maintain a fake identity.
Payment via wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift cards. No legitimate landlord asks for payment in Bitcoin, iTunes gift cards, or wire transfers to international accounts. These payment methods are virtually impossible to reverse.
Listing photos look too professional. High-end, staged real estate photography on a budget rental listing can indicate photos stolen from a real estate or Airbnb listing.
No online presence or reviews. Search the landlord’s name and phone number online. If there is zero digital footprint, no reviews on any platform, and no social media presence, proceed with extreme caution.
Lease agreement is missing or suspicious. No written lease, a lease full of grammatical errors, or a lease that lacks standard terms (security deposit return conditions, maintenance responsibilities, cancellation terms) should raise concerns.
Personal information requested too early. Being asked for your SSN, bank account numbers, or copies of financial documents before you have even verified the property is a strong indicator of identity theft.

How to Verify a Listing

Follow this checklist for every listing before you send any money. It takes 20 to 30 minutes and can save you thousands.

Step 1: Reverse image search the listing photos. Right-click any listing photo and select “Search image with Google” (or use TinEye.com). If the same photos appear on a different listing, a real estate site, or an Airbnb in a different city, the listing is likely fraudulent.

Step 2: Look up the property on Google Maps and Street View. Enter the address and use Street View to see the building, the neighborhood, and the surroundings. Does it match the listing description? Is the neighborhood consistent with the asking price?

Step 3: Search the address on Zillow and Realtor.com. This helps you verify who owns the property, whether it is listed for sale (which could indicate a phantom landlord scam), and what comparable properties rent for in the area.

Step 4: Request a live video tour. Ask the landlord for a FaceTime or Zoom walkthrough. During the tour, ask them to show specific details: the view from the kitchen window, the closet, the parking area. A scammer using stolen photos cannot do this.

Step 5: Look up the landlord. Ask for the landlord’s full name and search it online. Check social media profiles, business listings, and property records. If they claim to be a property management company, verify the company exists.

Step 6: Check local property records. Most counties have an online property assessor or recorder’s office where you can search by address to find the registered owner. If the landlord’s name does not match the property records, ask for an explanation (they may use an LLC or management company, which is legitimate) and verify further.

Step 7: Read reviews. Search for the landlord or property on Google, Furnished Finder , Facebook travel nurse groups, and any other platform where renters leave reviews.

Step 8: Never send money until you have completed steps 1 through 7. If everything checks out, proceed with a traceable payment method.

Safe Payment Practices

How you pay matters almost as much as who you pay.

Use traceable payment methods. Credit cards, personal checks, PayPal (with buyer protection), and cashier’s checks provide some level of traceability and potential recourse if you are scammed. Credit cards offer the best protection through chargeback rights.

Never send wire transfers to strangers. Wire transfers (Western Union, MoneyGram, bank wires) are nearly impossible to reverse once sent. This is why scammers love them.

Never pay with gift cards or cryptocurrency. No legitimate landlord accepts iTunes gift cards, Amazon gift cards, or Bitcoin as a deposit payment. This is a hallmark of fraud.

Keep all receipts and records. Save every payment confirmation, email, text message, and lease document. If a dispute arises, documentation is your strongest tool.

Reasonable security deposits. One month’s rent is standard for a security deposit. If a landlord asks for two months’ rent plus last month’s rent plus a non-refundable cleaning fee — all upfront — that is excessive and suspicious.

Get a receipt for every payment. A written receipt with the date, amount, purpose (security deposit, first month’s rent, etc.), and the landlord’s name and contact information should accompany every transaction.

Platform-Specific Safety Tips

Furnished Finder

Furnished Finder offers some built-in protections that other platforms lack. Landlord reviews and ratings provide a track record you can evaluate. The in-platform messaging system creates a documented communication trail. If a listing seems suspicious, report it to Furnished Finder’s support team.

That said, Furnished Finder does not handle payments or provide payment protection. You are still dealing directly with the landlord, so the verification steps above still apply.

Airbnb

Airbnb provides the strongest payment protection among housing platforms. Always book and pay through the platform. Airbnb holds your payment and does not release it to the host until 24 hours after check-in, giving you time to verify the listing matches the description.

Never pay a host off-platform. If a host asks you to pay via Venmo, Zelle, or wire transfer to avoid Airbnb fees, refuse. Payments outside the platform are not covered by Airbnb’s guest protection policies.

Use Airbnb’s verification features: check for verified IDs, read reviews from multiple guests, and look for Superhost status as an indicator of reliability.

Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist

These are the highest-risk platforms for housing scams. There is minimal verification of sellers, no payment protection, and no accountability if a listing turns out to be fraudulent.

If you find a listing on Facebook or Craigslist, treat it with maximum skepticism. Verify everything independently. Ideally, only use these platforms for properties you can visit in person before paying.

General Online Listings

For any listing found on any platform, Google the listing text (copy a sentence from the description and search it in quotes). If the same text appears on multiple platforms under different landlord names, it is likely a scam. Cross-reference every listing with at least one other platform or data source.

What to Do If You Have Been Scammed

If you have already sent money to a scammer, act immediately. Time is critical for any chance of recovering funds.

Step 1: Stop all communication with the scammer. Do not engage further, do not send additional money, and do not click any links they send.

Step 2: Contact your bank or payment provider immediately. If you paid via credit card, initiate a chargeback. If you used Zelle, Venmo, or PayPal, contact their fraud department. If you sent a wire transfer, contact the receiving bank as well. The sooner you act, the better your chances.

Step 3: File a report with local police. File a police report in both your current city and the city where the fraudulent property was listed. You will need this report for insurance claims and further legal action.

Step 4: Report to the FTC. File a report at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The FTC tracks fraud patterns and may be able to help law enforcement identify and stop the scammer.

Step 5: Report the listing to the platform. Whether the scam occurred on Craigslist, Facebook, Furnished Finder, or another site, report the listing so it can be removed and other nurses are protected.

Step 6: Monitor your credit. If you shared personal information (SSN, driver’s license, bank details), place a fraud alert on your credit reports with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Consider a credit freeze to prevent new accounts from being opened in your name. Sign up for a credit monitoring service to receive alerts about suspicious activity.

Step 7: Warn the community. Post in travel nurse Facebook groups and forums to alert other nurses about the scam. Include the listing details, the scammer’s contact information, and the platform where the scam occurred. Your warning could save someone else from losing money.

FAQ

Are housing scams common for travel nurses? Unfortunately, yes. The remote nature of travel nurse housing searches, combined with tight timelines and the willingness to pay deposits sight-unseen, makes travel nurses frequent targets. Scam reports are a regular occurrence in travel nurse Facebook groups and forums.

Is it safe to pay a deposit without seeing the property? It can be, if you follow the verification steps in this guide. A live video tour, verified property records, landlord reviews, and traceable payment methods collectively provide strong protection. What is not safe is paying a deposit without any verification at all.

Can I get my money back if I am scammed? It depends on how you paid. Credit card chargebacks have the highest success rate for recovering funds. PayPal buyer protection may also help. Zelle, Venmo, wire transfers, and cash/gift cards are extremely difficult or impossible to recover. This is why payment method matters.

How do I know if a landlord is legitimate? Verify their identity through property records, online presence, reviews on housing platforms, and live video interaction. A legitimate landlord will have a verifiable name matching property records (or a registered LLC), will be willing to do a video tour, and will not pressure you to pay immediately via untraceable methods.

Should I only use platforms like Furnished Finder to be safe? Furnished Finder reduces your risk because of landlord reviews and a community focused on healthcare travelers, but no platform is scam-proof. Apply the verification steps in this guide regardless of which platform you use. The safest approach is to use multiple verification methods for every listing.

Key Takeaways

Scammers exploit the urgency and remote nature of travel nurse housing searches. Knowing this is your first line of defense.
Know the red flags: below-market pricing, pressure to pay immediately, refusal to do video tours, and requests for untraceable payment methods.
Verify every listing with reverse image searches, Google Maps, property records, and live video tours before sending any money.
Use traceable payment methods. Credit cards offer the best protection. Never wire money or pay with gift cards.
If something feels wrong, walk away. Another listing will come along. Your money and your identity are worth more than any single housing option.

Reduce your risk by starting your search on Furnished Finder , where landlord reviews and a healthcare-focused community provide an extra layer of accountability. And for a complete housing search strategy, see our travel nurse housing guide.

Affiliate Placement Notes

Furnished Finder affiliate link in verification steps, platform safety tips, FAQ, and key takeaways
Airbnb referral link in platform safety tips section
Identity protection / credit monitoring service affiliate link in “What to Do If Scammed” section