Risks of renting Miami Beach furnished rental  from a free classified site

Free classified websites have been growing in popularity for the past 5 years or so. Websites, such as Craigslist and Backpage, are convenient ways to find jobs and used merchandise to buy, and increasingly, these sites are also becoming very popular with travelers and successful in attracting listings from short-term rental operators and Miami rentals by owners. In hopes of attracting tourists booking Miami vacation packages, these Miami Beach accommodations place free classified advertisements on Craigslist and similar sites.

So, just who are these advertisers?

• Some advertisers are owners posting their listings for Miami rentals by owners arrangements. These owners might be legal or illegal extended stay operators.

• Some advertisers are vacation rental companies, which also may be legal or illegal extended stay operators.
   
• Some advertisers are scam artists that invent Miami Beach accommodations that do not exist. These unscrupulous individuals steal pictures of existing properties to appear more legitimate. They often prey upon travelers looking to set up Miami vacation packages by advertising offers that seem too good to be true. Once these individuals find a victim, they request to have the down payment sent in a wire transfer. Once they receive the funds, they disappear and then resurface again with a completely new fake property to lure another victim.