With Miami being one of the top destinations for tourists, vacation rentals scams especially from craigslist are not uncommon. There are 1000s of reports on social media by people who have been scammed from craigslist vultures. Every single day, there are hundreds of apartments and condo rentals listed on craigslist. Unfortunately the majority or in fact 99.999% of them are placed by scammers. For the tourist it is impossible to know which ones are true and which ones are fake.
The best way to avoid being scammed on a rental is to avoid using craigslist. Despite numerous complaints, craigslist has not done a thing about such scams. If you are looking for an apartment or condo to stay in Miami, this should never be an emergency. Do not book the first place you see - be patient and look around. Even if you use craigslist, ask for a phone number. Verify this with a search on google to ensure it is not a scammer with an address in Jamaica or elsewhere. Ask for the address and speak to the manager. Google the location to make sure it is the right place. Compare the photos from craigslist to what you see on google to make sure they match. Never ever give out your credit card or any type of money order to anyone on craigslist. If you get asked for money upfront, then this most likely is a scam.
If the ad appears to be too good to be true, then it is most certainly a scam. Scammers use every type of trick to get your money and the only way to avoid falling prey is to avoid sites like craigslist.
For anyone who is looking for an apartment or condo in Miami, avoid craigslist-this cannot be over emphasized. Instead go to Airbnb, which is a legitimate site. Here you will be charged a small enrollment fee but the site is legitimate. Not only will you get to see the place and its location but get to speak to the owner. Plus there are reviews that you can read online.
Another place you can get a better idea about rentals is to go to TripAdvisor. Here you can read reviews and get an excellent idea on what to avoid and which sites are reputable. If all else fails, then just stay in a regular hotel; while hotels are far more expensive than Airbnb, you almost certainly will not be scammed, at least not in Miami- most of them are legit as long as you have paid with your credit card.
Finally if you are going to be spending a thousand dollars while vacationing in Miami, the onus is on you to spend a few hours looking for a rental and condo. People who usually get scammed are those who are in a hurry. If you have no time to spend on the Internet, then it is best you cancel your vacation and stay home-because more likely than not, going to craigslist will result in money down the toilet.