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PSA: The $500 I spent on a local relocation consultant in Medellin was a total waste

I moved here six months ago thinking I had it all figured out, just needed a place to work. I hired a guy who promised to handle my visa setup, find an apartment, and connect me with other freelancers. Cost me about $500 upfront. He got me a tourist visa extension, which was fine, but the apartment was a nightmare with terrible internet that cut out during client calls. The 'freelancer network' was just a dead WhatsApp group. I ended up having to redo everything myself, finding a co-working space and a lawyer for a proper digital nomad visa. The money wasn't the worst part, it was the lost time and stress. Has anyone found a legit service here that actually delivers what they promise?
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keith_owens3
My buddy got burned by a similar guy in Bogota, same dead WhatsApp group scam. He just found a local lawyer through his coworking space who fixed everything for half that price.
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sarahscott
sarahscott23d ago
Yeah, that coworking space connection is key. Those local networks always know who actually gets stuff done, not just who charges a lot.
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shane_wilson
I get why you feel that way, but paying for local help isn't always a waste. Sometimes you're just paying for the lesson on who to trust. Like keith_owens3 said, a bad experience in one city doesn't mean all the services are scams. You just have to find the right person through real word of mouth, not flashy promises. What made you pick that specific consultant in the first place?
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