As she scrolled through videos of travelers doing volunteer work in exchange for free accommodation, digital nomad Naiara Saiz Bilbao thought she’d hit the jackpot.

She went to one of the most popular volunteer travel platforms, searched for something similar, and came across a listing for a role at a hostel in Costa Rica.

The tag line, “Do you like nature and dream of living by the sea?” piqued her interest immediately.

As she read on, Saiz Bilbao, originally from Spain, learned that the volunteer position would involve completing social media tasks for a couple of hours a day, five days a week, in exchange for a free stay at a sleek hostel in a popular seaside town, surrounded by luscious jungle and complete with a pristine pool.

A seasoned traveler who’d fallen hard for the Central American country after visiting several times, Saiz Bilbao was excited by the opportunity and quickly signed up.

It seemed like a dream come true, and to Saiz Bilbao, a solo female traveler, the role also seemed secure.

“At least I’m going to feel safe,” she recalls thinking. “With a volunteer program organized through a paid platform, you feel sure the place you’re going to will take care of you.”

Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out as she expected. Earlier this year, Saiz Bilbao arrived at a dilapidated building still under construction, its entrance via a seemingly endless stretch of stairs that led to a window-less hostel.

“It was a disaster,” Saiz Bilbao says.