How to spot a fake ESA letter: a beginner's guide

If you fall from a flight of stairs, everyone will encourage you to go to the hospital. On the contrary, if you go through a traumatic experience, people will ask you to "man up" and "get on with your life". However, what needs to be understood is that the brain is an organ too, and it can get ill. To cure this illness, a trip to the psychiatrist may not be enough. You can buy an Emotional support animal as well to recover at a fast pace.

ESA documentation

What distinguishes your casual pet from an ESA is that your ESA can live with you even if your tenant disallows pets. Think of your ESA as a medicine you require to heal. However, it is important to possess an esa letter to have an ESA, otherwise your landlord can force you to abandon your pet. Obtaining this letter is not a complicated procedure; you can easily achieve this by following the guideline given below

How to get the documentation?

Getting in touch with a licensed mental health professional is your first step. If you already have a psychologist, well and good; if not, contact one immediately. You then need to ask them to diagnose you and recommend whether you need an ESA or not. The professional will conduct a series of tests and send the esa letter for housing to your doorstep if need be.


Fake letters

Some people intentionally resort to fake ESA letter online to reap the benefits of ESAs. For example, individuals may craft a fake document to allow their pets to stay with them at home. This is illegal and punishable by fines and imprisonment. Other times, you may be tricked into getting a fake letter, which is also illegal.

How to spot a fabricated letter

Let’s suppose you order an emotional support dog letter. You open it up and on the first site, it seems authentic. How can you know for sure if it’s not? There are some rules that a real letter has to abide by. After following the provided guidelines, you can confirm whether the received letter is fake or authentic.

· Red flag 1: Not linked with Health professionals

Your ESA document cannot be obtained without consultation from licensed health professionals. The Emotional support animal letter will be considered fabricated if it was not issued by a mental health professional. The letter thus contains their signature and contact information. If this is not present, that’s your first red flag

· Red flag 2: Website

Numerous websites can get you the required documents. The first thing you must observe is the website from where you are ordering the document. A critical analysis of the website will tell you about its credibility. Run away if you see the word ESA registration. ESAs are not registered; their letters are obtained. Please note that you do not need to register an animal with the government.

The website must not discuss your need to certify your ESA. Just like registration is unnecessary, so is certification. All you need is the letter and you can get the animal to legally live with you. The letter is simply a diagnosis from the doctor claiming that you need an emotional support animal for the treatment of your mental health.

Watch out for any unusual claims made by the website. Some websites claim that they can sell you an ESA dog at a discounted price. You must remember that an ESA is not a particularly special animal. You can buy a random pet from the pet store and make it as an ESA.

· Red Flag 3: State of the professional

This is not a red flag per se because it does not deal with fabricated letters. The health professional must be licensed to operate in your state. If you’re taking online therapy, it is always wise to ask your psychologist whether they are licensed in your state or not. If they aren't, consult a health professional who is and ask for the letter.

· Red flag 4: No ESA details

An authentic ESA document contains details about your furry friend. The letter must contain the type of animal, name, certificate id number, issue date, and expiration date. If your letter does not contain such information, chances are that it is fake. Before registering with a website, ask them for a sample certificate so that you can critically analyze it.

· Red flag 5: Payment method

You should use your common sense when going on any website that requires payment. An ESA documentation website should have safe payment options like PayPal and Credit Card payment. If only a wire transfer option is available, run away quickly because chances are that the website is scamming you. You should report such websites to the cybercrime department of the country.

· No evaluation process

As mentioned countless times earlier, a licensed health professional must diagnose you for you to receive the documentation. If a website claims to provide a document without talking to you, it is a scam. The website should at least survey your mental health. A mental health evaluation is a primary step in obtaining the letter. Contact their customer service to clarify any confusion.

Conclusion

To conclude this topic, you need an official ESA document to be eligible for ownership of an ESA. The internet is full of scams, and thus you need to be careful with your letter procurement process. Imagine spending your hard-earned dollars and still being unable to buy an ESA. You should ensure that the provider of the letter is a licensed professional. Once you have the document, you can avail all the benefits of owning an ESA.