The prospective tenants thought they had done everything right - they did their research on Craigs List, found an apartment they liked, and then made a deposit to stake their claim.
The only problem was, the man they gave the cash to was not authorized to make rental deals on the apartment, police said. He was just a guy that used to live there.
Three separate individuals answered an ad posted on Craigs List, according to police, and then cut a deal with Samuel Ferraro. Authorities said that Ferraro made the would-be renters, fill out paperwork, and then he had them fork over $600 cash each. After taking the money, he told each party separately that they could move in on May 4.
Police said that Ferraro used to live at the apartment, but no longer. He had retained the ability to access the apartment and show off "his" apartment. When shown a picture of Samuel Ferraro, all 3 victims positively identified him as the man they gave money too.
A warrant has been issued for Ferraro's arrest, but police have not been able to locate the alleged scammer. Anyone with information on the man can drop an anonymous tip to the police at their website.
