ELMHURST — Renters answering ads for apartments were defrauded out of thousands of dollars after paying deposits to bogus landlords, police said.
Over the last week, four people who responded to rental listings posted on fliers and Craigslist lost more than $10,000, according to the NYPD.
They visited apartments in Corona and Elmhurst and handed over a security deposit for the place in exchange for a key, police said. In many instances the renters thought they were getting a deal for not paying a broker's fee or first and last month's rent, police said.
But when they tried to move in, they realized the key wasn't for the apartment and the "rental agent" had no authority to show the place.
Officers from the 110th Precinct — who said they saw a spike in the scam over recent weeks — urged people to use reputable rental agencies to find a place to live.
"It is better to pay a broker fee than to lose your hard earned money to one of these scams," Community Affairs Officer David Saponieri wrote in an email.
