A Palm Beach apartment listing on Craigslist has led to the arrest of a man accused of running a rental scam. Vickenson Ambroise, 38, was charged with multiple counts including fraudulent sale or lease of property, as per a CBS12 report. The scam involved an apartment on Chilean Avenue in Palm Beach that was surreptitiously offered for rent at a significantly lower price than it was listed for on Zillow.
The actual owner of the 'Chilean Apartment' learned of the deceit after being alerted by an existing tenant on February 4. Upon investigation, it was discovered that Ambroise had been showing the apartment to potential renters as 'Chris', claiming to be a family friend of the owner. Victims were able to walk through the unit and even received keys from Ambroise. According to the Palm Beach Police Department affidavits, one victim agreed to a deal and paid Ambroise $1,400 through Zelle after being promised a roommate would soon join the rental.
Police apprehended Ambroise after the owner reported the unauthorized rental activity, and two of the scammed tenants were able to positively identify him from a photo lineup. The actual apartment was listed for $5,200 on Zillow, but Ambroise had advertised it on Craigslist for "$1,175 a month for month-to-month, or $950 a month for a five-to-ten-month period," the affidavit stated, according to CBS12.
According to a post by News3LasVegas, the victims were seemingly given a legitimate walk-through of the apartment, complete with keys handed to them by the scammer. One victim met Ambroise and toured the apartment on February 2 with her daughter, who later the same key they were received from 'Chris' to move into her new home. Another victim was moving in while the first tenant was already settling in, following the same pattern of being enticed by the too-good-to-be-true rental price.
The scam serves as a stark reminder to potential renters to remain vigilant and verify listing details with property owners directly. Ambroise faces serious charges as a result of his alleged actions, highlighting the legal risks inherent in attempting to defraud individuals seeking housing.
