| Money and need do funny things to the human mind. | | | | Those that have to find New York apartment in the |
| What is far too good to be true from an objective | | | | very near future are like the thirsty in the desert, |
| perspective can start looking pretty darn realistic | | | | who willfully think mirage is really an oasis. |
| after you've spent months awkwardly crashing on | | | | The scammers are just using a more modern version |
| friends' couches while you look for a place to live. | | | | of fool's gold... Instead of California, it's Craigslist, and |
| There were pioneers who traveled west and struck | | | | instead of gold itself they are using the modern day |
| gold during the California gold rush faster than some | | | | equivalent: quality, cheap NY apartments. |
| people can get an apartment in this city. | | | | And just like back in the day, when the typical |
| And even in this new buyer's market, quality NYC | | | | pioneer or gold-searcher wouldn't trade his savings |
| apartments can be about as rare and valuable as | | | | for some gold that a random stranger insures is legit, |
| gold. Just like gold, there's a whole lot of fake - fool's | | | | most people today have the basic common sense |
| - versions out there. | | | | not to send money to someone they've never met |
| Enter the online scammers, who take advantage of | | | | for an apartment that sounds like an incredible deal. |
| the gullible. Recently, on Craigslist, there have been | | | | Indeed, many people would argue that if you trusted |
| frequent posts in the NY apartments section that | | | | some random person on Craigslist with your money, |
| sound a little too good to be true. Usually there is | | | | you probably deserved to lose every last cent. |
| some plausible scenario that explains why the rent is | | | | Regardless of that, though, these scams have |
| so cheap... someone just got a job and has to move | | | | always been based on someone's ability to fool |
| with less than a week's notice, or something like that. | | | | themselves, not on one person's ability to fool |
| Of course, since time's an issue, they just ask that | | | | another. That's why they don't call it "mildly imprudent |
| you mail them a security deposit, and you'll get a | | | | gold," but "fool's gold." Because it takes a true fool to |
| package with the apartment keys with your name | | | | pay good money for it. Nine times out of ten, that |
| on it in just a few days. | | | | person is a fool because money, needs or wants |
| The keys never come in the mail. | | | | drive them into a foolish state. |
| Of course, online fraud like this exists everywhere, | | | | In this case, months spent searching for New York |
| but cons like to target Craigslist, which is used | | | | apartments is, apparently, enough to frustrate some |
| disproportionately by those prone to procrastination. | | | | people into fooldom. |