Greenwood Village

Craigslist con man took prospective renters for a ride:
I think this is the same guy I posted about here.

Anyway Greenwood Village police arrested 43-year-old Nick J. Beram of Denver for ripping off at least 29 people for $250 a pop.

Greenwood Village Detective Joe Gutgsell said Beram represented himself as a property manager with various-sized apartments for rent, which he advertised on the Internet. For a month, he met his victims in Starbucks coffee shops, mainly the one near Interstate 25 and Arapahoe Road.

“Most of his victims were between the ages of 18 and 30,” Gutgsell said. “The prices were too good to be true.”

According to police, Beram would tell his victims that they needed to clear a background check before he would walk them through the apartment. A binder of $250 would hold the apartment until the background check was finished, they were told, and the check would not be cashed until the person cleared the check and agreed to rent the apartment, Gutgsell said.

Remember kids, if it’s too good to be true it probably is and real property managers don’t do business at Starbucks.

Cops warn of Craigslist scam:
The good people of Greenwood Village, Colorado are being warned by police to be on the look out for a craigslist real estate scammer.

Victims have inquired about a rental home through an independent real estate broker via Craigslist, identifying himself as Dan Reynolds (no relation, I swear), James Edwards, or James Forrest, police said.

Victims have met with the subject, typically at a Starbucks in or around the Denver metropolitan area, and have paid the suspect $250 as a retainer for a rental property.

The checks are cashed despite that the victims say they are told that the check would only be used if the owner approves them for the lease, police said.

The article has a police phone number you can call if you have any information.