Two Palm Beach residents lose $1,400 to fake luxury apartment rental scam via Craigslist

Summary

A 38-year-old man, Vickenson Ambroise, scammed two individuals in Palm Beach, Florida, by posing as a "family friend" of a landlord and offering a luxury apartment for rent at a significantly reduced price through Craigslist. The victims, believing the deal was legitimate, met Ambroise at the apartment on February 2 and February 3, 2025, and paid him $1,400 via Zelle and cash. The actual landlord discovered the scam after one of the victims called to inquire about the apartment on February 4, 2025, and police were alerted. Ambroise was arrested and charged with multiple counts, including fraudulent sale or lease of property, burglary, grand theft, and identity fraud, and is being held in Palm Beach County Jail with a bond exceeding $30,000. The victims were left out of thousands of dollars after being deceived into believing they had secured a legitimate rental deal.