Police say they've arrested a 39-year-old man on charges he scammed three people who were trying to rent a home on Long Island.
Joseph Carretto, of Central Islip, is charged with scheming to defraud and three counts of petit larceny, according to Suffolk County police.
Authorities say he allegedly put up a listing for a home that was unoccupied and owned by a bank on the classifieds website Craigslist. When three interested renters contacted him, he completed written rental agreements, took deposits from them and gave them a key the the bank-owned home.
It's not clear when the tenants realized they had been ripped off.
Carretto was scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday. Attorney information for the man wasn't immediately available.
Police are trying to determine if Carretto may have run the scheme on any other renters. Anyone with who thinks they may have been a victim should call the Suffolk County Police at 631-854-8329.
