Web Tourist Scam Uses Manhattan Building

NEW YORK (AP) - They came from Switzerland, France, and India. Tourists who paid for long-awaited vacations to New York City. But when they arrived they learned the shocking truth - the building they paid to stay in is being used by Internet scam artists to rip-off overseas tourists.

The Manhattan building called Camelot, at 301 West 45th street, is the target of the scam, offering tourists luxury accommodations and leaving them with nothing when they arrive.The luxury residential building is just off Times Square.

The Internet con artists have been using Craigslist to target vacationing foreigners who pay upfront for what they think are luxury apartment rentals in midtown Manhattan. Instead, they find doormen who tell them they're victims of a scammer.

Tourists continually arrive at the residential building carrying fake contracts like the one Niati Mavungu, 31, from France and Emmanuelle Guad, 29, from Switzerland had. They believe they’ve rented a two-bedroom in a building with a pool, gym and other amenities – only to cry and scream in disbelief when the building superintendent breaks the grim news to them, the New York Post reported.

So far this summer, the building has turned away up to 50 would-be clients with fake contracts. The NYPD does not have jurisdiction over the crimes because the money transfers originate outside the city.