A few weeks ago, some British friends told me that they would be coming to New York for Easter and needed a place to stay. Since my own apartment was already full with extended family, I suggested they look on the internet – and they duly booked a place via Craigslist.

It seemed ideal, at least in cyberspace: a mid-town address, a reasonable rental price and spacious rooms. But, sadly, it was also too good to be true. After my friends paid the deposit, the landlord vanished, with $1,200 of their money. The “dream” rental was actually an internet fraud perpetuated by a man named “Lester Gold”.

It is a sobering tale on several levels. First, and most obviously, it should serve as a warning to anyone else planning a holiday rental. Since this particular fraudster struck, I have been regaled with a host of similar tales from native New York friends: such stories, it seems, are common. No surprise, perhaps, given the city’s sky-high hotel prices, tourist influx – and the presence of platforms such as Craigslist which do not have any liability for what is advertised or posted there.