Some homeowners in the Denver area have seen their houses offered for rent by someone else on Craigslist. It's another in a series of scams that appear to be based in the African country of Nigeria.

Builder John Kurowski's real estate agent got a call from someone who spotted an ad on Craigslist. One look at the price in the ad and it was clear it was a scam. The ad listed the price as $1,300 a month for a five-bedroom, incredibly charming home. But the real owner, Kurowski, never placed such an ad.

"First of all it's not his house, whoever this person is; it's not their house," Kurowski said. "Second of all they have no right to use my house as part of a scam."

In fact, Kurowski's house is for rent at $4,500 a month — three times what the ad states. It's also for sale.

His real estate agent responded to the Craigslist ad to try to see what was happening. The reply stated the owner went "for a crusade to West Africa (Nigeria)," and asked for deposit money to be sent.

"It's amazing someone would send a deposit to someone in Africa thinking they are going to get the house," Kurowski said.

But it's happened time and time again and not just with Kurowski's house.

"It's been a horrible experience. They've lost their money and he does sometimes send them keys," Connie Yamauchi with Heartstone Properties said. "He'll overnight a key and it's just a blank key that goes to nothing."

Kurowski's house is worth more than $1 million, but someone apparently took information from a legitimate ad, put it on Craigslist and claimed it as their own adding, "I'm a kind and honest man."

The Colorado Attorney General's Office says there's not much that can be done about the scam if a home appears on Craigslist in this manner. They say to always be cautious of sending money overseas without assurances.