As real estate brokers were preparing for a sun-splashed day of open houses yesterday, police officers arrested a pair of bogus rental agents from Long Island that prosecutors said have left a wake of fraud in their paths.

Prosecutors said the two showed wide-eyed customers apartments at posh Greenwich Village addresses such as 18 Cornelia St., 11 Jones St., and 118 Christopher St., even though they had no authority to do so, and then accepted thousands in checks and cash for deposits and application fees.

The pair, Frederick Forino, who prosecutors described as a 34-year-old career grifter living in Port Washington, and his girlfriend, Carol Rodriguez, 25, also of Port Washington, are said to have pulled the scam on at least six unsuspecting apartment hunters. They posted phony listings on the popular Web site craigslist.org and then arranged appointments with prospective clients outside of the buildings.

Mr. Forino had collected at least $4,050 in cash and was holding $2,800 in deposit checks that he had not yet cashed, prosecutors said. He was charged with grand larceny in the fourth degree, possession of stolen property, and scheming to defraud. Ms. Rodriguez was charged with scheming to defraud and unlawful possession of personal identification and could face four years in prison.

Real estate scams are hardly new to New York’s rental market. With apartments fetching such high rents, many brokers said yesterday that eager clients are often willing to sacrifice good judgment in the hopes of scoring a plum apartment at below-market prices.

“This could happen to anyone,” said a broker for Citi Habitats, James Muessig. “While I loathe to blame the customers, the hustle-bustle attitude of looking for apartments can leave you vulnerable. Many don’t have time to meet at an office or talk in person – they just have $5,000-a-month expectations with a $3,000-a-month budget.”