…and that’s precisely what they get. 
I can see how it would be possible. Many years ago, I went looking for a flat or a room in a shared flat on behalf of a friend who was out of the country for a year and would return to university in the autumn term. Tricky, 'cos property owners were understandably concerned about not seeing the potential tenant in person. But in that case, from my friend (the potential renter)'s point of view, I was there doing the legwork, and letting her know if I thought a place was good etc., while also trying to assure potential landlords that friend was a very decent sort and a good person, quiet-living nice studious young lady and so on, and that references could be obtained.
SO, in the case of someone out of the country, or in the U.S.A., perhaps simply in a far-away state and needing to move for work or something, such a thing could possibly happen. I don’t think that applies in the case of the O.P., but perhaps the scammers simply send out enough of these things that they might catch someone whose circumstances are such that they might rent somewhere sight unseen.
However, even trying to see how it could be possible, the mere mention of the African connection would surely serve as a warning. How the heck this can work if the property rental is being advertised on Craigslist or anywhere on the web is what I don’t get. You’d think anyone happy enough to use the internet would be awake to the potential pitfalls