Anyone who owns a house or apartment will entrust a friend or management company with the responsibility of managing the property before going out of town for an extended period. If someone claims to own or manage the place but cannot grant you a walk-through viewing of a place (not just pictures sent through email--anyone can do that--they must legally own a copy of the key) and FOR FREE, then it is a scam. I agree with Julie. Do not use sites like Trulia to try to find a rental. They do not verify 'property managers' and most of the rentals you will find on Trulia are scams. I found my apartment by contacting well established local realty management companies. The apartment I chose is owned by a company that was recommended to me by a friend. Never ever send money. If it's a legitimate owner/manager/leaser, all transactions will happen in person.

Trulia.com is the biggest ripoff, especially for rentals on the planet. What happened to you happens to virtually everyone. If trulia.com had a conscience they would eliminate their "rental" section altogether. Never send money to anyone under any circumstances. Private rentals are very difficult to find in Denver -- my advice is contact a few property management firms or rent an apartment.