By SCOTT INGLIS
A man owing $100,000 has e-mailed people overseas pleading for money in what is believed to be New Zealand's first case of "cyber-begging."
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs says that such cases are usually scams but police say the man's hard luck story is true and probably within the law.
The man, who sent at least seven e-mails to Australians and a Cana- dian businessman this month, is known only as Julian, a 24-year-old of Paraparaumu Beach.
In his e-mails, Julian says he is facing financial ruin and has a heavily pregnant fiancee.
His fledgling Internet company has collapsed, despite his working "day and night" for a year. Julian says he has been left with a failed business and a $98,000 debt.
"It is very humbling, me telling you this, but I am in a desperate situation. I want to be able to give our child, when it is born, everything that it wants," he writes.
He asks people to deposit money into an ASB account or e-mail him, and also provides a PO Box number.
The ministry, which runs Scam Watch, says it is the first case of genuine cyber-begging it has heard of.
The six Australians who received Julian's e-mail thought they were victims of a scam and contacted New Zealand police.
Detective Neil Murphy, of Paraparaumu CIB, says he knows the man, but refused to give his surname.
"It's a person I've had dealings with before. Probably most of that in the e-mail that I know of is correct. It's a begging letter as opposed to a scam."
Detective Murphy had called to see the man, but nobody was home.
"I do intend to talk to him ... I've contacted the local branch of the ASB because no doubt they are not amused. Really, this guy is pathetic."
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