Daily Progress, Jacksonville, TX

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June 8, 2007

Need cash? Try cyberbegging

By Kelly Young

news

@jacksonvilleprogress.com

The Cherokee County District Attorney’s office is investigating whether a man who appears to have fallen victim to an Internet scam should face forgery charges.

The Jacksonville Police Department questioned the man Wednesday after he was caught cashing hot checks at a Jacksonville bank. Det. Daniel Franklin said his interview with the man led him to believe that the suspect was indeed a victim.

“The subject had gone on the Internet and had placed an ad on a Web site called cyberbeg.com, where you basically list the problems that you have going on in your life and you beg people to send you money,” Franklin said.

According to the subject, Mark Holt, he started receiving numerous checks in the mail, and he opened checking accounts at several banks around town with the money. It now appears that at some of the checks Holt received were either stolen or counterfeit.

“One of the checks he received was attached with a letter requesting that some of the money be sent back to the sender, which makes it similar to the Nigerian Internet scam that hit this area a little more than a year ago,” Franklin said. “There is the possibility that charges may still be added. The case is being sent to the DA’s office for their consideration, and they will determine whether charges should be filed or not.”

According to District Attorney Elmer Beckworth, his office has not yet reviewed the case.

Also known as E-panhandling, cyberbegging has become a recent Internet phenomenon, as numerous sites have sprung-up offering an outlet for down-and-outers to share their tales of woe.

Television networks ABC, CBS and CNN have all done stories featuring cyberbegging in the past year.

Franklin said that prior to this case he had never heard of cyberbegging.

“I don’t know much about it, but from what I can tell, there are some people willing to donate money that way — cyberbeg.com has received over $17,000 in donations,” Franklin said. “Unfortunately, you will still see people, like in this case, who see cyberbegging as an opportunity to scam people and rip them off in new ways.”

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