Hamilton police are warning people to watch out for a "smooth-talking" conman peddling a hard-luck story.
He claims either his girlfriend or child has an illness and he needs to take them to Napier for treatment – but his car has run out of petrol.
He promises to pay back any cash borrowed and sometimes offers a laptop bag as collateral.
The man was described as European, in his early 20s, about 170cm tall, and of slim build.
He is tanned with medium-length dark hair and a mole on the left side of his face.
Anyone approached by the man was asked to contact police.
Same story
I am posting this because as soon as I read it I called the police.
This man approached me about a month ago in the Victoria Street Accident and Medical centre carpark.
He was really really frantic trying to get money out of me because he needed to get to starship with his partner and child and had no petrol.
What made me think it was really strange is because he said he only needed $6!
I didn't think anything of it at the time but now realise that he is going around doing it to lots of people.
I helped! Cause the police said they hadn't had any reports of him doing it that far back.