SYDNEY CONFIDENCE MEN.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 July 1921, Page 4

SYDNEY CONFIDENCE MEN.

***** WORKING A NEW SYSTEM. SYDNEY, June 28. Things have been made fairly hot of late months in the city tor the great tribe of confidence men, who secure a comfortable living among the careless Australian people; and some of them have moved out into the country towns and started a new idea. It was a scheme that, by its nature, was not discovered for at least a month or two. and the thieves reaped quite a little harvest before the business community •‘got wise” to it. The cash of the conn try people was not touched, only their ere lit was worked on.

The plan is quite simple. The confidence man arrives unheralded at. a prosperous country centre and puts up at the best hotel. He is “on overworked city business man” having a rest. He is a good fellow wherever he goes, and the townsfolk are soon his friends—particularly the folk with money. The Visitor is concerned only about one thing; lie wants to find out the city firms from which these townsfolk purchase goods and bow and when they do it. He gathers all possible information under that bead. Then lie drifts on to another town.

The confidence man appears in the ‘••econd town in much the same manner, and collects information in the same way. Tn the meantime, using the name of one of the residents of the lirst town, he has written to the city firm with which that resident 'deals and has ordered a quantity of goods. He explains that he is spending a short holiday in the second town, and asks that they bo sent on there ; and be duly takes delivery of the parcel. Then lie moves on again, changing bis name re-

gularly. and repeats the performance. The value of the goods sont in a parcel is seldom less than £SO. One the po-

lice are inquiring about now was worth £l5O. Of course, the game ends when the monthly accounts are sent out and the city firm and the country resident whose name has lieen used begin to argue with each other. But the scheme has already been extensively worked.

;ind some city firms have lost hundreds of pounds. AYomen are prominent in the frauds. The name of a woman who owns a hotel in Forbes was thus used, and a. parcel of clothing worth £IOO was sent away in her name. However, the police are now hot on

the trail. Last week an order was received by a city firm, which looked suspicions A dummy parcel was ini' up and sent to an address in Kafoomba ami two detectives wer 0 close at band when it was delivered. They arrested a young woman.