Travellers Fleeced

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6519, 7 April 1931, Page 12

Travellers Fleeced

CONFIDENCE MEN AGAIN.

EXCHANGE POSITION EXPLOITED,

Taking advantage of the exchange position, confidence men have been active in Melbourne lately in successfully fleecing intending travellers with a variation of the notes for gold trick. Pretending to be able to change Australian notes for English notes on their face value, despite the adverse exchange position, the tricksters secured £45 from a Swiss a month ago, and £6O from another traveller shortly afterwards.

A thiil? victim informed the police on March 6 of his experience with the confidence men. James Entwistlc, an immigrant, reported to tho police that as a result of hard times he had been experiencing in Australia he decided to return to England with his crippled sister. Ho Had been out of work for the past eight months, and decided to book his sister’s passage in a steamer and to attempt to work his own passage home. He visited the steamer Port Melbourne to see if he could get a job. Returning to the city in the train Mr. Entwistle met a man who asked him the way to North Melbourne market. Mr. Entwistle promised to direct him to the North Melbourne tram when they reached the city. At Flinders street station they were both approached by another man, who asked the way to the Bank of New South Wales. This man stated that he intended to go to England, and, by a coincidence, was also travelling in the same steamer as Mr. Entwistle. The third man said he had a brother-in-law in the Bank of New South Wales who would change his Australian notes into English notes without charging exchange, which was very heavy. He asked Mr. Entwistle if he wanted English money also. Mr. Entwistle said he would be glad of it. On reaching the bank the stranger said there were only a limited number of English notes available, but he thought he could change £2B for Mr. Entwistle. “She latter, who had £6O in his possession, gave the stranger £2B to change for him. Tho man went into the bank, but did not return. After waiting for some time it dawned on Mr. Entwistle that he had been tricked. He then reported his experience to the police.