CLEVER FORGERS.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 9779, 12 January 1901, Page 1

CLEVER FORGERS.

A SERIEBOFCRAFIY CiEQUS FRAUDS, A gang of forgers has been for soma time trying to pass off forged oheqaea oil London bankers by no artful and oompllcited Echeme. One of the party oalla on a firm of solioltois ind asks for paroloqlare of properly advorijsed for sale. After, obtaining this Information he requests an interview with a member of the -firm, whom he instrncti to apply for payment ■' of ad'amount due to him from a person who Is able, but refuses: to pay, .debtoi'd address, furnished by the > creditor, turns out to be a shop where letters may be left for a small fee. The solicitors, on applying to the pretended debtor, reoelre an installment, and on inquiring from the creditor whether they shall forward-the amount to him, he re< quests them to forward it to his address. After a short time a seoond Instalment Is received. Having thus obtained a oouple of cheques signed by the solicitors, tha gan;> then procure in some way or other a blmk oheqna of tha bank at which the solicitors keep their acoount, and foige both the olerk's writing and the signature of the firm. The forged oheque U drawn for a large amount, and as solicitors often drawont considerable snma in notes fO': the completion of purchases of properties this does not exciting suspicion. The method of cashing the oheque Is equally crafty. An advertisement is Inserted for a clerk, and applicants are requested to apply to an officer engaged for the oooaslon. The selected applicant Is then directed to take a ohfque bo the bank and get lb cashed Into LIOO notes. On 3 of tha giing follows him, and If the oheque is p°id : he waits to see whelher the' oletk la watched as he leaves the bank. If tha course is clear, he takes the money from the olerk at an appointed plaoe and at another plsoa he divides the spoil with bit confederates. Eioh of them then goes to a foreign office and cashes his note into franos. The forging of the writing- in the body of the oheque and the signature are almost perfect. In order to nuka It Impossible to trace-the "book from which the cheque had been taken,-tha number of the oheque Is often obliterated and another put In Its plaoe, and, with the same object, the name of the branoh' h eradicated, and an- . other substituted for ib In almost idehtloal type,- .