CONFIDENCE TRICKSTERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22067, 25 September 1933, Page 16

CONFIDENCE TRICKSTERS

BEATEN'BY AMERICAN. An. American visitor to Paris recently had the delightful experience of beating two confidence tricksters. In most stories of the confidence trick it is the benevolent-Irishman with a fortune to distribute to the poor who eventually walks off with the bank-roll of the victim. In this case the old " rosary trick" was tried. The American followed the practice of all victims of the confidence trick by accepting an invitation to an elaborate lunch. During the meal he was told the.story of the immense fortune to be given to deserving poor, and was invited to help in the distribution. Of course it was explained that before the would-be benefactors could entrust the guest with,a large sum of money he must prove his own financial stability. Ho did this by exhibiting a letter of credit for a substantial amount. Then he was invited to accompany one of the " confidence" men to a bank in order to produce the wealth' in act.ua! bank notes. When the tricksters said> that the letter of credit was not in itself a sufficient guarantee, the prospective "victim" told them firmly, and not very politely, to tell their story "to the marines." He thanked them for an excellent lunch, and at the. same time informed them that he could not. stay 1 to ■pay the bill because —he was going straight out to look for a policeman.