NEW CONFIDENCE TRICK

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18946, 16 May 1933, Page 8

NEW CONFIDENCE TRICK

MEANT EASY MONEY.

A new type of boarding-house “barber,” who gets easy pickings without even taking up his abode in the homes of his victims, has been doing the rounds of North Sydney and other places, and detectives are on his trail. Hjs chief stock in trade is a bogus letter purporting to have been written to him by a well-known horse-trainer, and the “information” disclosed In this letter has enabled him to dupe successfully a number of unsuspecting women. The well-dressed has apparently introduced something new into the technique of confidence men at several places at Cremorno.

A Little Chat,

His method Is to call at a boardinghouse and ask for accommodation. He produces a few credentials—fraudulent, of course—and, . having engaged a room, announces his Intention of bringing his luggage in a few with the transaction, the landlady is, in most cases, in talkative mood, so the impostor’s next operation is to engage her in conversation during which tho letter is produced telling all about the merits of a particular racehorse. . The letter assures him that tho horse cannot loso next isatutday, amt contains a request to meet a squatter the next. day and to toll the squatter t 0| Tm k going to havo £5 on myself,” he says. “If you '"<o I'll put a few chilllncs on for you.” He pulls out a packet of letters from his pocket, with a £5 note plainly visible. Money Handed Ovor.

The landlady passes over the money the impostor leaves—for his next victim—and nothing more is heard of him. The North Sydney "barber’ is believed to be identical with a man who over 12 months ago reaped a fair harvest in the Darlinghurst district by the same methods.