About Stamp Dealers : Page 57

Just how effective it can be was demonstrated whena swindler set up shop in Montreal for the double pur-pose of swindling dealers and collectors. This fellowsent out "Want Lists" to dealers all over the country.Such requests were accompanied by what appeared to bereputable references. At the same time he solicited ordersfrom collectors. His was a large-scale operation involvingover a hundred thousand dollars in both directions.Almost before he got started, however, a report was madeto the ASDA Executive Secretary in New York whoimmediately contacted the postal authorities in Canada.Within hours the swindler was apprehended and caughtwith the material. Within a month the Canadian author-ities had successfully prosecuted the man and sent himto jail. The Canadian postal authorities then returned allstamps to the dealers who had sent them in good faithand, aided by the ASDA, even succeeded in sorting outand identifying the owners of the material which hadbeen unpacked by the thief. When the operation was