As the news of the many successful depredations is scattered, we see
banks trying different methods of protection, many of which at first
glance are admirable, but which it will be seen on a little careful
study simply require but slight change of method on the part of the
professional forger to successfully evade. For instance: Many banks
are daily advising their correspondents of the number and amounts of
drafts issued, either in the course of the mails or otherwise. This at
first sight would seem to be almost absolute protection, but it really
may prove a trap to the bank so advised, as may readily be seen. Let
us suppose that Mr. Forger steps into a bank in Cleveland, buys a
draft for $5; a day or two later, or on the same day, he buys another
draft for $5,000. The first draft is successfully altered to $5,000,
but would not of course be paid by the correspondent bank for this
amount, because of the advice they have of this number is that it was
issued for $5; but it was a simpler matter to change the number of the
draft to correspond with the $5,000 draft, the number of which the
forger has, than it is to make the other alterations necessary to
raise it from $5 to $5,000. After making these alterations it goes in
for payment, and on reference to the advice sheet it is found that
this apparent number was issued for $5,000 and paid accordingly. Then
the forgers have simply the problem on hand to avail themselves,
either directly through the bank of issue or elsewhere of this genuine
$5,000 draft, which is certainly not a hard task for the men who have
successfully performed the harder one.




CHAPTER XXII