HC Deb 08 January 1942 vol 377 c20
36. Mr. Isaacs

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention Las been called to the so-called chain letter schemes, which induce the public to participate by holding out the chance of large financial rewards in return for a small initial outlay; and whether, in view of the mischief and the possibility of fraudulent practices to which they may give rise, he will take action to prohibit such schemes?

Mr. H. Morrison

Yes, Sir; and I entirely agree that such schemes, of which some purport to be designed to assist a patriotic or charitable cause, are both foolish and harmful. Quite apart from any action which the authorities responsible for prosecutions may take when they are satisfied that a particular scheme contravenes the law, I think it right that public attention should be called to the fact that such schemes—which are at the best delusive—provide wide scope for the exploitation of the credulous by the fraudulent.