All these advertisers want is to obtain the name of every boy and girl between fourteen and eighteen years of age, so as to mail them their circulars. Some of these advertisers are the firms selling the “Lost Manhood” fakes and other nasty fakes; some are in the disreputable business only to get the names and sell them to the blood-suckers, and once they get your name, they will follow you up to the last minute of your youth; then, if you have been easily bled, they will follow you up into your married life.
They work the Sunday School teachers by offering to send samples of mottoes or some other tempting bait to catch the unwary young woman who has a class of boys――yes, and girls. All they want is the name of each scholar for some contest――the winning class to get a prize; or else it is to introduce some new line of CHURCH work――and to introduce it in their city, samples will be sent free to each pupil.
In the high schools, they have their own agents――pupils――who send a list of names and with these names other information that these scorpions want. Of course, many of these pupil-agents do not really know just all the evil they are doing, but I think they are generally those of bad and injurious habits.
So when you receive one of these circulars just tear the vile thing up and say to yourself: “Nixy for me, I don’t bite at such bait――I’m no sucker.”
I am pleased to say that all these nefarious schemes I have investigated are run by foreigners; not one I know of is controlled by a genuine American or Britisher.
“But,” you say, “some of these fakers and quacks must be honest. There must be something in what they say in print, because they offer your money back if you are not cured. They give you a written guarantee and refer you to a bank.”
True, and you will find that the guarantee is legally correct and binding. But――
This is the way they trap you: In the guarantee they promise to return your money――and sometimes more as a bait――IF YOU GIVE REASONABLE PROOF THAT YOU WERE A VICTIM OF INJURIOUS HABITS BEFORE TREATMENT, AND THAT THE TREATMENT HAS NOT CURED YOU.
When you demand your money back they will send you a blank to fill out and return. They inform you that when this blank is properly filled out they will at once return the money. I presume they will, but I have never heard of such a case and I have investigated hundreds of these schemes.