The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

QUITE PREVALENT AMONG THE EMPLOYEES AND SUPERVISORS OF
THE SEARS STORE IN LINCOLN PARK, MICHIGAN WAS THIS "GET
RICH QUICK" SCHEME THROUGH USE OF THE FOLLOWING CHAIN-
LETTER. THIS WAS COLLECTED JAN. 14, 1967.
1. YOU GIVE $37.50 BY HAND, TO THE PERSON GIVING YOU
THIS LIST OF NAMES. HE GIVES YOU A $25.00 SAVINGS BOND
IN THE NAME OF THE PERSON WHOSE NAME IS FIRST ON THE
LIST YOU HAVE PURCHASED. 2. DON'T USE THE MAIL TO SEND YOUR LETTER. IT IS ILLEGAL
TO DO THIS. 3. MAKE TWO (2) IDENTICAL COPIES OF THIS LETTER, ELIMINATING
THE TOP NAME AND ADDING YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS TO THE
BOTTOM. THUS THE NUMBER TWO BECOMES ONE AND YOUR
NAME BECOMES NUMBER TEN. 4. THE NAME ON THE BOND IS THE SAME AS THE NAME ON THE
TOP OF THE LIST YOU HAVE JUST PURCHASED. MAIL THE
BOND AT ONCE TO THE PERSON WHOSE NAME IS ON THE BOND.
IT IS LEGAL TO DO THIS. 5. PURCHASE FROM THE BANK TWO (2) $25.00 SAVINGS BONDS
MADE OUT TO THE PERSON WHOSE NAME COMES FIRST ON THE
LIST YOU HAVE JUST MADE OUT. YOU SELL EACH LIST WITH
THE BONDS ATTACHED FOR $37.50 AND YOU HAVE YOUR MONEY
BACK. 6. WHEN YOUR NAME REACHES THE TOP OF THE LIST, YOU SHOULD
HAVE RECEIVED $38,000 IN SAVINGS BONDS, WHICH WILL BE
WORTH $50,000 IN SEVEN YEARS FROM THE DATE OF ISSUE.
THIS CAMPAIGN IS SURE BECAUSE EACH PERSON WILL HASTEN
TO GET HIS MONEY BACK, THUS MOVING YOUR NAME UP THE
LIST. THIS ALSO BENEFITS THE COUNTRY BY THE SALE OF
SAVINGS BONDS. 7. THIS LIST IS NOT VALID UNLESS A BOND IS ATTACHED,
PAYABLE TO THE PERSON WHO IS NUMBER ONE ON THE LIST.
RESPONSIBLE LEGAL TALENT HAS ADVISED THAT THIS
PROCEDURE OF SELLING GOVERNMENT BONDS IS NOT ILLEGAL.
FOLLOWING THESE INSTRUCTIONS WAS A LIST OF NAMES
WHICH I WAS ASKED TO OMIT. ALL THE PEOPLE LISTED
WERE FROM THE LINCOLN PARK, ALLEN PARK {MICHIGAN}
AREA.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LINCOLN PARK

Date learned: 01-14-1967