It's the new craze in the world of swindling. To extort money from his victims, a con man poses as a journalist and claims he would help people receive media attention for their problems, Al Gomhouria daily reported. In one such case, an avid reader of Al Gomhouria's agony aunt column diligently followed readers' letters containing complaints and grievances. He would then contact the readers, telling them he had been entrusted by the daily to solve their problems in return for a sum of money. He met a man who had been searching for jobs for his two daughters at Ramses Square and after receiving some cash he promised the girls would be employed soon. But when Ali Ahmed Mohammed, 54, a bus conductor in Qena, became suspicious of the man, he reported him to the police. The police set a trap for the imposter who was caught red-handed. Investigations revealed that the culprit, whose name was not revealed in an attempt to track down more cases in which he has been involved, is wanted in connection with 11 cases of swindling. He had regularly followed the letters of inexperienced folks, especially those hailing from Upper Egypt and the Delta. He would appear in posh attire to give the impression he is a high-ranking official to commit his dastardly deed.
