The Practice of Hungarian Schnorrers in America in 1934, described by Yosef Moshe Krumer

 Yosef Moshe Krumer was on of the most curious characters of the Yishuv in Jerusalem, and published several pamphlets in 1934 titled הצופה לבית ישראל prophesying the coming catastrophes to European Jewry and admonishing the Jews for their sins. Rav Kook game him an interesting Haskamah, writing that the author deserves moral support for his intent of bringing the Jews to Judaism.

R. Kook's Haskamah

On pg 6, he describes the practice of the Meshulachim of Kollel Hungariah who traveled to America to collect money. 

"...ומנצלים את שמו הקדוש של החתם סופר. שדרים אלה כשנוסעים לאמירקה הם מקצצים את זקניהם.....ולפני נסיעתם חזרה לירושלים הם מגלים את זקניהם. וכמה הם מרמים את העולם במשך כל ימי חייהם. וכי מי נותן עוד צדקה היום? רק יהודיים עניים..... על מעשה הרמאות של אנשים ידועים מן הכוללים אפשר לכתוב ספרים שלמים"

"They take advantage of the holy name of the Chatam Sofer. These schnorrers, when they leave to America, they cut their beards.. and before their return trip to Jerusalem, they let it grow back. And how much they cheat other people throughout their lives, for who is left today that gives charity, but poor people?..... On the stories of trickery of well-known people of the Kollelim we can write many books...."