起源は次の季刊ジャーナルに掲載された論文を参照。
Sayers, William (Winter 2005). “The Origin of fink "informer, hired strikebreaker"”. ANQ: A Quarterly Journal of Short Articles, Notes and Reviews (Cornell University) 18 (1): 54-57. doi:10.3200/ANQQ.18.1.54-57.
Maguire, Keith (1990). “The Intelligence War in Northern Ireland”. International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence4 (2): 145-165. doi:10.1080/08850609008435136.
Minister, Ann (1990). “Telling tales in school”. Education 3-13 (UK: Association for the Study of Primary Education) 18 (1): 52-56. doi:10.1080/03004279085200111.