The police issue fund-raising permits and Collector's Certificates of Authority to all organisations, including charities, that intend to raise funds through collections in public places. (Get tough on street fund raisers; Feb 25).

The National Council of Social Service (NCSS) only issues fund-raising permits for our member social service organisations.

The NCSS does not put a cap on the number of fund-raising activities that are conducted by our members, as these charities rely heavily on the public solicitation of funds for their daily operations, to help the less fortunate.

Any NCSS member organisation that has been granted a permit to conduct outdoor fund-raising activities has to submit the list of locations where it will be conducting the fund-raising activity to the NCSS, prior to the activity.

No collection of funds is to be made at hospitals, hotels, places of worship, airports, bus interchanges, MRT/train stations and immigration checkpoints without written consent from the respective managements.

All collectors are obliged to carry with them the Collector's Certificate of Authority when they undertake fund-raising activities in public places.

Members of the public can ask to see the Collector's Certificate of Authority to verify if the social service organisation that the collector claims to represent has a valid permit.

They can check on its authenticity through the Charities Unit's SMS query facility with an SMS - "FR " to 79777 - or through www.charities.gov.sg

Smartphone users can also scan the QR code on each Collector's Certificate of Authority to bring them to our online search facility for fund-raising permits approved by the NCSS.

If the Collector's Certificate of Authority is found to be fake, members of the public should lodge a police report.

Quek Boon Kien (Ms)

Director

Funding & Corporate Functions Group

National Council of Social Service