Update on Dec. 15: In response to queries by Mothership, Singapore Poly (SP) has confirmed that the name written on the permit does not belong to a SP student.

You can read the full statement here:

"Singapore Polytechnic (SP) does not have any fundraising campaigns during this period.

Based on the details indicated in the online post, the individual in the alleged incident is not a current or past SP student."

Two youths in Singapore have been called out for posing as fundraisers on behalf of a charity and going door-to-door to ask for money from residents.

The case was brought to public attention by one Gabriel YW, who wrote a Facebook post on Dec. 11, 2019 about what he encountered.

Claimed to be from Singapore Polytechnic

Earlier in the day, two boys had knocked on Gabriel's door and said that they were 17-year-old students from Singapore Polytechnic, carrying out a fundraiser for SingYouth Hub.

SingYouth Hub is a non-profit organisation that promotes youth development and social engagement.

Feeling suspicious about the charity receipts the youths were holding, Gabriel asked them for more information.

They then said that he could donate any amount he wished.

Subsequently, Gabriel checked their permit, which he said the youths "happily produced".

More red flags were raised by the "permit", according to Gabriel:

• The name had been erased and replaced
• The youths also claimed to be the licensee and the chief promoter

According to Gabriel, an online search shows that the original permit had already expired on Sep. 15, 2019.

The one provided by the boys stated the expiry date as Jan. 1, 2020.

The dates also appeared to be in different fonts.

The name and NRIC number on the suspicious-looking permit were also written on, as compared to the original permit, which was typed out.

The "fundraisers" were still trying to convince Gabriel of their legitimacy, and even tried to call their team leader.

Told to leave

Gabriel then told the youths to stop what they are doing and leave the premises.

The boys reportedly remained silent when questioned if what they did was right.

After the encounter, Gabriel called SingYouth Hub, who confirmed that the campaign was already over, and that no collections were taking place on that day.

At the end of his post, the resident provided some tips on how to weed out a scam:

• Check the details of the event
• Request to see the collection license permit. An original, untampered version should be produced
• Ask the fundraisers to identify themselves
• Receipts should indicate the corresponding organisation

You can also learn more about the different types of scams on Scam Alert, or call the anti-scam helpline at 1800-722-6688.

Gabriel added that the police have been informed.

Mothership has reached out to Singapore Polytechnic and will update this article when they reply.

Top image via Gabriel YW on Facebook