AS MORE URBAN RESIDENTS have become aware that illegal fundraising cheats them out of their hard-earned money, and the police have strengthened their enforcement to curb such fundraising, some of these confidence tricksters are reported to have expanded their "business" to certain rural areas. Legal Daily reports:

Those who illegally raise funds always invest the money in highly risky businesses or even spend the money on luxuries for themselves. In both cases, the money raised will be lost.

That loss is more painful for rural residents than for their urban counterparts. In some cases, rural residents handed over the money intended for buying next year's seed to those promising to invest it for them. When they lost their money they were helpless and hopeless.