Illegal fund raising. Illegal fund-raising is a criminal activity. (According to the provisions of the Notice on Banning Illegal Financial Institutions and Illegal Financial Business Activities), it means that a unit or individual raises funds from the public by issuing stocks, bonds, lottery tickets, investment fund securities or other creditor's rights certificates without the approval of relevant departments according to legal procedures, and promises to repay the principal and interest to investors in cash, in kind or in other ways within a certain period of time. It is illegal for non-members to raise funds from mutual funds cooperatives of supply and marketing cooperatives.