#XiamTheScams: “Fun yet educational” anti-scam game offers over S$200,000 worth of prizes

SINGAPORE: A new “fun yet educational” anti-scam game from the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) is offering players a total of over S$200,000 worth of prizes. Named #XiamTheScams, the life simulator game launched on Tursday (Oct 24) aims to help people learn about scams while enjoying themselves.

Developed by Sqkii, a gamification marketing company best known for the #HuntTheMouse game, #XiamTheScams lets players choose one of three characters and make decisions to avoid scams that affect their scores.

According to The New Paper, throughout the game, players will face hundreds of scenarios across about 90 storylines, providing plenty of chances to learn about different types of scams. The game runs for three months and will end on Jan 22, 2025.

The top 100 players will share a total of S$55,000 in cash prizes, with the best player receiving a grand prize of S$10,000. In addition to cash, players can also earn Stars that can be exchanged for gift boxes containing vouchers and other prizes, like iPhones, PlayStations, and Logitech computer accessories.

Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam announced the game first during the NCPC gala dinner on Sept 27. This event also launched the ScamShield Suite to fight scams.

Since 2019, scams have caused losses of over S$2.7 billion in Singapore. In the first half of 2024 alone, victims reported losing more than S$385.6 million. 

Gerald Singham, chairman of the NCPC, spoke about the importance of the game. He noted that scams have been “fast evolving and employ complex tactics that can be deceiving”.

“Many scams appear legitimate and are common in our daily lives,” he said. He added that by using innovative gamification, the NCPC hopes to “engage the public in a fun yet educational way”.

To play the game, click here. /TISG

Read also: Victims lost over S$6.7M to government official and banker impersonation scams in September