If over 70% of scam victims are aged below 50, what can we do to protect ourselves from being scammed?

I always thought my mother was overly paranoid when it comes to cybersecurity.

She would not even use banking apps on her phone to do transfers.

She also bought a separate laptop just to do all the “sensitive stuff” and would not use it for anything else.

It seems so extreme to someone like me, who has everything on her phone and is confident in her ability to spot a scammer.

In 2024, there were a total of 51,501 scam cases, and at least S$1.1 billion were lost.

And to make matters more worrying, 70.9 per cent of scam victims were youths, young adults, and adults aged below 50.

This means I do not have the excuse that only “old people” fall victim to scams, so I wonder if I am being too complacent with my online security.

If so many people fall victim to scams, how can I protect myself and my loved ones from losing our hard-earned savings?

Steps to take

While listening to the podcast, GovTech Decoded, one of the hosts shared tips on steps to take if your phone has been hacked after divulging that his mother-in-law’s phone also got hacked.

The first thing to do is cut the hacker’s access to your phone by removing the SIM card from the phone and disabling all Wi-Fi access.

From there, you can use a spare phone or a computer to log into your existing applications and log out from all accounts on the hacked device and other devices.

Afterwards, you should monitor for suspicious transactions or transfers from your bank account.

Lastly, you should file a police report.

In addition, prevention is the best cure, so there are some precautions we can take to stop ourselves from getting into sketchy situations and compromising our valuables.

The easiest step is to avoid downloading anything that looks suspicious. Don't download it if it’s from an unknown source or sent by someone else.

You can also watch for time pressure tactics used by scammers to pressure you, make you feel like you are missing out and get you to act rashly.

Protecting our cyberspace

While we are doing our part to protect ourselves from people with malicious intent, the government is also utilising resources to help protect us.

At the GovTech Anti Scam Products team, there is a product called the recursive Machine Learning Site evaluator, which leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to evaluate potential scam sites.

From there, the sites are submitted to Scam Analytics and Technical Intervention System (SATIS) to Google Web risk for the sites to be blocked.

This basically uses technology to fight technology. While AI can sometimes be seen as a double-edged sword, the problem lies in how the technology is used, not the technology itself.

As such, AI is used to improve Singapore’s cyberdefence.

Vulnerability Disclosure Programme

When you encounter a problem with your streaming sites, one solution is to contact the site and report the issue.

This raises the issue to the platform and lets them fix it.

Same with government systems.

In Singapore, the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) has the  Vulnerability Disclosure Programme to encourage responsible reporting of suspected vulnerabilities or weaknesses in its IT services, systems and resources that may impact government applications.

The government must promptly address any vulnerabilities in its system, as these could lead to cyber threats.

It may seem obvious that when you spot a flaw in the government’s system, you report it.

However, some people may take advantage of the situation and exploit it for their own benefit.

Thus, with the help of members of the public and cybersecurity research community, this helps the relevant agencies improve the security of government applications used by the people.

It’s like having that friendly neighbour who would keep an eye on your house while you are away on a holiday.

Educate and protect

There is so much more that the government does to help keep us and our cyberspace safe that we should learn so we are always up to date with the latest advancements.

GovTech has a seven-episode podcast that breaks down technical jargon and explains what is happening in the tech sector from AI to data and more.

The GovTech Decoded series features tech experts who discuss the latest tech topics and how the Singapore government uses technology to help build tech for the public good.

You can listen to GovTech Decoded on YouTube and Spotify to stay informed or impress some tech bros with your new tech lingo.

This ad by GovTech made the author realise she is too trusting regarding her phone security.

Top photos via Canva