“Police Introduce New Community Volunteer Programs to Combat Online Scams “

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has launched two new initiatives aimed at enlisting community help to counter online scams and cybercrimes. The Cyber Guardians on Watch (CGW) and Cyber Crime Prevention Ambassadors (Cyber CPA) programs were introduced at the Police Workplan Seminar on Friday (May 24).

Under the CGW initiative, volunteers receive police advisories on the latest online scam trends, which they then share within their communities to increase awareness. They are also trained to monitor online platforms and report any suspicious activities. Dennis Chung, a chief security officer with Microsoft and early CGW volunteer, said he joined to help protect his community after experiencing an e-commerce scam firsthand.

The Cyber CPA program provides volunteers with police-led training on current cybercrime threats, enabling them to participate in roadshows and public events to educate the community on prevention techniques. Raja Sekaran, a former cybersecurity professional and Cyber CPA volunteer, highlighted the need for cybersecurity awareness among individuals and small businesses, emphasizing that many SMEs are not adequately prepared for cyber threats.

With over 46,000 scam cases reported in 2023, the SPF is expanding anti-scam resources, including extended hours for the National Crime Prevention Council’s helpline and a simplified, four-digit helpline number (1799) for easier access. Additionally, a new one-stop portal consolidating anti-scam information and a Self-Lodging Police Report Chatbot using AI technology are expected to launch later in 2024.