October 25, 2024
SINGAPORE – When things seem too good to be true, they often are.
But a new anti-scam game by the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) is promising players $55,000 in cash, iPhones, PlayStations and other prizes worth a total of more than $200,000.
Called #XiamTheScams, the life simulator web game was developed by gamification marketing company Sqkii and launched by NCPC on Oct 24.
Sqkii is best known for the #HuntTheMouse game, which involves players finding hidden coins for cash prizes of up to $500,000.
The new #XiamTheScams game, however, involves players choosing one of three characters and making decisions in the game to up their scores while avoiding scams.
There are hundreds of scenarios across some 90 storylines in the game, which will run for three months, ending on Jan 22, 2025.
The top 100 players will then receive a total of $55,000 in cash prizes, including a grand prize of $10,000 for the top player.
The game will also award players with Stars that can be used to open gift boxes containing vouchers and other non-cash prizes such as iPhones, PlayStations and Logitech computer peripherals.
The game was first announced by Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam during the NCPC gala dinner on Sept 27, when it launched the new ScamShield Suite that consolidated several anti-scam initiatives.
More than $2.7 billion has been lost here to scams since 2019, with victims losing a record of more than $385.6 million in the first half of 2024.
NCPC chairman Gerald Singham said that through gamification, the council hopes to raise awareness of the different scams and increase public vigilance.
He said: “Scams are fast evolving and employ complex tactics that can be deceiving. Many scams appear legitimate and are pervasive in our daily lives.
“By taking on this innovative gamification approach, NCPC aims to engage the public in a fun yet educational way.”
The game, which can be accessed at https://xiamthescams.sqkii.com/start or through the Shopee app, begins at 10am on Oct 24.