Scam
In your opinion, what can the government do to reduce the number of scam cases in Singapore? Explain your answer using two strategies.
One way for the government to reduce the number of scam cases is through annual education programmes in tertiary institutions like universities to teach students to avoid becoming victims of scams. These programmes can include workshops, where students can be shown real-life examples of scam messages. Students can also be given a checklist of ‘red flags’ that will help them judge if a message is a scam message. [Description]
An example of a ‘red flag’ is if the message requires the respondent to provide personal or banking details. [Example]
As such, students can draw on this acquired knowledge to identify scams accurately. They will be able to exercise more vigilance and be more alert when using the internet. This will help to reduce the overall number of scams.[Explanation]
Another way for the government to reduce the number of scam cases is by implementing stricter penalties for scammers. The government can also lengthen the years of jail time that caught scammers are required to serve. Also, the government can put in place heavier fines for scammers who are caught cheating others of their money. [Description]
For example, first-time offenders can be fined $30,000, while second-time offenders can be levied a heavier fine. [Example]
The fear of facing such harsh punishments will deter potential scammers from committing scam crimes. To avoid heavy legal consequences, existing scammers may also stop scamming others, which will reduce the overall number of scam cases in Singapore. [Explanation]