Unpacked

1. Problem Statement

Scams are evolving — becoming more sophisticated and harder to detect. In the first half of 2024 alone, scammers stole $385.6 million in Singapore. Despite widespread scam awareness campaigns, many individuals — especially those in the most affected age group (30-49) — still fall victim.

A survey of 100 scam victims (SPEO) found that:

• 80% had seen scam awareness campaigns but still got scammed.

• 40% never saw a warning for their scam type.

• 26% didn’t recognize it as a scam in the moment.

• 20% struggled to recall or apply what they had learned.

• 9% weren’t in the right mindset to detect it.

What This Means

Traditional scam education isn’t working. Most campaigns rely on passive methods (ads, posters, and social media), meaning people might see them but not actively engage. This means poor retention, weak real-world application, and ultimately, ineffective prevention.

2. Our Vision

Instead of simply telling people about scams, Unpacked lets them experience one firsthand.

Product Goals

• Challenge overconfidence – Show users that scams are more complex than they assume.

• Highlight psychological manipulation – Demonstrate how trust, urgency, and deception are used against victims.

• Make scam awareness memorable – Create an immersive, emotional experience that sticks with users longer than passive education.

• Encourage self-reflection – Help users recognize their own vulnerabilities through an interactive journey.

• Change user perception – Before Unpacked: “I’d never fall for a scam.” → After Unpacked: “I see how people get tricked.”

• Encourage empathy for scam victims – Scams don’t just target the elderly or uninformed. They exploit emotions— fear, trust, and urgency —making anyone vulnerable in the right moment.

Why We Started with GOIS (Government Official Impersonation Scams)

• It’s one of the most financially devastating scams – Victims lost an average of $116,534 per case in 2024.

• It preys on authority and fear – Scammers pose as law enforcement or government officials to pressure victims into compliance.

• It’s on the rise – Reported cases increased by 58% in the first half of 2024, with total losses reaching $67.5 million.

• GOIS victims are manipulated more than other scam victims – Unlike investment scams or job scams (which often involve greed), GOIS victims are coerced into compliance. We chose this narrative first because it builds empathy — helping people understand how psychological pressure, not poor decision-making, leads to being scammed.

3. Research and Approach

Unpacked was designed based on firsthand user research on government impersonation scams, combined with SPEO’s survey on scam education effectiveness and mid-year crime statistics.

Our research focused on:

• How victims rationalize their decisions – Understanding the emotional and psychological manipulation in government impersonation scams.

• The effectiveness of current scam education – Referencing SPEO’s survey of 100 scam victims to identify gaps in awareness and retention.

• Scam trends in Singapore – Analyzing mid-year crime statistics to track how scams are evolving, which groups are most vulnerable, and where intervention is needed.

Design & Development Approach

Unpacked is a step-by-step scam simulation to mirror how scams unfold in reality. Through an interactive storytelling approach, users experience deception firsthand — helping them recognize manipulation tactics and empathize with scam victims.

4. Solution Overview

Unpacked’s Narrative

• Realistic Scam Call Simulation – Users receive a fake "bank call" about fraudulent transactions.

• Authority Manipulation – Users are pressured by a "police officer" into cooperating.

• Fake Document Requests – Users submit their bank details, believing it’s for verification.

• Diary Reflection Mechanic – Users swipe between victim thought patterns, showing how trust builds over time.

• Bank Account Drain Sequence – Users hold a button to "transfer" their money—watching it disappear.

• Educational Debrief – After the scam, users see the psychology behind what happened and how to protect themselves.

• Mobile-Only – The experience is designed for smartphones, mirroring how scams often happen.

5. Outcomes and Impact

Key Results

• Live demo during the event — users engaged with the experience.

• Showcased how scams manipulate trust and urgency.

Post-Hackathon Findings

• The interactive format increased engagement — most visitors at the booth completed the full experience.

• Users praised the interactions and music, which heightened engagement and immersion.

• Chapter 4 (Victim Diary Reflections) stood out — users said it helped them understand how victims justify their decisions.

• Several government officers working on scam education requested adaptations, such as:

  • Expanding to different scam types.

  • Translating into vernacular languages for outreach in active aging centers.

6. Next Steps and Future Vision

Immediate Fixes

• Technical improvements – Fix issues found during demo day (e.g., the webpage not loading on certain Android browsers/iPhones).

Future Development

• Incorporate Unpacked into ScamShield’s education efforts – Potential use on scamshield.gov.sg, ScamShield Instagram, and outreach programs.

• Expand Scam Variants – Add investment scams, job scams, and social engineering tactics.

• Explore Partnerships & Scaling – Work with financial institutions, cybersecurity groups, and government agencies to share Unpacked on a larger scale.