🔹 Slide 1: Cover
Title:
🧠 Types of Scams You’ll See on SMS, WhatsApp, Email & WeChat
Subtitle:
They may change tactics, but they all want one thing—you.
🔹 Slide 2: Real Story – “Four Platforms, Four Scams”
Arun, 42, an IT manager, thought he was too savvy to get scammed.
SMS: Received a fake CPF alert asking to verify account.
WhatsApp: Offered a fake Shopee job to “like posts for money.”
Email: Spoofed email from his bank asking for a “security update.”
WeChat: A long-lost friend needed urgent help—but it wasn’t really her.
In two weeks, he nearly lost over $6,000.
“They came at me from all directions,” he said.
“And each platform had its own ‘style’ of scam.”
🔹 Slide 3: Why Scams Change Based on Platform
Each platform is designed differently:
- SMS: Short, fast, no media
- WhatsApp: Multimedia + peer-to-peer
- Email: Long-form + official-looking
- WeChat: Community & family trust
Scammers customize their attacks for the platform you trust most.
Let’s break them down.
🔹 Slide 4: SMS Scams – Short & Scary
Scammers use SMS for: ✅ Urgency
✅ Panic
✅ Impersonating institutions
Common SMS Scams:
1. Bank Account Suspension
“DBS: Your card has been frozen. Click here to reactivate.”
2. Delivery Failure
“SingPost: We missed your delivery. Reschedule here.”
3. Gov Notifications
“CPF alert: Your info is incomplete. Verify immediately.”
🚨 Why it works: People trust messages from shortcodes or official-sounding senders.
🔹 Slide 5: How to Spot SMS Scams
✅ URL looks odd (e.g., dbs.account-unlock.xyz)
✅ No personalization
✅ Unusual urgency
✅ Requests for clicks, payments, or OTP
📵 Never click links in SMS unless you 100% trust the sender.
🔹 Slide 6: WhatsApp Scams – Personal & Persuasive
Scammers love WhatsApp for: ✅ Multimedia (images, voice notes)
✅ Personal tone
✅ Large forward chains
Common WhatsApp Scams:
1. Fake Job Offers
“Earn $300/day liking TikTok videos. Join now!”
2. Investment Scams
“Quick profit, low risk. Trust me, I’ve made $2k already.”
3. Friend in Need
“Hi, I lost my phone. Can you send me $50?”
🚨 Why it works: It feels personal—like a friend is talking.
🔹 Slide 7: How to Spot WhatsApp Scams
✅ No context or out-of-the-blue messages
✅ Asking for urgent transfers
✅ Too-good-to-be-true claims
✅ Fake profiles with borrowed pictures
🎯 Tip: Reverse image search the profile photo. Many scammers reuse the same photos.
🔹 Slide 8: Email Scams – Official Looking, But Dangerous
Scammers exploit: ✅ Company branding
✅ Long email formats
✅ Trust in “official” communication
Common Email Scams:
1. Bank Login Phishing
“Update your security settings now.”
2. Fake Invoices
“See attached invoice (ZIP file).”
3. Subscription Traps
“Your Amazon Prime will renew. Cancel now here.”
🚨 Why it works: Logos, formatting, and sender names make it look real.
🔹 Slide 9: How to Spot Email Scams
✅ Check sender address: support@dbs-bank-security.com = scam
✅ Attachments from unknown senders = malware
✅ Hover over links before clicking
✅ Poor grammar or spelling mistakes
📬 Always go to the official website directly. Don’t trust the link.
🔹 Slide 10: WeChat Scams – Community Manipulation
WeChat scammers target: ✅ Family circles
✅ Group chats
✅ Chinese-speaking seniors
Common WeChat Scams:
1. “Friend” Emergency
“Lao Ma, it’s me. My phone is lost. Send me some money?”
2. Cross-Border Investment Fraud
“Buy foreign shares with high ROI. Guaranteed.”
3. Fake Police Messages
“You have an Interpol case. Pay now to avoid jail.”
🚨 Why it works: Emotional connection. Trust in the Chinese-speaking community.
🔹 Slide 11: How to Spot WeChat Scams
✅ Sudden contact from “long-lost” friends
✅ Demands for privacy: “Don’t tell anyone”
✅ Unverifiable emergencies
✅ Use of official-looking uniforms or “badges”
📲 Video call to verify identities. Scammers avoid face-to-face.
🔹 Slide 12: The Secret Weapon: Platform Awareness
Each platform has a signature scam style:
Platform
Scam Type
Key Tactic
SMS
Account/Delivery
Panic & urgency
Job/Investment
Personal trust
Banking/Invoice
Branding illusion
Emergency/Family
Emotional guilt
Knowing the scam “flavor” helps you detect them faster.
🔹 Slide 13: The Golden Question
Would this person/platform normally message me this way?
- Would my bank really text me about frozen funds?
- Would a stranger offer me a $500 job with no interview?
- Would the police ever message me on WeChat?
💬 Ask this question every time. It could save your money—or your identity.
🔹 Slide 14: Up Next…
Tomorrow (Day 4):💰 The Psychology of a Scam Victim
How smart people get trapped—and how to outsmart scammers before they strike.
Save this post. Share with a loved one who uses any of these platforms daily.
