WhatsApp scam targets parents with fake youth exchange programmes and AI courses, SPF warns

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has issued an advisory warning parents about a new variant of WhatsApp impersonation scams in which fraudsters compromise students’ accounts and pose as their children to solicit payment for fake youth exchange programmes or AI-related courses.

Since September 2026, at least eight cases have been reported with total losses of at least S$18,000.

Scammers gain access to students’ WhatsApp accounts and use them to contact the students’ parents, posing as their children. They claim the student has been selected for a youth exchange programme or an AI-related course and request payment to secure a place.

To make the request appear legitimate, victims are provided with consent forms bearing the names and logos of educational institutions and government agencies. In some cases, victims are told the programme fees will be subsidised and subsequently refunded. This is a tactic used to lower resistance to payment.

Victims are then asked to pay via PayNow QR codes. Some are deceived into making additional payments on the pretext that the initial transaction was processed incorrectly and would be refunded. Victims typically only discover the scam after calling their child directly or receiving alerts from their banks.

What to do

The Police advised parents to verify any unusual requests for money directly with their child by calling them, not by replying on the same WhatsApp account making the request, and to confirm the legitimacy of any programme or payment request with the relevant educational institution through official channels before transferring any money.

To protect WhatsApp accounts from being compromised, users should enable Two-Step Verification by going to Settings > Account > Two-Step Verification. Regularly check devices linked to your WhatsApp account under Settings > Linked Devices and log out of any unrecognised device immediately.

The public is also advised to apply the ACT framework:

1. Add the ScamShield app to block scam calls and filter suspicious messages.

2. Check for scam signs with official sources, including the ScamShield Helpline at 1799.

3. Tell family and friends about the scam, contact your bank immediately to report and block fraudulent transactions, and lodge a Police report if you suspect you have been scammed.

For more information, visit www.scamshield.gov.sg or call 1799. To report information on such scams, call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. For urgent Police assistance, dial 999.

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