I read the article, “Can I trust this QR code?: CSA, police warn of QR code scams and advise how to avoid being tricked” (May 22), and wondered if advice to the public needs a fundamental shift to be more effective.

The article says that QR codes pasted untidily over existing ones are a sign of a possible scam. Similar articles in the past have also provided tips such as looking out for spelling errors or poorly worded e-mails and SMSes.

I think it is high time we stopped portraying scammers as people who produce low-quality materials and messaging, and perpetuating the idea that we can easily spot signs of scams resulting from the scammers’ general incompetence and poor attention to detail.

As reported in another article, “‘The enemy is evolving all the time’: Police bust 8 scam syndicates in first 5 months of 2023” (May 24), scammers will continue to adapt and improve over time, with many scams now run in a far more elaborate and comprehensive manner. Likewise, our defences against scams need to keep up, or else we will be easy prey for more sophisticated and organised criminals.

Simple tips for spotting signs of scams may be more easily understood and remembered, and it is appealing to think that “all I have to do is look out for these signs” to avoid being scammed.

But public messaging needs to evolve along with the enemy and emphasise that multiple checks on multiple fronts are required to determine whether something is legitimate or a scam, much like how one determines if a story is real or fake news.

Crafting such messaging may be more challenging, but it will be worth the effort if we can shift the general public’s approach to handle potential scams with more seriousness and rigour.

Aaron Ong Beng Shen