New centre to help seniors acquire digital skills, avoid scams

Victims in Singapore lost at least $633.3 million to scams last year, nearly 2½ times the $268.4 million stolen the previous year, according to figures released by the police recently.

To tackle the menace, non-profit organisation RSVP Singapore has joined forces with Google to launch modules and webinars to teach seniors how to identify and avoid scams, and how to protect their digital identities.

This is just one of the programmes that will be available to seniors at The Majestic Smart Seniors Applied Learning Centre in Chinatown, which was officially opened by President Halimah Yacob yesterday.

Launched by RSVP Singapore, in partnership with Singapore Pools and CapitaLand Hope Foundation, the learning centre is a community space for seniors to learn and apply technology in their daily lives.

At the launch, RSVP Singapore chairman Koh Juay Meng said: "Seniors' limited understanding of cyber security and Internet safety makes them more susceptible to cybercrime. The programmes will bring smart initiatives to the community so that seniors can keep up with time, landscape and technological changes."

The Majestic, a former cinema and now a cultural landmark, has been redeveloped and is run by Singapore Pools. The learning centre is on the ground level and programmes there are projected to start next month, focusing on themes such as cyber security and e-payment.

The aim is to teach seniors digital skills such as online shopping and paying with their mobile devices.

In her speech, Madam Halimah said the centre will inspire more initiatives to improve digital literacy through applied learning.

The centre is a project supported by the Digital for Life movement launched by President Halimah, which aims to build a digitally inclusive society. "In such a rapidly changing digital landscape, coming together and forming partnerships of such nature are imperative to build and strengthen Singapore's digital resilience," she said.

RSVP Singapore, which encourages volunteerism among seniors, aims to have 500 seniors a year benefiting from the initiatives at the centre.

Singapore Pools chief executive Lam Chee Weng said he has seen many seniors struggle to keep up with digitalisation. "We hope to provide a safe environment for our senior citizens to learn technology at their own pace," he said.