UM inaugurates over 430 scam prevention ambassadors

In response to the on-campus anti-fraud campaign jointly launched by the Judiciary Police and the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) of the Macao SAR government, the University of Macau (UM) held an inauguration ceremony for the second cohort of scam prevention ambassadors today (8 October). During the ceremony, over 430 student ambassadors were inaugurated. The university hopes that the ambassadors will promote fraud awareness on campus through positive peer influence.

During the inauguration ceremony, Mok Kai Meng, vice rector of UM, and Sou Sio Keong, deputy director of the Judiciary Police, presented certificates of appointment to the student ambassadors. Following the same structure as the previous cohort, the new cohort of scam prevention ambassadors comprise members from UM’s ten residential colleges, the House Tutor Programme of the Postgraduate House, the University of Macau Students’ Union, and the Judiciary Police’s Community Security Youth Leader Programme.

In his speech, Mok noted that UM has introduced a range of scam prevention measures since setting up a task force on scam prevention in April 2023. These measures include incorporating anti-fraud education into courses, asking students to complete a fraud risk assessment questionnaire, sharing anti-fraud tips through various channels, hosting talks and fraud awareness briefings, and organising an anti-fraud short film contest. The university also encourages students to participate in anti-fraud activities in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. Mok added that UM looks forward to continuing its collaboration with relevant departments to reduce fraud cases and foster a safe campus environment.

In his speech, Sou said that there is a notable decrease in the number of scam cases in the first three quarters of this year compared to the same period last year, demonstrating the success of scam prevention initiatives. He thanked UM for their support in scam prevention. He also emphasised the need for sustained vigilance given that scam tactics are constantly evolving, shifting from government impersonation scams to fake customer service scams recently. The Judiciary Police will continue to work closely with the education sector. Sou also expressed hope that the new cohort of scam prevention ambassadors will leverage peer influence to raise scam awareness on campus.

During the ceremony, two UM students shared their experiences in promoting scam prevention. The event was attended by government officials, UM’s management and college masters, and over 200 faculty and students.