The Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) has introduced “Canny,” a new anti-scam mascot designed to serve as a visual reminder for consumers to stay vigilant.
This initiative aims to bolster the banking industry’s ongoing efforts to combat fraud, particularly targeting families, children, and youth.
Canny, a watchful chameleon, was the winning entry of the ABS Anti-Scam Mascot Design Competition held earlier this year.
The mascot’s name emphasizes the importance of shrewdness and good judgment when navigating potential scams.
To familiarise the public with Canny and promote scam awareness, ABS has launched a six-month social media campaign on its website, Facebook, and Instagram, with support from member banks.
The mascot will appear in various physical and digital formats, including standees, t-shirts, plush toys, fridge magnets, grocery bags, stickers, and animated GIFs.
These formats will be progressively adopted by member banks for their anti-scam education initiatives.
Canny was officially launched at the Singapore Fintech Festival by Ong-Ang Ai Boon, ABS Director, alongside representatives from OCBC Bank and DBS.
Visitors to the ABS booth had the opportunity to participate in interactive activities, such as games and quizzes, and win Canny-themed prizes.
In addition to the mascot, ABS has partnered with ACT3 Theatrics to bring anti-scam skits to primary and secondary schools starting early 2025.
These interactive performances, lasting 20 to 30 minutes, will include games and quizzes to further engage young audiences in scam prevention.
Standard Chartered Singapore has incorporated Canny into its initiatives, with plans for the mascot to feature prominently at the upcoming Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon on 1 December.
Two ABS Ekiden relay teams will participate in the race wearing Canny-themed t-shirts, further amplifying awareness efforts.
ABS Director Ong-Ang Ai Boon said,
“We must all do our part in the fight against scams, and with Canny, we want to add to the ongoing national anti-scam efforts.
We believe Canny, as a colourful mascot, will be a powerful visual cognitive circuit breaker that will empower customers to be their own hero in the fight against scams. Over time, Canny will become an anti-scam visual in everyone’s minds and remind customers to always stop, check, don’t click yet.”
Andrew Chia, Head of Wealth and Retail Banking, Singapore, ASEAN and South Asia at Standard Chartered Bank, said,
“We are proud to support the launch of Canny by introducing the mascot at the upcoming marathon. As Singapore’s largest local race with close to 55,000 runners, this presents a valuable opportunity to raise awareness, educate the public and empower customers to recognise and avoid scams before they can cause harm.
At Standard Chartered, we are continuously enhancing detection mechanisms as well as security features such as launching Money Lock to provide our customers with a secure and safe banking experience.”
Featured image credit: Edited from Freepik
