{"schema":"hottub-news/story/v1","story":"st_fh7t7npkuhzeh2jruyna","title":"WhatsApp scam targets parents with fake youth exchange programmes and AI courses, SPF warns","title_en":null,"outlets":3,"brief":null,"page":"https://hottub.news/stories/parents-beware-scammers-hijack-students-whatsapp-accounts-for-fake-fh7t7npkuh","count":3,"items":[{"id":"n_76noiq7bzlimvakur7kq","seq":963790,"kind":"article","title":"WhatsApp scam targets parents with fake youth exchange programmes and AI courses, SPF warns","url":"https://theindependent.sg/whatsapp-scam-targets-parents-with-fake-youth-exchange-programmes-and-ai-courses-spf-warns","summary":"The scammers tell parents their children have been selected for youth exchange programmes or AI-related courses and ask them to pay to secure a place.","published":"2026-09-30T16:30:58Z","seen":"2026-09-30T17:22:13Z","lang":"en","source":{"id":"kite-theindependent-sg-ab06d7","name":"theindependent.sg","domain":"theindependent.sg","outlet":{"wikidata":"Q113645781","name":"The Independent","type":"other","designations":["news media"]}},"via":"kite-theindependent-sg-ab06d7","topics":["asia","singapore news"],"authors":["Merzsam Singkee"],"entities":[{"id":"Q1049511","name":"WhatsApp","type":"org"},{"id":"Q1421262","name":"sun protection factor","type":"org"}],"image":"https://sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/theindependentsg/uploads/2026/9/3229c507-0ae6-4bac-8584-65715ce7e02e-large.webp","story":"st_fh7t7npkuhzeh2jruyna","category":"crime-law","category_p":0.4000000059604645,"sentiment":"negative","tone":-0.6399999856948853,"political":0.10000000149011612},{"id":"n_zuvzuw4hljy7h2xakxia","seq":743114,"kind":"article","title":"Scammers now acting as children of S'pore parents on WhatsApp to ask for course funds, at least S$18,000 lost in a month","url":"https://mothership.sg/2026/09/whatsapp-scam-act-students-parents-funds","summary":"Scammers impersonated students to deceive their parents.","published":"2026-09-29T18:24:31Z","seen":"2026-09-29T18:24:31Z","lang":"en","country":"SG","source":{"id":"kite-mothership-sg-6bdfda","name":"mothership.sg","domain":"mothership.sg","outlet":{"wikidata":"Q81189660","name":"Mothership","type":"other","country":"SG","designations":["business","news media"]}},"via":"kite-mothership-sg-6bdfda","authors":["Shauna Yap"],"story":"st_fh7t7npkuhzeh2jruyna","category":"crime-law","category_p":0.5699999928474426,"sentiment":"negative","tone":-0.7300000190734863,"political":0.05000000074505806},{"id":"n_fh7t7npkuhzeh2jruyna","seq":566862,"kind":"article","title":"Parents beware: Scammers hijack students' WhatsApp accounts for fake youth exchange programmes, AI courses; over $18,000 lost","url":"http://www.asiaone.com/singapore/whatsapp-scam-fake-youth-exchange-programmes-ai-courses-parents","summary":"Parents, take note. If you've not heard your child mentioning a youth exchange programme or an artificial intelligence (AI)-related course, but you suddenly receive a message asking for payment to secure a place, stop and verify the request first.In a news release on Monday (Sept 28) night, the police said that they have received at least eight reports of such cases since September, with total losses amounting to about $18,000.According to the police, scammers gain access to…","published":"2026-09-29T02:25:34Z","seen":"2026-09-29T03:08:28Z","lang":"en","source":{"id":"kite-asiaone-com-1d00a8","name":"asiaone.com","domain":"asiaone.com","outlet":{"wikidata":"Q4806322","name":"AsiaOne","type":"website","designations":["media company","website"]}},"via":"kite-asiaone-com-1d00a8","topics":["asia"],"authors":["Sean Ler"],"mentions":2,"story":"st_fh7t7npkuhzeh2jruyna","category":"crime-law","category_p":0.38999998569488525,"category2":"education","sentiment":"negative","tone":-0.699999988079071,"political":0.029999999329447746}]}