Common scam hooks turned into calligraphy at Maybank exhibition

SINGAPORE – From a distance, the ink strokes in black resemble calligraphy but a few steps closer and it becomes clear it is the phrase “Your bank seeks your assistance”.

Next to the phrase, in smaller characters, is the figure $242 million. That is the amount lost in Singapore in 2025 to government official impersonation scams, where the phrase is commonly used in the ruse.

The artwork is part of a collection Maybank Singapore launched on Oct 23 at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Centre for Lifelong Education. The Most Expensive Words exhibition is to alert the public to common scam hooks and help them recognise red flags early.

The exhibition, which is free and runs until Nov 1, features calligraphy-styled pieces with phrases in English and Mandarin commonly used in different scams.

One features the words “High returns, zero risk” - a hallmark phrase used by investment scammers in a bid to lure victims into handing over their savings.

Over $336 million was lost to investment scams in 2025, according to police figures.

Investment scams and government official impersonation scams were among the top five scam types that year.

Adam Tan, head of community financial services at Maybank Singapore, said that by putting these words on the wall and attaching their real-world cost, they hope people will recognise the warning signs and pause before making a transfer.

“Scammers do not always need sophisticated methods. Often, they rely on a familiar name, an urgent request or a promise that sounds too good to miss,” he added.

Singapore has lost more than $4 billion to scams since 2019.

In the first half of 2026, victims lost $410.6 million across 16,821 reported cases, with eight in 10 victims getting manipulated into handing their money to scammers.

This showed that instead of gaining direct control of bank accounts, scammers were using social engineering to deceive victims into voluntarily making transactions.

Meanwhile, there were 37,308 scam cases reported in the whole of 2025, with victims losing over 913 million that year.

Nadine Chua is a correspondent covering crime and court at The Straits Times.