‘Scam Se Bacho’: WhatsApp launches digital-payments safety campaign

Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp on Tuesday launched a campaign titled ‘Scam Se Bacho’ in a bid to create awareness and educate users about the safety measures to be taken while making digital payments. This campaign which is accompanied by a music video signifies the company’s emphasis on ensuring the safety of users in India’s digital payments space.

“The ‘Scam Se Bacho’ music video is a parody rendition of the popular evergreen song, ‘Dekh Ke Chalo’, and delivers the socially relevant message of user safety in a fun and breezy tone. The new lyrics demonstrate real-life situations in which individuals could be susceptible to scams and reinforce the message of staying safe and exercising caution while making digital payments,” WhatsApp said in a statement.

The video is conceptualized by ad agency BBDO India and is directed by Shimit Amin, the ace director-editor behind stellar films like Shah Rukh Khan-starrer ‘Chak De! India’ and Ranbir Kapoor-starrer ‘Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year’. The music video depicts various scenarios where people almost fall prey to scams or frauds, be it via a fake phone call asking for one’s UPI PIN or a fake poster promising monetary rewards and are stopped by others around them. Through the ad, the company reiterates its message on how people should be extra careful when transacting in the digital space.

The video goes on to highlight the different initiatives that WhatsApp has undertaken to help consumers avoid such scams, frauds and make payments on WhatsApp smartly and securely. “The goal of the video is to engage the audience through nostalgia and educate them about digital payment safety in the most comforting and memorable way,” WhatsApp added.

Talking about the music video, Manesh Mahatme, Director - Payments, WhatsApp India said, “While UPI continues to remain one of the safest, convenient and interoperable modes of making payments, India’s growing acceptance of online payments has also seen an increase in digital payment frauds. User safety is at the core of everything we do at WhatsApp and through this exciting and captivating music video, we want to educate and empower our users with all the information they need to safeguard themselves against any frauds while making digital payments. We hope that this initiative by WhatsApp will resonate with people and they can sing their way through safe and secure online payments.”