Scams increasingly exploit psychological manipulation, rendering even well-informed individuals vulnerable. Singapore has recorded one of the highest scam-related financial losses globally, with investment scams accounting for the largest share locally. Evidence-based tools are thus urgently needed to identify high-risk individuals and inform targeted prevention. Building on Getz et al.'s (2024) Assessment of Situational Judgment, we adapted its format and contextualised vignettes with 17 scam cases drawn from police records in Singapore and 11 legitimate day-to-day scenarios to develop a scam-specific measure of susceptibility.


Study 1 asked a Singapore sample (N = 160) to rate their likelihood of engaging in each scenario on a 7-point scale. Exploratory factor analysis supported a 16-item, two-factor structure (scam, α = .89 scam; legitimate, α = .82). Risk preference and impulsiveness predicted higher scores, supporting convergent validity. Scores also correlated with self-reported scam victimization history, while age was negatively associated.


Study 2 (target N = 1,000) will be conducted in late 2025 with a population-representative Singapore sample. Confirmatory factor analysis will validate the factor structure and assess criterion validity with scam history and demographic predictors. A key aim is to identify vulnerable sub-populations, providing an empirical basis for targeted prevention strategies.


Study 3 (target N = 1,000; early 2026) will extend validation cross-culturally in comparable high-income cities with high scam prevalence (e.g., Hong Kong, South Korea), including non-Asian sites (e.g., U.S., U.K.). Vignettes will be localised (e.g., renaming marketplace apps) while testing measurement invariance across samples. The aim is to evaluate generalisability across cultural contexts while identifying where localisation is necessary for ecological validity. This will provide both theoretical robustness and actionable insights for international policy on scam prevention.


Together, these studies advance scam-risk assessment by showing how culturally grounded yet cross-nationally validated measures can bridge psychological research with applied prevention in the digital economy.