Anti-scam mascot "The Little Grape"

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To strengthen publicity and education efforts to raise the public’s anti-deception awareness, the Public Relations Wing (PRW) came up with the anti-scam mascot "The Little Grape" (the English equivalent to the contraction of the saying "Beware of Liars" in Chinese), which was born on June 10, 2020. In addition to reminding the public to "Stay Alert to Scams", it is more important to instil the concept "Ending Deception Starts with You" by encouraging the public to share anti-deception messages with relatives and friends and call the "ADCC Hotline 18222" for assistance whenever they encounter suspected scams.

"The Little Grape" was the brainchild of the Public Relations Wing. It is essentially the cartoon version of a piece of grape, which comes in various shapes and expresses different emotions, making it a lively "ambassador" to interact with netizens and the public. "The Little Grape" not only interacts with citizens "online" via social media platforms, but also appears "offline" in real-life settings. To make its messages more relatable to the public, "The Little Grape" often puts itself in the victims' shoes, in order to offer anti-scam tips that can resonate with the public, to effectively explain the latest modus operandi of swindlers.

On social media platforms, "The Little Grape" posts have proved popular among a broad spectrum of netizens. The "Classic TV Commercials" series, "The Little Grape MEME" series, "The Elderly Pictures" series, "The Little Grape Reminds You" series, "Four-frame Anti-deception" comics, the short film "OffGrape", "Deception Billboard", "Anti-Deception Tips for Dummies", "The Little Grape Quiz Game", "a grape a week keeps the scammers away" etc., have made it easier for the public to understand scammers' tricks and ploys, so they would stay alert, and share the relevant information with their relatives and friends. To create a gateway for the public to pass on anti-scam messages via communication apps, PRW has also created "The Little Grape" stickers featuring emoticons and festive elements.

PRW has also collaborated with the Information Services Department to produce an Announcement in the Public Interest (API) featuring "The Little Grape". The API has been broadcast on TV and radio during commercial breaks since February 2021 to appeal to members of the public, in particular those who are not active on social media, to remind them to remind their parents, elders and friends not to fall for scams.

To engage the community and incorporate the "online-and-offline" publicity strategy, PRW and various regions regularly organise events featuring "The Little Grape"— roadshows, community activities and school visits—in different districts, and distribute exquisite souvenirs of "The Little Grape" as part of a multipronged approach to engage citizens and propagate anti-deception messages among them.