With International Fraud Awareness Week approaching on the 13th of November, now is a timely opportunity to consider fast, effective techniques for raising public awareness of the digital world.

In fact, incorporating the theme of scams into classic poems can easily raise cybersecurity awareness.

Experts at Scams.info have harnessed AI technology to create scam-aware adaptations of classic poems. They partnered with James Roy, the technical director at Brainworks Neurotherapy, to delve into the significance of rhyming for learning.

Ode to Fraud Awareness (Inspired by “Ode to a Nightingale” by John Keats)

Objective of the poem: To teach basic practices such as creating strong passwords, using two-factor authentication, and recognising methods scammers might use.

Oh, vigilant firewall, our trusted shield,

Guarding our secrets in the digital field.

Amid threats that lurk, and hackers sly,

You shield our data, but here’s a tip to apply.

With strong passwords, your defence fortify,

Change them often, and don’t be shy.

Two-factor authentication, your armour near,

To keep intruders and fraudsters clear.

Update your software, don’t delay,

Patches and fixes keep scams at bay.

Beware of phishing, emails so sly,

Double-check links before you comply.

Educate and share, spread the word,

Fraud awareness, let it be heard.

With these tips and tricks, we adhere,

To protect our digital realm, and hold it dear.

According to Roy: “Rhyming serves as a cognitive tool with a remarkable impact on memory, engaging the brain’s intricate processes.”

I Surfed Cautious as a Cloud (inspired by William Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”)

Objective of the poem: To urge vigilance in the digital space, highlighting the need to recognise and avoid phishing threats while promoting secure online navigation.

I surfed cautious as a cloud,

Amid the web, with cyber dangers shroud.

When all at once, a phishing email I found,

With fraudsters’ tricks, their schemes unbound.

Beside the email, lies and deceit,

I spotted red flags, in my inbox’s heat.

They tried to lure me, with a tempting gain,

But I knew better, I felt no pain.

For I had learned the ways to stay secure,

In a digital world, where dangers lur.

With vigilance sharp and wisdom’s grace,

I won’t be caught in a fraudster’s embrace.

So, surf wisely through the virtual crowd,

Aware of scams that speak too loud.

With fraud-awareness as my guide,

I’ll navigate the web with pride.

Roy states: “When we employ rhymes, our brain processes information by structuring it into manageable ‘segments’ or ‘chunks.’ This not only streamlines information storage but also enhances retrieval from long-term memory when needed.”

The Scam Untraveled (inspired by Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”)

Objective of the poem: To advocate for cautious decision-making in the digital landscape, emphasising the critical choice between falling victim to scams or navigating with vigilance to safeguard personal data and privacy.

Two paths diverged in the digital haze,

A choice to make in the fraud-filled maze.

To click or not, with caution I tread,

Aware of the scams that silently spread.

It made all the difference, this cyber road,

My data and privacy, against fraud, I strode.

Roy emphasises: “Rhyming acts as a mental scaffold that aids in organising and making data accessible in our brain’s memory storage. The repetitive aspect of rhymes is another pivotal factor significantly benefiting memory. Repetition plays a crucial role in memory consolidation, reinforcing neural connections.”

The Fraudulent Odyssey: Navigating the Digital Realm (Inspired by Homer’s “The Odyssey”)

Objective of the poem: To celebrate the prowess of a vigilant hero in the digital realm, navigating cunning schemes, phishing threats, and Trojan Horse deceptions to safeguard his kingdom and protect valuable data.

Tell me, O hacker, of that cunning scheme,

Which wreaked havoc in the digital dream.

From phishing snares to Trojan Horse’s guise,

The hero of security, ever-wise.

Through perilous cyber threats he’d roam,

To safeguard his kingdom and shield his data home.

Roy explains: “Melodies formed through rhyming often feature rhythmic patterns that naturally promote repetition, thereby strengthening memory traces in the brain. This strengthens the connection between rhymed words and the information they represent, making recall easier when required.

“Rhymes employ a combination of structural cues, including rhythm, stress, and breaks. These cues establish a ‘mnemonic framework’, a learning technique supporting information retention and retrieval in human memory.”

The Firewall (Inspired by “The Tyger” by William Blake)

Objective of the poem: To explore the formidable and elusive nature of a “Cyber Tyger,” posing questions about the strength of defences and the ability of vigilant users to thwart its fraudulence in the digital domain.

Cyber Tyger, blazing bright,

In the servers of the night;

What firewall strong or what defence,

Could thwart your fraudulence?

In what phishing link or deceitful scheme,

Could a vigilant user intervene?

James outlines how “rhyming stands as a potent memory-enhancing technique that harnesses the brain’s inherent organisational and repetition mechanisms. It optimises information storage and retrieval by breaking down data into ‘chunks,’ reinforcing memory traces through repetition, and constructing mnemonic structures. Understanding the neurological impact of rhyming provides valuable insights into how it bolsters memory and cognitive development.”