With all the online scam cases appearing in the news every day, it is apparent that there is a dire need to incorporate the topic of scam awareness in the Malaysian education curriculum. This study focused on creating an effective educational tool using the concept of Cognitive Theory that leverages digital literacy to teach students how to spot possible online scams. The project, which is an instructional self-learning game, aimed to teach users how to identify linguistic cues in possible scams, comprehend the tactics used by con artists, and equip themselves with the knowledge and abilities needed to stay safe from fraudsters. The instructive game keeps users engaged, helps with knowledge retention, and promotes repeated practice with gamification features, including challenges, incentives, and feedback systems. A total of 60 undergraduate students at a Malaysian public university were selected through random sampling to test out the beta-version of the game designed. Adjustments were made according to these pilot users’ feedback. It is hoped that this instructional design could become a pilot project in setting out an example of teaching scam awareness lessons in educational institutions or for the general public.