Introduction of the Sentencing (Scams) Bill

1. The Sentencing (Scams) Bill (“Bill”) was introduced for First Reading in Parliament today. 

2. Scams remain the most prevalent crime type in Singapore. In the first half of 2026, the Police received an average of 90 scam reports amounting to $2 million in losses per day. Elderly victims aged 65 and above continue to suffer the highest average losses among all age groups.

3. Scammers often use bank accounts, local SIM cards and Singpass accounts to perpetrate scams. Disrupting the supply of these scam enablers is therefore crucial to preventing scams.

4. To deter scam mules from enabling scams, MHA has introduced numerous measures in recent years. Since 2023, Parliament has passed five Bills (excluding this Bill) which, amongst others, created new offences to penalise mules who launder scam proceeds or provide SIM cards or Singpass credentials to scammers to perpetrate scams,^[1] and provided for caning for scam and scam-enabling offences.

5. Parliament recognised the severity of the scam situation, the resultant harm caused to Singaporeans, and the need to deter scam and scam-enabling offences swiftly and decisively. Due to the serious impact of these offences, Parliament’s intent was (and is) that scam and scam-enabling offences must be deterred, and that, in considering any sentence to be imposed on such offences, the court should consider reformative training or imprisonment as primary and default options.

6. To give effect to Parliament’s intent, MHA also worked with the inter-agency Sentencing Advisory Panel to lay down clear sentencing guidelines (“the Guidelines”) for scam and specific scam-enabling offences.^[2] The Guidelines recommend that “imprisonment or reformative training, whichever is more appropriate, should be considered given the need for deterrence and the public interest in suppressing scams. This applies to all offenders (even if below the age of 21) except juvenile offenders dealt with in the Youth Court”. 

7. On 10 September 2026, the High Court published its judgment in Mohamed Erzan Taib Zohri v Public Prosecutor and other appeals [2026] SGHC 183 ("Erzan"). The High Court decided that reformative training or imprisonment should not be the default sentence for young offenders who commit scam-enabling offences.

8. The Bill sets out and reiterates Parliament’s intention that, when sentencing a relevant offender (defined as offenders aged 21 or below at the time of the offence) for a scam or scam‑enabling offence, or considering an appeal against such a sentence, a court (other than a Youth Court) should consider reformative training (rather than probation or other rehabilitative options) or imprisonment as primary and default options, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

9. If a deterrent approach is not taken, Singapore’s scam and youth offending situation could deteriorate. In 2025, the Police investigated more than 1,000 youths in connection with scam reports. The number of youths who committed cheating and related offences increased by 37%, from 814 in 2024 to 1,114 in 2025. Youths who committed cheating and related offences were largely involved in scam cases as mules. We need to do more to deter young offenders from being enticed by the prospect of quick financial gains to commit such offences.

10. The legislation will apply to the sentencing of scam and scam-enabling offences committed before, on or after the Act’s commencement date.

11. Scams cause serious harm to victims and must be met with a strong deterrent message. The Bill reinforces the message that scammers and those who facilitate scams should generally face deterrent sentences.

[1] These are: (a) the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) (Amendment) Bill (passed in May 2023), which introduced new offences to address scam-related money laundering; (b) the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Bill (passed in May 2023) which introduced new offences to address the abuse of Singpass for scams; (c) the Law Enforcement and Other Matters Bill (passed in April 2024), which introduced new offences to address the misuse of SIM cards for scams; (d) the Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill (passed in November 2025) which introduced caning for scam and scam-enabling offences; and (e) the Scams (Countermeasures) and Other Matters Bill (passed in September 2026) which introduced new offences to address the misuse of online accounts for scams.    

[2] Apart from MHA, the Panel includes representatives from the Judiciary, as well as the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Public Defender’s Office, the Defence Bar, and the Ministry of Law.