Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Police Procedures for Reporting Fraudulent Debit Card Transactions and Bank Account Withdrawals

Question:

Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs what are the standard operating procedures of the Singapore Police Force when dealing with reports of fraudulent debit card transactions and bank account withdrawals.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law:

1.   Generally, upon receiving reports of fraudulent credit or debit card transactions and bank account withdrawals, the Police will commence investigations, including recording statements, and gathering evidence. They will also ask the bank to deactivate the credit or debit card, or freeze the bank account, if the bank has not already done so. The specific steps taken by the Police would depend on the facts and circumstances of each case.

2.   As part of the Inter-Ministry Committee on Scams, we have worked with the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Standing Committee on Fraud of the Association of Banks in Singapore to implement measures to detect fraudulent transactions and safeguard banking channels. These include requiring additional customer confirmation to process significant changes to customers' accounts, notifying customers at the original registered mobile number or email address when there are changes to contact details, and putting in place an emergency kill switch for customers to swiftly freeze their bank accounts which they suspect may have been compromised.