MHA COS 2025: Working Together to Fight Scams

GRAPHIC: Amber Qua

Addressing Singapore’s Scam Situation

Scams are a huge concern globally, as they are in Singapore. Locally, the total amount lost to scams hit a new high of $1.1 billion in 2024, a 70% increase from 2023. Many people are concerned, and so is the Government. We will continue fighting against scams with the following efforts.

GRAPHICS: Amber Qua

Defending Against Scams Involving Self-Effected Transfers  

A significant majority of scams now involve self-effected transfers, where victims were manipulated into willingly transferring money to the scammers. Scammers preyed on universal human emotions such as a desire for companionship, respect for authority and greed to convince victims to transfer money. Sometimes, an individual is so convinced by the scammers that he/she refuses to believe that he/she is being scammed. The Protection from Scam Bills introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs in January 2025 empowers the Singapore Police Force (SPF) to temporarily restrict banking transactions of these individuals. This will only be used as a last resort, after all efforts to convince the individual have failed.

Protecting Bank Accounts from Malware and Phishing

The Government will be working with banks to improve their user authentications methods, to protect accounts against malware and phishing. A stronger authentication solution being studied is the use of Fast IDentity Online (FIDO)-compliant hardware tokens, which need to be in close proximity to the user’s device to authenticate the transaction.

Other anti-scam efforts being worked out with banks include cooling-off periods for high-risk transactions, such as request to increase transaction limits or to change contact details, and enhancing bank’s fraud analytics.

Tackling Scam Calls and Money Mules

Scammers have pivoted to using local phone numbers to make scam calls and send scam SMSes. Measures taken to tighten ownership and abuse of local SIM cards include:

1. limiting the number of post-paid SIM cards that a person can own;

2. making it an offence to register for a SIM card and selling it again, possessing numerous unregistered SIM cards for no legitimate reasons, and buying or selling SIM cards registered with another person’s particulars;

3. Imposing penalties on anyone who assists in abusing SIM cards for scams.

MHA will be expanding efforts to better detect money mule activity. SPF will expand information sharing with banks on known mule accounts and implement cooling-off measures for certain activities which are tell-tale signs of money mule activity.

Emerging Threat of Scams Involving Cryptocurrency Losses

Sophisticated criminal syndicates have elaborate fake crypto trading interfaces to scam you into thinking that you are profiting from your crypto investments. Some embed malware or phishing links to drain your crypto wallets. PHOTO: iStock

Scammers have also pivoted to targeting assets stored in victim’s crypto wallets and asking victims to convert their money to cryptocurrencies prior to transferring it, thereby evading our banking safeguards. As cryptocurrency is largely unregulated and the anonymity features of certain cryptocurrency transactions can be exploited by criminals to evade capture, the public should steer clear of cryptocurrencies.

MHA will work with MAS-licensed digital payment token service providers to strengthen anti- scam controls and tighten operational links with law enforcement agencies.

Safeguarding Our Online Spaces

Today, 60% of scams occur through messaging apps and social media platforms. Tackling such scams requires close collaboration with tech companies. The Government has implemented the Online Criminal Harms Act, that requires designated online services to implement measures to proactively prevent and disrupt scams. All online platforms, including social media platforms and messaging apps, are strongly encouraged to put in place robust user verification measures, in particular checking against Government-issued identity documents. This will prevent criminals from hiding behind the cloak of anonymity.

One platform of concern is Telegram, which has long prioritised the anonymity it provides its users. The number of reported scams on the platform close to doubled in 2024. MHA is monitoring the situation closely and will explore further measures to address the scams situation on the Telegram, including using legislative levers to mandate compliance.

Empowering the Public to Protect Themselves Against Scams

The public can use the ScamShield Suite to check if something is a scam, report scams and stay updated on scam trends. GRAPHIC: Singapore Police Force

Public education remains a priority, given that most scams are self-effected. MHA has refreshed public education initiatives. The ScamShield Suite launched in September last year comprises various channels to help users to check, report and stay updated on scams. The public is advised to use its various channels, such as calling the ScamShield hotline, 1799, if they are unsure if something is a scam or think they are scammed.

We will also alert the public to high-loss scam types through monthly media campaigns. These are tailored to the population segments which are most vulnerable to each scam types. 

 MHA Committee of Supply (COS) Debate 2025

Read the speech delivered by Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Social and Family Ms Sun Xueling. For more info on MHA COS 2025, visit the MHA COS 2025 webpage.