Singapore’s Parliament has passed the Scams (Countermeasures) and Other Matters Bill, granting extreme powers to hand out 3-year jail terms to anyone handing over their personal information to open online accounts for scammers.
Singaporeans lost more than S$410 million to scams in the first half of 2026, which is around S$2 million a day.
Police will now deploy automated software to issue immediate takedown orders against fake ads, accounts, and fraudulent sites, bypassing manual review delays. Big Tech face major consequences as designated platforms, such as Meta, Telegram, TikTok, Google, and Apple, can be fined up to S$10 million for failing to comply with safety codes, plus daily fines up to S$300,000 for ongoing violations.
The bill criminalises the sale, trade, or misuse of digital accounts and Singpass credentials created for illicit use. Police can also issue Service Limitation Orders to lock repeat offenders out of bank accounts, telecom services, and digital ID platforms for up to three years.
A new National Scams List, managed alongside HTX, will also centralize scam data across banks, telcos, and online platforms. Through newly created Account Disabling Orders, police can force providers to freeze suspicious accounts for 30 days, extendable t0 60, while Disclosure Orders will compel real-time data sharing across institutions.
Amendments to the Police Force Act allow the recruitment of Civilian Specialist Officers inside the Cyber Command. These specialised non-uniformed officers gain full investigative powers, including search, arrest, asset seizure, and document production capabilities traditionally reserved for commercial crime units.
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