SINGAPORE, Aug 4 — Police may soon be able to order banks, telcos and major online platforms to disclose information and swiftly disable accounts suspected of facilitating scams, under a wide‑ranging Bill tabled in Parliament today.

CNA reported that the Scams (Countermeasures) and Other Matters Bill seeks to plug gaps in Singapore’s anti‑scam regime by giving authorities stronger, faster tools to detect and disrupt criminal networks, while imposing far heavier penalties on service providers that fail to comply with anti‑scam directives.

New powers to demand information and shut down accounts

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said scammers often operate across multiple platforms — from bank accounts and digital wallets to SIM cards and social media — leaving behind digital traces that could help investigators. But without consistent information‑sharing, suspicious activity detected by one provider may not reach others.

To address this, the Bill proposes two new police orders:

• Disclosure Order — requiring banks, telcos or online service providers to hand over information on specified accounts and scam‑related activities.
• Account Disabling Order — compelling providers to disable accounts flagged by police as meeting scam‑related indicators. Accounts may be disabled for up to 30 days, extendable once.

Individuals whose accounts are disabled may appeal, but the order remains in effect during the review.

These measures will support the upcoming National Scams List, a centralised platform being developed by HTX and the police to help partners identify scam enablers more quickly.

Stricter controls on money mules and SIM card abuse

More than 7,000 suspected money mules were investigated in 2025, and thousands have already been placed under the facility restriction framework, which limits their access to banking, telco and Singpass services.

The Bill strengthens this framework by allowing police to issue service limitation orders, requiring providers to restrict services to individuals assessed to be at risk of facilitating scams. Restrictions may last up to three years, with an appeal process available.

New offences for misuse of online accounts

To curb the growing trade in fraudulent online accounts, the Bill introduces offences covering:

• Providing personal information to register accounts for criminal use
• Possessing accounts registered with another person’s details
• Supplying or receiving accounts for criminal activity

These offences apply to designated platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram, WeChat, TikTok, Carousell, Google and Apple.

Up to S$10 million fines for non‑compliance

Under amendments to the Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA), designated online service providers may face fines of up to S$10 million (RM31.9 million) — a tenfold increase — for failing to comply with codes of practice or directives.

Daily fines for continuing offences may reach S$300,000, up from S$100,000.

Authorities will issue written notices before imposing penalties, and providers may appeal to the Home Affairs Minister.

Automated anti‑scam directives

To keep pace with rapidly multiplying scam websites and accounts, the Bill allows OCHA directions to be issued via computer programmes, enabling faster takedowns of harmful content. Safeguards will ensure accuracy and fairness.

Additional amendments

The Bill also proposes:

• Allowing police to obtain information needed to notify joint account holders when restriction orders are issued
• Empowering civilian specialist officers with investigation powers, including search, arrest and seizure, to support cybercrime enforcement

MHA said the strengthened laws aim to preserve trust in Singapore’s digital environment as scams evolve in scale and sophistication. The Bill underscores a coordinated national effort to protect the public and disrupt criminal networks more decisively.