Sun Xueling: Singapore considers caning for scammers in severe cases

Singapore will consider imposing caning on scammers in particularly serious cases, recognising the severe financial and emotional harm they inflict, Minister of State for Home Affairs and Social and Family Development Sun Xueling said on 4 March.

She was responding to a proposal from Member of Parliament for Jurong GRC Dr Tan Wu Meng, who suggested mandatory caning for the most egregious scam offences.

“We must send a clear message to scammers, the syndicates and those who abet them: If you mess with our people, make off with the life savings of Singaporeans, scam Singaporeans, we must do everything in our power to teach the scammers a lesson they won't forget,” Dr Tan stated.

Sun agreed on the need for stringent deterrent sentences for those involved in scams.

She highlighted that sentencing guidelines issued by an advisory panel have already resulted in prison terms for offenders, with jail sentences reaching up to 19 months in some cases.

Strengthening measures against money mules

Ms Sun also announced a stepped-up approach to detecting and prosecuting money mules, who are instrumental in enabling scams by laundering illicit funds.

“We have been clamping down on them because they are the main way overseas scammers launder their ill-gotten gains and transfer it out of Singapore,” she said.

To enhance enforcement, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) will work more closely with banks, sharing data on known mule accounts to strengthen fraud analytics.

This initiative aims to help banks detect and block other suspected mule accounts.

Additionally, Sun stated that the government would collaborate with industry stakeholders to introduce "cooling-off measures" for certain activities that indicate potential money mule involvement.

She also issued a stern warning to individuals who knowingly or negligently allow their bank accounts or SIM cards to be used for scams.

“Let me be clear. This is a crime, and there is an imprisonment term for passing on your SIM cards or bank accounts to facilitate scams. Claiming ignorance does not get you off the hook,” she said.

Rising scam cases and enforcement actions

Last year, over 8,000 individuals suspected of being money mules or scammers were investigated in Singapore. These investigations followed 25 nationwide anti-scam operations conducted by the SPF.

Of those investigated, more than 660 individuals have been charged in court, with many facing potential jail sentences if convicted, Ms Sun said.

In one concluded case, a money mule received RM1,000 (US$224) for providing access to his internet banking account without verifying the purpose.

That account was subsequently used to launder over S$160,000 (US$118,989) in criminal proceeds. The individual was sentenced to six months in prison.

Escalating scam losses despite efforts

Despite various countermeasures, the financial toll of scams in Singapore continues to rise. Ms Sun reported that total losses to scams reached a record S$1.1 billion last year, marking a 70 per cent increase from the previous year.

Singapore has introduced multiple measures to combat scams, including making banking apps more resistant to malware and blocking calls from known scam numbers.

However, the scale of losses underscores the persistent challenge.

“Many people are rightfully very concerned about this, and so is the government. We must and we will redouble our efforts in this fight against scams,” Sun concluded.