Singapore has strengthened penalties for scammers, introducing caning of up to 24 strokes from December 30 as part of changes to the country’s criminal law aimed at curbing a surge in fraud cases. The move adds to existing punishments, which include imprisonment and fines, the Associated Press reported.
Under the new rules, scammers, including recruiters and members of scam syndicates, face six to 24 strokes of the cane. Individuals who launder scam proceeds or provide national identification credentials and mobile SIM cards to scammers could receive up to 12 strokes. Offenders who fail to take “reasonable steps” to prevent their credentials from being misused may also be subject to caning. Authorities have also been given discretion to impose caning for other forms of fraud.
The Home Affairs Ministry said the enhanced measures “ensure that our criminal laws remain effective, fair, and responsive to emerging challenges.” The ministry emphasized that scam prevention remains a national priority. “Fighting scams is a top national priority. The number of scam cases and scam losses remain concerning,” officials said.
Scam-related losses in Singapore reached $350.9 million in the first half of 2025, down 12.6 percent from the same period in 2024, according to police statistics cited by Reuters in October. The most common types of scams include phishing, fraudulent job offers, e-commerce and online shopping scams, get-rich investment schemes, and impersonation, according to the Singapore Government Technology Agency.
Judicial caning, a form of corporal punishment involving a rattan cane applied to the bare buttocks, has long been used in Singapore for male offenders under 50 convicted of serious crimes such as robbery and sexual offenses. The punishment, introduced during British colonial rule, is also applied in Malaysia and Brunei. Offenders typically serve prison sentences in addition to caning.
The proposal to apply caning to scammers was first suggested in March during discussions on the Home Affairs Ministry’s budget. The measure reflects growing concern over the sophistication and reach of fraud syndicates in the digital era.
In September, the ministry also warned Meta that it could face fines of up to one million Singapore dollars, and daily fines of up to 100,000 Singapore dollars after the end of the month, if it failed to implement measures such as facial recognition to curb impersonation scams on Facebook.
Analysts say the move signals Singapore’s determination to maintain strong deterrents against financial crime while holding individuals and companies accountable for contributing to fraudulent activities. With new penalties taking effect at the end of the year, authorities hope the combination of legal, financial, and corporal measures will curb the rise of online and offline scams in the city-state.
