Singapore is set to introduce mandatory caning for online scammers and those aiding fraud networks, in one of the world’s toughest anti-scam measures.
The proposed amendment to Singapore’s criminal code, announced by Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Sim Ann on Tuesday, would impose a minimum of six strokes of the cane for anyone convicted of scam-related crimes.
Sim told lawmakers that the new penalties are necessary to combat the country’s worsening scam crisis, which has drained more than $2.8 billion from victims between 2020 and mid-2025. Over 190,000 scam cases were reported during that period.
Under the new bill, anyone convicted of scamming defined as cheating primarily through remote communication will face at least six strokes in addition to prison terms.
Members of scam syndicates and recruiters will also face mandatory caning, while “money mules” who provide bank accounts or SIM cards for scammers could receive up to 12 lashes.
“These syndicates mobilize significant resources to profit from scams and bear the highest level of culpability,” Sim said. “We must send a clear signal that such crimes will attract the most severe punishment.”
The crackdown comes as Singapore faces mounting cybercrime cases linked to regional scam hubs across Southeast Asia.
Authorities have intensified public awareness efforts, launching a national hotline and the ScamShield app, which helps users verify suspicious messages and calls.
In 2024, former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong admitted he had been a scam victim after a package he ordered online never arrived a stark reminder that no one is immune to digital fraud.
Meanwhile, police recently seized over $115 million in assets tied to Chen Zhi, a British-Cambodian businessman accused by U.S. authorities of running forced labor scam centers in Cambodia.
Washington described Chen’s Prince Holding Group as a front for “one of Asia’s largest transnational criminal organizations.”
The bill, which is expected to pass, underscores Singapore’s zero-tolerance stance on financial crime and cyber fraud, reinforcing its reputation for strict law enforcement and social discipline.