Singapore plans to introduce mandatory caning for convicted online scammers as part of sweeping new measures to tackle the country’s growing fraud epidemic.
Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs, Sim Ann, announced the proposal during a parliamentary session on Tuesday while presenting an amendment to the city-state’s criminal code for a second reading.
Under the proposed law, offenders who commit scams defined as cheating mainly through remote communication will face a minimum of six strokes of the cane in addition to other penalties.
“Offenders who commit scams… will be punished with at least six strokes of the cane,” Sim told lawmakers, adding that syndicate members and recruiters would also be subject to the same punishment.
Those aiding scammers, including so-called “money mules” who provide bank accounts or SIM cards, could face up to 12 strokes, according to the bill.
Singapore recorded losses exceeding $2.8 billion from scams between 2020 and the first half of 2025, with more than 190,000 cases reported, Sim said.
“These syndicates mobilise significant resources to conduct and profit from scams, and have the highest level of culpability,” she added.
The government has ramped up its anti-scam measures in recent years, including launching a national hotline and the ScamShield app, which helps users verify suspicious calls, messages, and websites.
The growing regional scam industry has also drawn international scrutiny. Last week, Singaporean police seized over $115 million in assets linked to British-Cambodian tycoon Chen Zhi, accused by U.S. authorities of running forced-labour scam centres in Cambodia under the guise of a multinational conglomerate.
Even top officials have not been spared: former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong once admitted to being scammed after an online order failed to arrive a reminder, officials say, that “no one is immune.”
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