New anti-scam laws target Carousell, TikTok account mules; online harms order fine up from $1m to $10m

The Scams (Countermeasures) and Other Matters Bill, introduced in Parliament on August 4, proposes new anti-scam laws targeting online account mules, including those on Carousell, TikTok, Telegram, and Meta's platforms. It will be illegal to provide personal details for creating such accounts or supply/buy them for criminal purposes.

If passed, these changes will increase the maximum fine for online account mules from $1 million to $10 million, with daily fines raised from $100,000 to $300,000 for continuing offenses. The Bill also targets online service providers that fail to comply with codes of practice and directives, raising the maximum fine from $1 million to $10 million, and daily fines from $100,000 to $300,000.

If implemented, the Bill will allow the police to issue anti-scam directions using computer programs, including those utilizing artificial intelligence, to more efficiently combat scam-related activities. Additionally, the Bill introduces three new orders for service providers such as banks, telcos, and online platforms to counter scams: disclosure orders, account disabling orders, and service limitation orders.

These orders aim to facilitate real-time information sharing between the government and its partners via the National Scams List, restrict the provision of services to individuals involved in scams for up to three years, and enable the police to obtain necessary information on scam victims for better investigation and prosecution.

The new measures come as scams continue to be a significant issue in Singapore, accounting for three out of five police reports in 2025, with a total loss of $913.1 million in the same year. Scammers have been creating a large number of scam sites, accounts, and advertisements rapidly, often employing artificial intelligence to make their operations more challenging to monitor manually.

Authorities hope these new laws will strengthen Singapore's ability to detect and disrupt scam operations more quickly, hold those enabling or facilitating scams accountable, and preserve trust in the country's digital environment.