our reporting examined

A Facebook post about secondhand electronics and furniture in Singapore led Joel, an expatriate, to inquire about a laptop and an iPhone 14. The user requested an 800 Singapore dollar ($592) deposit, and when Joel requested a mobile number for the transfer, he became suspicious. The user insisted on a cash-on-delivery payment, which Joel refused.

Joel then reported the user to Facebook, but the account was deleted only after several weeks. Singapore, home to nearly 6 million residents, is frequently targeted by scammers, with a record 46,563 scams reported last year, a 50% increase from the previous year. E-commerce scams, where advertised goods and services are not delivered, are the second-most common type of scam in Singapore, with nearly 10,000 cases reported last year.

Meta's platforms, such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, accounted for nearly half of these scams. The government's index of safety ratings for e-commerce platforms ranked Facebook Marketplace last, with only Amazon, Lazada, and Shopee topping the list. Facebook has been criticized for not implementing recommended safety features, and the Singapore government has urged Meta to install these measures.

In March, a junior minister condemned Meta for its lack of safeguards. The Online Criminal Harms Act, which took effect in February, aims to counter scams and malicious cyber activities. E-commerce firms have introduced measures to prevent users from sharing sensitive information within the app and hold payments in escrow until items are received.

Authorities have also set up a scam alert hotline and a WhatsApp service to help residents verify suspicious messages. However, cross-border transactions present a challenge, as cybercrime laws are specific only to local jurisdictions. Some experts argue that legislation plays a crucial role as a deterrent, but tech companies may require a stronger catalyst, such as legislation, to initiate action against scams.