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Singapore

Panel recommends at least 6 months' jail for those who give up Singpass credentials, bank accounts to scammers

The Sentencing Advisory Panel, established in 2022, issued the guidelines on starting sentences for six scam-related offences.

Panel recommends at least 6 months' jail for those who give up Singpass credentials, bank accounts to scammers

The State Courts building in Singapore. (File photo: TODAY)

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SINGAPORE: An advisory panel has recommended at least six months' jail for those who allow their bank accounts or Singpass credentials to be used in facilitating scams.

The Sentencing Advisory Panel on Wednesday (Aug 21) issued the guidelines on starting sentences for six scam-related offences, which it said are meant to guide proceedings in court and are not binding.

It recommends that those who hand over control of their bank account to another person, "without taking reasonable steps to ascertain that person's purpose of accessing, operating or controlling the bank account", be jailed for at least six months.

Currently, the sentence for this offence is a fine of up to S$50,000 (US$38,200) or up to three years' imprisonment, or both.

Similarly, the panel recommends that those who disclose their Singpass credentials be jailed for at least six months. The current sentence for this offence is a fine of up to S$10,000 or jail time of up to three years, or both.

The guidelines come amid rising concern about scams, said the panel. It noted that over the past five years, the number of reported scam cases had risen by more than seven times, and the amount lost to scams had quadrupled.

In 2023, there were 46,563 scam cases, an increase of 46.8 per cent from 2022, said the panel. Meanwhile, the total amount of money lost by scam victims in 2023 came up to S$651.8 million.

The panel also made recommendations for four other offences.

Offence: Negligently handing over control of one's bank account to another person

  • Current maximum sentence: Up to S$150,000 fine, or up to three years' jail, or both
  • Recommended minimum sentence: At least 6 months' jail

Offence: Rashly handing over control of one's bank account to another person

  • Current maximum sentence: Up to S$250,000 fine, or up to five years' jail, or both
  • Recommended minimum sentence: At least 12 months' jail

Offence: Handing over control of one's bank account to another person, while knowing or having reason to believe that this would assist that other person to retain criminal benefits

  • Current maximum sentence: Up to S$500,000 fine, or up to 10 years' jail, or both
  • Recommended minimum sentence: At least 18 months' jail

Offence: Disclosing another person's Singpass credentials

  • Current maximum sentence for first-time offenders: Up to S$10,000 fine, or up to three years' jail, or both
  • Current maximum sentence for repeat offenders: Up to S$20,000 fine, or up to five years' jail, or both
  • Recommended minimum sentence: At least 12 months' jail

“To send a strong deterrent signal, the Guidelines recommend that significant imprisonment sentences should be the norm for scams-related offences involving the handing over of bank accounts or the disclosure of Singpass credentials,” said the Sentencing Advisory Panel on Wednesday.

The recommended starting sentences apply to all offenders, including those below age 21, but excluding juvenile offenders dealt with in the youth court.

It recommends that the sentences be further enhanced if there were aggravating factors, such as if there is a vulnerable victim involved or if large amounts of at least S$100,000 or more were involved.

In particular, for cases involving vulnerable victims, such as the elderly, it recommends that the minimum sentences be increased by at least 25 per cent. This is to recognise the "devastating impact" of scams on such victims.

New laws to combat scams came into force in February 2024. In particular, they target a "critical component" of scam syndicates – people who hand over control of their bank accounts or who disclose Singpass credentials to others, who are then able to use these accounts and credentials to commit scams and launder scam proceeds.

The Sentencing Advisory Panel was established in 2022 to formulate and publish guidelines on matters relating to the sentencing of offences.

The Law Ministry said then it would help promote greater consistency, transparency and public awareness about such matters.

Source: CNA/dy(gr)

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