Access to banking and other services were removed for companies and individuals involved in scams.
According to Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam, the authorities restricted access to banking, telco and Singpass services to an estimated 1,200 people and 50 companies.
These companies and individuals have been assessed to be at risk of penetrating scams which include those convicted of scams and suspects under investigation.
In a written reply to Nee Soon GRC Jackson Lam’s question in parliament on Jan. 12, Shanmugan said the restrictions are yielding positive results, but will need more time to assess their effectiveness.
Money mules who have been warned, fined or convicted will be subject to the restrictions for a year.
Repeat offenders will be subject to restrictions of up to three years.
The facility restriction framework was launched last October in a joint effort by the Singapore Police Force (SPF), Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Infocomm Media Development Authority (Infocomm) and Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) to restrict mules from accessing facilities that can be exploited to facilitate scams.
“The police fully intend to take firmer and stronger action against mules who facilitate scams of fellow Singaporeans,” they said in a statement. “The facility restriction framework ensures that persons who had facilitated scams previously cannot easily again access services that could facilitate yet more scams.”
The framework is being implemented in phases.
Bank accounts are used to move scam proceeds between banks and out of the country, making it difficult for the authorities to trace them. The restrictions on financial services include internet and mobile banking, card-based transactions and ATM services.
Local phone lines are used to contact potential victims and local numbers are used to set up social media accounts to reach more victims. In 2025, the offenders had about 11,000 lines used in scam operations and 15 per cent were repeat offenders.
These companies and individuals will not be able to subscribe to new mobile phone lines.
Corppass and Singpass are restricted as these national identity and authentication services can be used to open bank accounts or set up corporate entities to register new phone lines.
Mr Shanmugam said the Anti-Scam Centre works closely with banks to trace the monies and freeze accounts, normally up to a day, to prevent funds from being siphoned out of Singapore upon report of scam.
He added that the police also work with banks and telcos to freeze accounts and lines of those suspected to be involved in scams.
The losses to scams in terms of amount and number of cases have declined.
In 1H 2025, the total amount lost to scam fell 12.6% to S$456.4 million over the preceding period while the total scam cases also fell 26% to 19,665, according to the SPF.
