Singapore To Order Meta To Stamp Out Scam Content On Facebook

SINGAPORE, Sept 3 (Bernama) -- Singapore police will issue an Implementation Directive to Meta requiring the company to stamp out scam advertisements, accounts, profiles, and business pages impersonating key government officials on Facebook.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming said failure to comply could result in fines of up to S$1 million.

“This will be the government’s first use of the Implementation Directive. We are issuing it to Meta because Facebook is the top platform used by scammers for such impersonation scams, and the police have assessed that more decisive action is required to curb these scams,” he said at the Global Anti-Scam Summit Asia 2025, here on Wednesday.

The Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA), which came into force in February 2024, enables the government to deal more effectively with online criminal activities, including issuing directions to online services to limit Singapore users’ exposure to such content.

Goh said Singapore will continue working closely with Meta to combat Government Official Impersonation Scams (GOIS) as part of broader collaboration between the Home Ministry and the police on anti-scam initiatives.

He said GOIS cases rose by about 200 per cent in the first half of this year to more than 1,760 cases, compared to the same period in 2024. Losses also increased by approximately 90 per cent to about S$126 million.

“On average, each GOIS scam results in a loss of about S$72,000, and that is a staggering amount. For some victims, this could be their life savings and could fundamentally cripple their life plans,” he said.

Goh added that Singapore will continue reviewing the adequacy of anti-scam requirements imposed on online platforms.

He said the police have designated TikTok as a designated online service with effect from Sept 1, requiring the platform to comply with the Online Communication Services Code of Practice by Feb 28, 2026.

“This will require TikTok to put in place appropriate systems, processes, and measures to proactively disrupt scams affecting our citizens,” he said.

Goh also noted that the number of scam cases on TikTok increased by 240 per cent in 2024 compared to 2023.

He said the fight against scams remains a top national priority. Singapore recorded a 26 per cent decrease in scam cases in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year, with losses also down by 13 per cent.

-- BERNAMA