SINGAPORE: The authorities have announced a joint effort to clamp down on scam mules by restricting their access to banking and phone services that can be exploited for such crimes.
The Singapore Police Force, Monetary Authority of Singapore, Infocomm Media Development Authority and Government Technology Agency of Singapore said on Wednesday (Sep 17) that they would be restricting scam mules’ access to facilities such as financial, telecommunications, Singpass and Corppass services.
“The success of scam syndicates hinges on local persons providing their bank accounts, mobile lines and other essential facilities to the syndicates. We have to restrict scammers’ access to these facilities, to disrupt their operations and protect the public,” the authorities said.
They noted that nearly 15 per cent of telephone line subscribers this year so far who allowed their lines to be used for scams were found to be repeat mule offenders, with more than 11,000 lines subscribed.
More than 19,600 scam cases were reported in the first half of the year, with losses amounting to S$456.4 million (US$357 million).
Scam mules are typically people who transfer money obtained from scams or criminal activities from one source to another on behalf of someone else. The upcoming facility restriction framework ensures that those who had facilitated scams before cannot easily again access services that could facilitate even more scams.
The key measures to tackle the mules are as follows:
- They could face restricted access to banking services that can be used to move scam money. These include card-based transactions, ATM services and digital banking services, including internet banking and mobile banking
- Their ability to use Singpass accounts to register for services that are at higher risk of being exploited for scams, such as opening a bank account, may be limited
- They could also be prohibited from subscribing to new mobile lines and face restrictions on their access to existing Corppass accounts
Singpass is the national authentication system for e-services and Corppass is the authorisation system for companies and entities to manage the digital service access of employees who need to perform corporate transactions.
“The specific restrictions to be imposed and the duration of the restrictions will be calibrated based on the risks posed by the scam mule, taking into consideration basic financial and communication needs,” the authorities said.
Anyone who has been warned, issued with composition sums, prosecuted or convicted of mule-related offences may face these restrictions.
They can also be imposed on anyone who is under investigation for mule-related offences and who has been assessed to be at risk of further facilitating scams.
The measures will be rolled out in phases from October, starting with restrictions on access to banking services and prohibitions on new mobile line subscriptions.
Those affected will be notified by the police, who will also handle appeals against the restrictions.
The restrictions on Corppass and Singpass will take effect at a later phase.
