SINGAPORE (BN24) — Singapore is set to introduce mandatory caning as a punishment for convicted scammers, under a sweeping new amendment bill aimed at curbing the country’s fast-rising tide of financial fraud and cybercrime.
The Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, tabled for its second reading in Parliament on Tuesday, November 5, proposes tougher penalties against those involved in scam syndicates, recruitment operations, and financial mule networks that have defrauded thousands of Singaporeans in recent years.
Announcing the move, Senior Minister of State for Home and Foreign Affairs Sim Ann revealed that Singapore had lost more than S$2.8 billion (US$2.05 billion) to scams between 2020 and the first half of 2025. During that period, authorities recorded around 190,000 scam-related cases, marking an unprecedented surge in financial crime facilitated through digital platforms and cross-border syndicates.
“We will introduce mandatory caning for scammers,” Sim declared during her parliamentary speech. “Offenders who commit scams, defined as cheating mainly by means of remote communication, will be punished with at least six strokes of the cane.”
Sim explained that the measure targets syndicates that “mobilise significant resources to conduct and profit from scams” and whose members display “the highest level of culpability.”
Under the proposed legislation, individuals convicted of participating in scam syndicates including recruiters, financiers, or active members, will face between six and 24 strokes of the cane, in addition to existing imprisonment terms.
Those acting as “money mules”, who facilitate the transfer of stolen or illicit funds, could receive up to 12 strokes at the discretion of the courts. The government stated that the intention is to penalize not only the masterminds but also those knowingly enabling fraudulent operations through their financial or logistical support.
The law also extends to suppliers of scam-enabling tools, such as SIM cards, Singpass credentials, or digital payment accounts, who either intended for the tools to be misused or failed to take reasonable precautions to prevent their abuse. Convicted individuals in such cases may also face mandatory caning alongside other penalties.
Authorities emphasized that these amendments are meant to send a clear deterrent message, as scam cases continue to strain police resources and public confidence in digital transactions.
Singapore currently enforces caning for more than 90 criminal offences, including violent crime, vandalism, drug trafficking, and illegal immigration. Of these, 65 offences already mandate caning as part of sentencing.
While the new bill introduces caning for scam-related crimes, it also reduces mandatory caning to discretionary in certain lesser offences, reflecting a calibrated approach to criminal justice. Sim said, however, that “more serious cases should still result in caning,” highlighting the government’s commitment to maintaining tough penalties for crimes with serious social or financial harm.
Beyond the anti-fraud measures, the amendments also propose strengthened protections for minors and vulnerable individuals, and tougher laws against the large-scale distribution of sexual images or videos. Another key provision criminalizes the doxxing of public servants, defined as the act of publishing private information about individuals online without consent — a growing concern amid harassment incidents targeting law enforcement and government officers.
Scams have become one of Singapore’s most pressing law enforcement challenges. In recent years, fraud syndicates operating from overseas have targeted victims through phishing, fake job offers, and impersonation schemes.
Authorities have launched multiple public education campaigns and joint operations with foreign police to dismantle these syndicates, but the financial toll has continued to rise. The Ministry of Home Affairs said the new law represents a “comprehensive step to match deterrence with accountability”, combining strong enforcement with a clear signal that financial crime carries severe consequences.
While human rights groups have previously criticized the use of caning as a corporal punishment, the Singapore government maintains that it is a “measured and effective deterrent” that reflects the city-state’s zero-tolerance stance toward serious offences.
