The Singaporean government has taken a bold step in combating impersonation scams by ordering Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to implement vital measures by 30 September 2024. This directive comes under the newly enforced Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA) and aims to protect the public from the growing frequency of scams using the likeness of key government officials.
Directive Details
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Meta is required to:
- Implement enhanced facial recognition measures.
- Prioritise the review of end-user reports from Singapore.
- Reduce scam advertisements, accounts, profiles, and business pages impersonating government office-holders.
The MHA emphasised that failure to comply by the deadline without a reasonable excuse could result in a fine of up to S$1 million. Moreover, if the offence continues post-conviction, an additional fine of S$100,000 per day may be imposed.
Rise in Impersonation Scams
The directive arises from alarming statistics over the past year, where impersonation scams involving government officials rose dramatically. Between June 2024 and June 2025, 1,762 cases were reported—almost tripling from the previous year, resulting in a staggering loss of S$126.5 million during the first half of 2025 alone.
The Role of Facebook
Facebook has emerged as the primary platform for scam activities, according to MHA. In responding to this crisis, SPF and the MHA are working with Meta to leverage its existing global impersonation protection measures. The goal is to safeguard influential public figures in Singapore against potential impersonators, reinforcing public trust in governmental institutions.
This stands as the first comprehensive directive issued to a social media company under OCHA. The MHA has indicated that similar requirements may be extended to other online platforms in the future, reflecting the serious nature of these scams.
As Singapore continues to navigate the complexities of digital safety, the government’s proactive stance serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding citizens against online fraud.