The Singapore Police Force has issued directives to technology giants Apple and Google, demanding the implementation of measures to prevent scammers from impersonating government agencies via iMessage and Google Messages. This initiative comes in response to a significant rise in government official impersonation scams.
Escalating Threat of Impersonation Scams
Over 120 cases concerning the impersonation of SingPost alone have been reported, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on 25 November 2024. The surge in such scams has raised alarms, with the police noting a staggering rise in reported cases involving impersonation of government officials.
- Scams reported in early 2025 nearly tripled compared to the previous year.
- Losses attributed to these scams reached approximately S$126.5 million.
- Such scams now account for 28% of all reported cases.
Measures to Combat Spoofing
As part of the measures mandated by the police, Apple and Google must:
- Prevent accounts and group chats from displaying names that spoof “gov.sg” or any government agency.
- Ensure messages from unknown senders are displayed less prominently than their phone numbers.
These steps aim to help users identify suspicious messages and bolster the overall security of communication platforms.
Public Awareness and Compliance
The MHA urges the public to regularly update their iMessage and Google Messages apps to benefit from the latest anti-spoofing safeguards. Although post-July 2023 regulations mandated the usage of the “gov.sg” SMS sender ID for SMS communications, these protections do not currently extend to iMessages and Google Messages.
Legal Framework and Penalties
The directives stem from the Online Criminal Harms Act, permitting the authorities to require online service providers to adopt protective measures. Non-compliance could result in significant financial penalties, reaching up to S$1 million for initial infractions.
As the digital landscape evolves and scams become increasingly sophisticated, the importance of these measures cannot be overstated. Ensuring the public’s safety remains a top priority for the Singapore government.