SINGAPORE – A total of 78 people aged between 17 and 63 are under investigation for allegedly giving their Singpass credentials to scammers, with some of them selling their details for $10,000 each.
In a statement on April 18, the police said that 46 men and 32 women are under investigation following an islandwide enforcement raid conducted between April 8 and April 15. Of these, 10 were arrested.
Government Technology Agency staff members at the Commercial Affairs Department office supported the operation by providing information related to the investigation.
Preliminary investigations revealed that some suspects had allegedly sold their Singpass credentials for $10,000 each, said the police. Their credentials were then used to open bank accounts and register for mobile phone lines.
Most of these suspects did not receive their promised payment from the scammers, the police added.
Other suspects allegedly provided other people access to their Singpass account, without knowing who they are providing their credentials to.
Investigations are ongoing, said the police.
In 2023, the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Bill and the Corruption, Drug Trafficking, and Other Serious Offences (Confiscation of Benefits) (Amendment) Bill were passed in Parliament.
These amendments aimed to deter people from enabling or assisting with criminal activities, and help protect people and businesses using Singpass in their daily transactions.
Under Section 8A of the Computer Misuse Act 1993, those found guilty of disclosing their Singpass credentials to facilitate an offence can be jailed for up to three years, fined, or both.
The offence under Section 3(1) of the Computer Misuse Act 1993 carries a fine of up to $5,000, a prison term of up to two years, or both.
“To avoid being an accomplice in these crimes, members of the public should always reject seemingly attractive money-making opportunities promising fast and easy payouts, for the use of their Singpass accounts,” said the police.
They said that individuals will be held accountable if they are found to be linked to such crimes, and added that the public should never disclose their Singpass credentials, passwords, or two-factor authentication details to unknown people.
For more information on scams, people can go to www.scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Helpline on 1800-722-6688.
Anyone with information relating to such crimes should call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000, or submit it at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.