Officially.. Singapore Begins Enforcing Rules Restricting Messaging Between Unknown Accounts

Singapore has officially begun implementing new rules requiring messaging services to restrict communications involving unknown accounts, while social media platforms will be required to verify advertisers’ identities as part of the government’s efforts to combat scams and curb cybercrime.

According to local media reports, the new measures come amid the growing spread of scam centers across Southeast Asia in recent years. These centers have recruited foreigners to carry out fraudulent schemes, including romance scams and fake investment schemes involving cryptocurrencies.

Singapore’s Losses from Scams

Singapore, the region’s second-largest economy, lost more than $2.8 billion to scams between 2020 and the first half of 2025, according to Minister of State for Home Affairs Sim Ann, who disclosed the figure to Parliament last November.

The new rules, introduced under the Online Criminal Harms Act, target services that authorities consider particularly vulnerable to being exploited for scams.

The Singapore Police Force said investment scams are a major concern on messaging platforms, explaining that scammers typically contact victims through accounts they have never interacted with before and then offer them attractive investment products or opportunities.

Under the new rules, seven messaging services — WhatsApp, Telegram, WeChat, Apple’s iMessage and FaceTime, Google Messages and Google Meet — will be required to obtain users’ consent before allowing unknown contacts to add them to groups or channels.

The services will also be required to warn users about suspicious accounts and provide options to mute, filter or block unwanted communications.

Tighter Oversight of Facebook, Instagram and TikTok Advertisements

Separately, new regulations will require Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to block advertisements suspected of being linked to scams, verify advertisers’ identities against government records, and ensure that financial services advertised to users in Singapore are offered by licensed entities.

Police said Facebook, Instagram and TikTok accounted for around 30% of all scam cases recorded in Singapore in 2025, while Facebook alone accounted for approximately 18% of the total.

E-commerce platforms, including Carousell, Facebook Marketplace and Facebook Business, will also be required to introduce stricter measures to protect users’ account login processes.

Authorities have given the platforms until January 31, 2027, to comply with the new rules, while measures aimed at preventing the impersonation of the Singapore government must be implemented by the end of September.

Police warned that failure to comply with the regulations could result in fines of up to S$1 million.

The measures are part of Singapore’s escalating efforts to combat online scams. In recent years, authorities have intensified public awareness campaigns while also tightening penalties for scam-related offenses, including the introduction of mandatory caning of up to 24 strokes for serious offenses.