Police in Singapore can now seize control of a person’s bank account and block money transfers if they suspect the person is being scammed, under a new law that kicked in on Tuesday.
The move is aimed at addressing a common issue faced by the police where victims often refuse to believe they are being scammed despite warnings, authorities have said.
The law was passed earlier this year by lawmakers, though some members of parliament have described the measure as intrusive.
Singapore has seen a worsening problem with scams, which surged to a record S$1.1 billion ($860m; £630m) in 2024 in the island-state.
Under the new Protection from Scams Act, the police can order banks to block a potential victim from making transactions if they suspect the person is being scammed.
Police can also block a potential victim’s use of ATMs and credit services.
The decision can be taken by a police officer even if the potential victim does not believe warnings that they are being scammed.
The bank account owner will still have access to his funds for legitimate reasons, such as to pay for their daily expenses and bills, but can only use their money at the discretion of the police, according to Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The MHA has said that a potential victim’s bank account can be controlled by the police for up to 30 days at a time, with the option for a maximum of five extensions if more time is needed.
Critics of the law have raised concerns over accountability and the possibility of abuse of power. In Parliament in January, some MPs suggested allowing citizens to opt out of the law, or giving people the option to nominate someone else to freeze their transactions instead of the authorities.
But proponents have said that the law is needed to stem the huge losses incurred by victims and to protect them.
The MHA said the decision would be based on the facts offered by the individual and family members. “The restriction order will only be issued as a last resort, after other options to convince the individual have been exhausted,” it said in a statement.
The number of reported scams in Singapore has grown from around 15,600 cases in 2020 to more than 50,000 cases in 2024.
Common scams in Singapore include job and investment scams, and e-commerce fraud where users are duped into paying for items they never receive. Many are also increasingly falling prey to internet love scams, where fraudsters spend months building online relationships before tricking victims into sending money.
The new law is the latest anti-scam measure authorities have rolled out in Singapore. Since 2023, bank users can lock up a portion of money in their account so that they cannot be transferred digitally.
Most banks also have an emergency “kill switch” that lets customers freeze their bank accounts immediately if they suspect it has been compromised.