Scam mules to be barred from registering mobile lines; restricted from banking, Singpass services

From October, those who have been warned, prosecuted or convicted or are under investigation for mule-related offences may be barred from registering new phone lines, and restricted from accessing banking and national authentication services.

The new measures are part of a joint effort by the Singapore Police Force, Monetary Authority of Singapore, Infocomm Media Development Authority and Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) to restrict mules from accessing facilities that can be exploited to facilitate scams.

Under Singapore laws, mule-related criminal offences involve the misuse of facilities such as bank, payment, national identity or telco accounts to facilitate fraud.

In a joint statement on Sept 17, the authorities and agencies said that scammers rely heavily on these accounts bought from mules – or people seeking to make quick and easy money – to prey on victims.

“The police fully intend to take firmer and stronger action against mules who facilitate scams of fellow Singaporeans. The facility restriction framework ensures that persons who had facilitated scams previously cannot easily again access services that could facilitate yet more scams,” they said in the statement.

Bank accounts can be used to electronically move scam monies between banks and out of the country, which makes it difficult for the authorities to trace them.

Common methods include internet banking, instant payment service PayNow, card-based transactions, and cash withdrawal from ATMs.

“Scammers are also increasingly exploiting the anonymity features of cryptocurrency transactions to move scam monies,” said the statement.

Local phone lines, on the other hand, are used to contact potential victims, given that Singaporeans are now more suspicious of calls or texts from foreign numbers. The local numbers are also used to set up social media accounts to reach­ more victims.

More than 11,000 lines have been used by repeat mule offenders in 2025, according to the statement.

“In some instances, mules under investigation continued to apply for new telephone lines and sell them to scammers,” said the authorities, adding that the police have also observed an increase in scam lines registered by corporate entities.

National identity or authentication services such as Corppass and Singpass can be used to open bank accounts or set up corporate entities to register new phone lines.

The restrictions come at a time when scams continue to be of serious concern in Singapore. Close to half a billion dollars were lost to scams in the first half of 2025, with almost 20,000 cases reported.

“The success of scam syndicates hinges on local persons providing their bank accounts, mobile lines and other essential facilities to the syndicates,” said the authorities.

“We have to restrict scammers’ access to these facilities, to disrupt their operations and protect the public.”

It is not known if there is a digital system for banks, telcos and GovTech – which manages Singpass and Corppass – to track whom to block or restrict. Asked about this, the police said they will work with industry partners to impose restrictions via an internal information-sharing process.

Restrictions on access to banking services and prohibitions on new phone line subscriptions will kick in from October, and restrictions on Corppass and Singpass will take effect later.

These restrictions may apply to people who are under investigation for mule-related offences and assessed to be at risk of facilitating more scams, as well as those who have been warned, issued with composition sums, prosecuted or convicted of mule-related offences.

The duration and specific restrictions imposed will vary based on the risks posed by the scam mules, said the authorities.

They may appeal against these restrictions after being notified by the police.

In 2023, new laws made it an offence to disclose one’s Singpass credentials while knowing, or suspecting, that these will be used to commit an offence. The user is presumed to have known – or had reason to know – if he had received any gain for doing so.

Those convicted of offences involving Singpass can be jailed for up to three years and fined up to $10,000.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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