The Singaporean government has announced plans to introduce caning as part of the punishment for online scammers and their collaborators, in a move aimed at curbing rising cases of internet fraud in the country.
The proposal, which was presented to parliament on Tuesday, seeks to amend Singapore’s criminal code to include a mandatory sentence of at least six strokes of the cane for anyone convicted of scamming offences.
According to Sim Ann, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs, the decision followed growing financial losses to scams in recent years. She said the country had lost over $2.8 billion to scam-related crimes between 2020 and the first half of 2025, with about 190,000 reported cases.
“We will introduce mandatory caning for scammers,” Sim told lawmakers. “Offenders who commit scams, defined as cheating mainly by means of remote communication, will be punished with at least six strokes of the cane.”
She added that members of organised scam syndicates and recruiters involved in such crimes would face even tougher penalties.
“These syndicates mobilise significant resources to conduct and profit from scams and have the highest level of culpability,” she said. “They will also be subject to mandatory caning of at least six strokes.”
The bill further proposes that individuals who aid scammers, including “money mules” who provide bank accounts or SIM cards for fraudulent use, could receive up to 12 strokes of the cane.
Singapore has intensified efforts to tackle online fraud in recent years through awareness campaigns and digital tools. In 2020, it launched the ScamShield app to help users verify suspicious calls, websites, and messages.
The country’s strict approach to cybercrime comes amid a wider crackdown on transnational scam operations in Southeast Asia.
Last week, police said they had seized more than $115 million in assets linked to British-Cambodian tycoon Chen Zhi, accused of running forced labour camps in Cambodia used for large-scale scam operations.
Authorities say the new penalties will send a strong message to criminals who exploit technology to defraud victims, while protecting Singapore’s reputation as one of the safest and most disciplined nations in the region.
