Singapore prevents use of SIM cards for scams
Singapore (VNA) – Singapore has passed a bill
regulating criminal acts and tougher penalties for those who use SIM cards
for scams.
The Law Enforcement and Other Matters Bill, approved by the Singaporean Parliament on April 2, identifies three groups who use local SIM cards to facilitate scams, namely irresponsible
subscribers, middlemen, and errant retailers who deal in such cards.
It will be an offence for a person to hand over local SIM
cards registered in his own name, or to allow his particulars to be used to
sign up for local SIM cards. But those who have legitimate reasons such as
registering a SIM card for their family members will not be liable. Those who
were tricked into giving up their particulars will also not be prosecuted.
Middlemen are those who broker SIM cards for misuse, including
providing local SIM cards for scam syndicates.
A person with 11 or more of such SIM cards,
or a one having a SIM card that was previously used for crime will be liable. However, a person
with legitimate reasons like being an employer who is holding on to SIM
cards intended for employees will also not be prosecuted.
Errant retailers are those who facilitate the fraudulent
registration of local SIM cards.
It will be an offence for a mobile service provider or
retailer to register a local SIM card using anyone’s particulars without
permission, or knowing that the particulars are false or misleading if it
believes the cards will be misused or later used in a crime.
The offences by the brokers and retailers of SIM
cards for misuse will similarly carry a fine of up to 10,000 SGD (7,400 USD) and a jail
term of up to three years for a first offence. Repeat offenders can be fined up
to 20,000 SGD and jailed for up to five years.
In 2023, Singapore discovered 46,000 telecommunications scam cases, the highest so far, with losses of up to 651.8
million SGD./.