Singapore’s parliament on Tuesday passed a landmark law introducing caning as a punishment for scammers and money mules, stepping up its crackdown on a surge of fraud cases that has shaken public trust and cost billions.
Under the Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, individuals involved in scams, including syndicate members and recruiters, will now face between six and 24 strokes of the cane, alongside existing penalties such as imprisonment and fines.
The new provisions are designed to strengthen deterrence against scams, which remain the most common form of crime in Singapore, said Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Sim Ann.
Sim, who tabled the bill, told Parliament that scam syndicates carried the “highest level of culpability” and deployed “significant resources” to conduct and profit from their crimes.
Legal experts told This Week in Asia that the move reflects the moral seriousness of such offences and is expected to serve as a powerful deterrent.
Other crimes that carry caning in Singapore include rape, which warrants at least 12 strokes, as well as drug trafficking and illegal moneylending. Courts may impose a maximum of 24 strokes per trial.
Those found guilty of knowingly assisting scams, for instance, by surrendering their bank accounts or personal details to syndicates, will also face discretionary caning of up to 12 strokes, depending on the court’s decision during sentencing.
“Crippling the supply of scam enablers would significantly increase the difficulty for scammers to successfully conduct or profit from scams,” Sim said.
The idea of caning scammers was first raised in March by former People’s Action Party (PAP) MP Tan Wu Meng during a parliamentary debate on the Home Affairs Ministry’s budget, questioning whether penalties were too lenient. The bill was introduced in October.
Sim noted that scams accounted for around 60 per cent of all reported crimes in Singapore, with about 190,000 cases recorded between 2020 and mid-2025. The losses amounted to roughly S$3.7 billion (US$2.8 billion).
According to police statistics, Singapore lost S$1.1 billion to scams in 2024 and S$456 million in the first half of this year alone.
Sim added that the ministry would continue to monitor scam trends and “adjust penalties if necessary.”
The bill also revised other criminal penalties. Vandalism, which previously carried mandatory caning, will now be subject to discretionary caning of up to eight strokes.
Sim clarified that the change did not represent a softer approach to crime. “The large majority of offences which attract caning today, including serious sexual and violence offences, will continue to attract caning as a punishment,” she said.
The amendments also toughen penalties for distributing obscene material to 10 or more people, extending the maximum jail term from three months to two years. If the obscene content involves someone under 18, the sentence will double to four years.
Lawmakers voiced a range of views during the debate, with some questioning whether stiffer punishments would deter overseas syndicates beyond Singapore’s jurisdiction.
PAP MP David Hoe said most scams targeting Singaporeans were run from abroad and “might not deter someone who did not plan to step foot in the country.”
Another PAP lawmaker, Foo Cexiang, called for heavier punishment for those impersonating government officials, describing such cases as “most deplorable” and warning that they risk undermining public confidence in state institutions.
In September, the Home Affairs Ministry and police reported a spike in scammers impersonating key office holders through fake Facebook ads and profiles between June 2024 and June 2025.
‘Clear Distinction’
Legal experts largely welcomed the move, saying the introduction of caning sends a firm message about the moral weight of scam-related offences.
Criminal lawyer Mohamed Baiross said the punishment reaffirms the moral seriousness of scams, which inflict emotional damage and erode trust in digital security.
“By adding corporal punishment to the sentencing framework, the parliament is drawing a clear distinction between technical wrongdoing and moral betrayal,” he said.
Baiross added that while caning for scam offences differs from violent crimes, it serves a similar purpose — deterrence. “For violent crime, caning functions as punishment and retribution; for scams, it serves mainly as a deterrent for deliberate deception and abuse of trust,” he explained.
“While caning does not equate scam offences with rape or violent crimes, it acknowledges that such offences have reached a level of social harm comparable in scale and impact,” he added.
Associate Professor Chen Siyuan from Singapore Management University said punishment should not be based solely on the degree of violence involved.
He said introducing caning “set the right tone” and would help reassure Singaporeans amid the sharp rise in scam cases.
“There may have been a growing perception by the public that perpetrators were neither getting caught nor getting punished,” Chen said. “With this change in the law, coupled with recent news of arrests, the public would feel more assured.”
In September, Singapore charged 15 individuals suspected of involvement in a Cambodian scam network, followed by arrest warrants for another 34 people last month. Authorities believe the group was behind 438 scam cases worth at least S$41 million.
Benny Tan, assistant professor of law at the National University of Singapore, said the measure also signals to foreign governments that Singapore maintains a zero-tolerance stance toward scams.
However, experts acknowledged that caning alone would not eradicate the problem, as many syndicates operate beyond Singapore’s reach.
Chen expressed hope that Singapore’s move would inspire neighbouring Southeast Asian nations to coordinate anti-scam measures and joint crackdowns.
Baiross urged greater international cooperation through extradition treaties, real-time intelligence sharing, and closer collaboration with banks, telecoms, and digital platforms to detect fraudulent accounts early.
