Parliament passed the Scams (Countermeasures) and Other Matters Bill on Wednesday (9 September 2026), creating new offences for online account mules and giving police fresh orders they can serve on banks, telcos and online platforms.
What mules now face
It is now an offence to supply, buy or provide personal details for online accounts intended for crime on platforms such as Carousell, TikTok, Telegram and Meta services. Convicted online account mules can face up to three years’ jail, a fine of up to S$10,000 and up to 12 strokes of the cane, according to coverage of the Ministry of Home Affairs briefing.
Police orders on banks and platforms
The Bill adds three police orders. A disclosure order can compel a service provider to share information on specified accounts and scam-related activity. An account disabling order can force a provider to disable specific accounts for up to 30 days, with one possible extension of another 30 days. A service limitation order can restrict services to a person for up to three years.
Platform fines and recourse
Maximum fines for online service providers that fail to comply with Online Criminal Harms Act codes and directives rise from S$1 million to S$10 million. During the debate, MPs raised concerns about innocent users locked out of frozen accounts. The Government said there will be review routes and that people subject to orders can still reach funds for essential expenses through physical bank channels.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming steered the Bill through a two-day debate before it passed on 9 September 2026.
