Singaporean police have directed Meta to implement stricter anti-scam measures on Facebook to curb impersonation scams targeting government officials, with the company facing fines of up to S$1 million ($775,698) if it fails to comply.
The order, announced by Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming on Wednesday, marks the first enforcement action under Singapore’s Online Criminal Harms Act, which came into effect in February 2024. Authorities said Facebook remains the most widely used platform for such scams, prompting the need for stronger intervention.
Government data shows that scams impersonating government officials have surged sharply, with reported cases almost tripling to 1,762 in the first half of 2025 compared to 589 in the same period last year. Financial losses also rose significantly, climbing 88 percent to S$126.5 million from S$67.2 million a year earlier. Officials noted that more than a third of e-commerce scams reported in 2024 were linked to Facebook, while its Marketplace platform was ranked weakest among six online marketplaces in terms of anti-scam features.
Meta responded by highlighting ongoing investments in safety systems, including facial recognition tools to detect impersonating accounts, advertiser verification, and expanded detection and review teams.
A spokesperson added that the company shares scam-avoidance tips, provides tools for reporting suspicious activity, and collaborates with law enforcement to pursue legal action against scammers. The firm stressed that measures such as in-product safety notices and enhanced user verification for select sellers had been rolled out following earlier criticism.
Despite these efforts, Singapore’s home affairs ministry insists more robust action is needed, citing Facebook’s central role in fraud cases. Authorities said the new compliance order is aimed at ensuring platforms take greater responsibility for user safety and protecting the public from mounting financial and reputational harm caused by online scams. The ruling also signals Singapore’s readiness to wield its new regulatory powers against tech giants if they fall short in tackling digital crimes.