Scam losses in Singapore kept rising, and some victims kept sending money even after police warnings. Follow the Protection from Scams Act through Parliament, into police action, and into a disputed scam case in court. At each stage, ask what the action establishes and what remains to be done.
Passing the Bill
- Action: MPs (Members of Parliament) debated the Protection from Scams Bill, or proposed law. It had its First Reading in November 2024 and was passed on 7 January 2025, then received the President's assent.
- Function: This is making and passing a law. The full legislature comprises the President and Parliament.
- Public purpose: A clear legal power could stop victims from losing their savings when warnings alone do not work.
- What remains: Passing the Act does not show that the power is being used carefully, that scam losses have fallen, or that victims accept it.
This is part of making a law. Its purpose is to protect people's savings, but the new power still has to be put into practice and judged by its results.
Using the new power
- Action: From 1 July 2025, the police can order a bank to restrict a person's transfers for a limited time, as a last resort, when they believe the person is about to send money to scammers.
- Function: Using the power case by case puts the law into practice. This is the work of the executive, through the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police.
- Public purpose: Stopping a transfer in time can save money that is very hard to recover once it has gone overseas.
- What remains: A count of orders issued does not show how much money was saved, or whether each order was fair to the person restricted.
This stage turns the law into day-to-day action. Judge it by evidence of money saved and fair use of the power, not the number of orders alone.
Deciding a disputed case
- Action: A person charged with letting scammers use their bank account says they did not know what the money was for. The court weighs the law and the evidence.
- Function: The judiciary, or courts, interprets the law and applies it to the case. A charge is not itself a finding of guilt.
- Public purpose: A decision based on law and evidence settles the dispute fairly and shows that helping scammers has consequences.
- What remains: One judgment does not run the police's restriction orders or show that scams are falling across Singapore.
The court decides the case before it. Interpreting and applying the law is separate from making the law and from the police's daily work against scams.