Singapore to Introduce Caning for Fraudsters from End of This Month

Illustration. (Unsplash/Tingey Injury Law Firm)

JAKARTA - The Singapore government announced on Friday that fraudsters in the country will face mandatory caning of up to 24 times starting December 30, based on changes to the criminal code to prevent a spike in fraud cases.

The changes, which were passed by Parliament last month, strengthen penalties that already include jail and fines.

The Ministry of the Interior said the increased penalties "ensure that our criminal law remains effective, fair, and responsive to emerging challenges," Al Arabiya reported from The Associated Press (19/12).

Based on the change, fraudsters, including recruiters and members of a fraud syndicate, face six to 24 lashes.

Meanwhile, those who intentionally provide bank accounts or other personal details to be used in committing or facilitating the laundering of the proceeds of fraud can also face an optional whipping of up to 12 times, authorities said.

In addition, this new law also allows for optional whipping for other forms of fraud.

"Combating fraud is a top national priority. The number of fraud cases and losses due to fraud remain worrying," the ministry said.

Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs Sim Ann told parliament that fraud accounted for 60 per cent of all crimes reported in Singapore between 2020 and the first half of 2025.

Some 190,000 cases of fraud resulted in losses of almost 3.7 billion Singapore dollars (2.8 billion US dollars) during the period, he said.

According to the Singapore Government Technology Agency website, the top five scams in the city-state include phishing, fake jobs, e-commerce and online shopping, as well as get-rich-quick investment scams and identity fraud.

Flogging, a form of corporal punishment involving a rattan whip on a naked buttocks, is already applied in this city-state for male offenders under 50 years of age for serious crimes such as robbery and sexual offenses, along with imprisonment.