Singapore has ordered Meta to put stronger anti-scam measures in place on Facebook or face a fine of up to S$1 million ($775,698). The demand comes under the city-state’s new Online Criminal Harms Act, which took effect in February 2024, and marks the first time the law has been used.
Authorities say scammers have been using fake ads, accounts, and business pages to impersonate government officials on Facebook. Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming said the order was necessary because Facebook is the platform most often used in such cases.
Government figures highlight the problem. In August, Singapore’s Home Affairs Ministry reported that over a third of all e-commerce scams this year happened on Facebook, and rated Facebook Marketplace the weakest among six online marketplaces when it comes to anti-scam protections.
Meta pushed back on Wednesday, saying it already uses tools like facial recognition to detect fake accounts, while also investing in review teams and sharing tips to help users spot scams. The company said it has rolled out advertiser verification and continues to work with police to pursue offenders.
Still, the numbers are troubling. Police data shows scams involving impersonation of government officials nearly tripled in the first half of 2025, with 1,762 cases reported compared to 589 in the same period last year. Losses also soared to S$126.5 million, up 88% from S$67.2 million.
Officials noted that Facebook Marketplace has recently added more checks, like requiring stronger identity verification for certain sellers and inserting safety notices into chats. But they say Meta had been slow to act, and that tougher action is now needed to protect users.
