Jail or reformative training to be default for young scam offenders under proposed law

The Sentencing (Scams) Bill seeks to make jail or reformative training the default for young scam offenders, after the High Court ruled against such a default for such offenders.

The Bill’s proposed changes will apply to offenders who committed scam or scam-enabling offences, regardless of whether the offences took place before or after the law comes into effect. (Photo: Shutterstock)

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SINGAPORE: Reformative training or imprisonment should be the default sentences for young offenders convicted of scams and scam-enabling offences, under proposed legal changes prompted by a recent High Court ruling.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) introduced the Sentencing (Scams) Bill for first reading in parliament on Tuesday (Nov 3).

The ministry said in a news release on Tuesday that the Bill sets out and reiterates parliament's intention that such offenders - aged 21 or below at the time of the offence - should be sentenced to reformative training or imprisonment as primary and default options, “unless there are exceptional circumstances”.

The Bill’s proposed changes will apply to offenders who committed scam or scam-enabling offences before, on or after the law's commencement date.

The High Court judgement published on Sept 10 had said that reformative training or imprisonment should not be the default sentence for young offenders who commit scam-enabling offences.

The judgement involved the appeals of Mohamed Erzan Taib Zohri and six others - who were all involved in scam-related offences, such as handing over bank accounts or Singpass credentials, which were subsequently used to facilitate scams.

The court allowed the appeals for four cases and meted out probation and community-based sentences to them, and dismissed the remaining three. Six of the seven offenders were under the age of 21.

MHA said on Tuesday that parliament recognised the severity of the scam situation, the harm caused to victims, and the need to deter scams and scam-enabling offences swiftly and decisively.

"Due to the serious impact of these offences, parliament’s intent was (and is) that scams and scam-enabling offences must be deterred, and that, in considering any sentence to be imposed on such offences, the court should consider reformative training or imprisonment as primary and default options," said MHA.

Senior Minister K Shanmugam had told parliament on Oct 6 that the government will table new legislation to reinforce the deterrence approach when sentencing all scammers and those who facilitate scams.

He added that the High Court’s rationale in putting weight on rehabilitation as the primary sentencing consideration "contradicts the approach set out in sentencing guidelines" that recommend jail or reformative training.

He noted that while it was understandable for the court to be inclined to impose rehabilitative sentences to youth offenders, the government has to consider the wider consequences of such crimes, including the huge amount of financial losses and "the full human costs of such scams".

“We respect the court's views," said Mr Shanmugam, who is also the Coordinating Minister for National Security and the Minister for Home Affairs. In 2025, the police investigated more than 1,000 youths in connection with scam reports. The number of youths who committed cheating and related offences increased by 37 per cent, from 814 in 2024 to 1,114 in 2025.

Youths who committed cheating and related offences were largely involved in scam cases as mules, noted MHA.

To deter mules from enabling scams, MHA has introduced numerous measures in recent years.

Since 2023, Parliament has passed five Bills aimed at strengthening Singapore's laws against scams.

These included introducing offences targeting money mules and people who provide Singpass credentials, SIM cards or online accounts to facilitate scams.

In Nov 2025, Parliament also passed legislation introducing mandatory caning of between six and 24 strokes for scammers and certain scam syndicate offenders, as well as discretionary caning of up to 12 strokes for scam mules.

MHA said scams cause serious harm to victims and must be met with a "strong deterrent message".

“The Bill reinforces the message that scammers and those who facilitate scams should generally face deterrent sentences.”

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《量刑（诈骗）法案》旨在将监禁或改造培训作为对年轻诈骗罪犯的默认处罚，此前高等法院裁定不应将监禁或改造培训作为此类罪犯的默认处罚。

该法案拟议的修改将适用于实施诈骗或协助诈骗的犯罪者，无论这些犯罪行为发生在法律生效之前还是之后。（图片：Shutterstock）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

新加坡：根据最近高等法院的一项裁决引发的法律修改提案，对于被判犯有诈骗罪和协助诈骗罪的青少年罪犯，改造训练或监禁应作为默认刑罚。

内政部于周二（11 月 3 日）向议会提交了《量刑（诈骗）法案》进行一读。

该部周二在一份新闻稿中表示，该法案阐明并重申了议会的意图，即此类罪犯（犯罪时年龄为 21 岁或以下）应被判处改造培训或监禁作为主要和默认选项，“除非有特殊情况”。

该法案的拟议变更将适用于在该法律生效日期之前、当天或之后犯下诈骗罪或协助诈骗罪的罪犯。

9 月 10 日公布的高等法院判决指出，对于犯有协助诈骗罪行的青少年罪犯，改造培训或监禁不应作为默认刑罚。

该判决涉及 Mohamed Erzan Taib Zohri 和其他六人的上诉——他们都参与了与诈骗相关的犯罪活动，例如交出银行账户或 Singpass 凭证，这些账户或凭证随后被用于实施诈骗。

法院准许了四起案件的上诉，并判处缓刑和社区矫正，驳回了其余三起案件的上诉。七名罪犯中有六名未满21岁。

内政部周二表示，议会认识到诈骗形势的严重性、对受害者造成的伤害，以及迅速果断地遏制诈骗和助长诈骗的犯罪行为的必要性。

内政部表示：“鉴于这些罪行的严重影响，议会的意图是（并且仍然是）必须遏制诈骗和助长诈骗的罪行，并且在考虑对这类罪行施加任何刑罚时，法院应将改造培训或监禁作为主要和默认选项。”

高级部长尚穆根于10月6日向国会表示，政府将提交新的立法，以加强对所有诈骗犯和协助诈骗者的判刑时的威慑作用。

他还补充说，高等法院将改造作为量刑的主要考虑因素，其理由“与量刑指南中规定的做法相矛盾”，该指南建议判处监禁或进行改造培训。

他指出，虽然法院倾向于对青少年罪犯判处改造性刑罚是可以理解的，但政府必须考虑此类犯罪的更广泛后果，包括巨额经济损失和“此类诈骗造成的全部人员伤亡”。

“我们尊重法院的意见，”尚穆根先生说道，他同时也是国家安全统筹部长和内政部长。2025年，警方调查了1000多名涉嫌诈骗的青少年。犯有诈骗及相关罪行的青少年人数增加了37%，从2024年的814人增至2025年的1114人。

内政部指出，犯有欺诈及相关罪行的青少年大多是诈骗案件中的“洗钱骡子”。

为了阻止洗钱者利用非法汇款进行诈骗，内政部近年来出台了多项措施。

自 2023 年以来，国会已通过五项旨在加强新加坡反诈骗法律的法案。

其中包括引入针对洗钱者以及提供 Singpass 凭证、SIM 卡或在线账户以协助诈骗的人员的犯罪行为。

2025 年 11 月，议会还通过立法，规定对诈骗犯和某些诈骗集团成员处以 6 至 24 下鞭刑，对诈骗洗钱者处以最多 12 下鞭刑（可酌情决定）。

内政部表示，诈骗会对受害者造成严重伤害，必须采取“强有力的威慑措施”来应对。

“该法案再次强调，诈骗者和协助诈骗者通常应受到严厉的惩罚。”

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