Public can still verify officer's identity directly with agencies despite SGDI streamlining: Jasmin Lau

Members of the public who wish to confirm that a public officer is indeed attempting to reach them should contact the relevant agency directly, said Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Jasmin Lau.

She was responding to parliamentary questions raised by Louis Chua (Sengkang GRC) and Dennis Tan (Hougang SMC), who had asked how members of the public can corroborate the identity of an officer if in doubt of a communication.

Chua also asked how the public can access the contact information of a public officer for relevant and legitimate business.

The Singapore Government Directory (SGDI) was streamlined on July 1 this year to reduce the risk of scammers misusing government officers' names and contact details to carry out impersonation scams.

Singapore recorded 3,363 cases of government official impersonation scam in 2025 , more than double the 1,504 cases in 2024.

Use official govt channels to verify such claims

In her reply, Lau, who is also Acting Minister for Manpower, told members of parliament that the public can make such verifications directly through the relevant government agency's official channels.

This, she said, includes its website or the Quality Service Manager (QSM).

"To facilitate this, QSM contact details have been made more prominent on SGDI, providing clearer avenues for the public to reach government agencies for inquiries and feedback."

As to how members of the public can reach a specific officer for relevant and legitimate business, the senior minister of state pointed out that can be done through the contact details provided in prior official correspondence with the agency.

She assured the public that government agencies will remain accessible even amid continued efforts to strengthen safeguards against impersonation scams.

Calls from government agencies will soon come with a common, easily recognisable prefixed number , with the police piloting the initiative later this year.

This was stated by Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo in a written reply to a parliamentary question by MP Shawn Loh (Jalan Besar GRC).

The first-term MP had asked whether the Ministry of Digital Development and Information would consider a protocol for all Government-initiated calls to begin with a process for the call recipient to verify the officer's identity.

In addition to using a common prefix, the Government is also working to tag its calls with a recognisable user name and adopt authentication protocols that reference international standards, Teo said.

Agencies expected to maintain service standards

The Sengkang GRC MP then asked Lau if response times would be affected given that QSMs are now expected to undertake a "much higher" volume of requests.

In her reply, Lau reiterated that protecting the public from impersonation scams require a whole-of-government effort.

"On response times, agencies will continue to direct the public enquiries that come through their official channels.

"They are expected to maintain their existing service standards, including responses and escalation, where necessary," the senior minister of state said.

数码发展及新闻部高级政务部长刘嘉敏表示，公众如需确认是否有公职人员试图联系自己，应直接与相关机构联系。

她是在回应路易·蔡（盛港集选区）和丹尼斯·陈（后港单选区）提出的议会质询，他们询问，如果公众对某项通讯内容有疑问，该如何核实官员的身份。

蔡先生还询问公众如何才能获取公职人员的联系方式以开展相关合法业务。

新加坡政府名录（SGDI）于今年7月1日进行了精简，以降低诈骗分子滥用政府官员姓名和联系方式进行冒充诈骗的风险。

新加坡在 2025 年记录了 3,363 起政府官员冒充诈骗案件，是 2024 年 1,504 起案件的两倍多。

使用官方政府渠道核实此类说法

刘女士同时也是人力部代部长，她在答复中告诉国会议员，公众可以直接通过相关政府机构的官方渠道进行此类核实。

她说，这包括其网站或质量服务经理（QSM）。

“为了方便公众联系政府机构，我们在SGDI上更加突出了QSM的联系方式，为公众提供了更清晰的途径，以便他们进行咨询和反馈。”

至于公众如何联系特定官员办理相关合法事务，这位高级国务部长指出，可以通过之前与该机构的官方信函中提供的联系方式进行联系。

她向公众保证，即使在持续加强防范冒名诈骗措施的同时，政府机构仍将保持畅通无阻。

政府机构的来电很快将使用统一的、易于识别的前缀号码，警方将于今年晚些时候试行这项举措。

新加坡数码发展及新闻部长杨莉明在书面答复国会议员罗绍文（惹兰勿刹集选区）的议会质询时作出了上述表述。

这位第一任议员曾询问数字发展和信息部是否会考虑制定一项协议，规定所有政府发起的电话都应首先由接听者验证官员的身份。

张先生表示，除了使用通用前缀外，政府还在努力为通话添加可识别的用户名，并采用参照国际标准的身份验证协议。

各机构应保持服务标准

盛港集选区议员随后询问刘，鉴于现在预计 QSM 需要处理“更多”的请求，响应时间是否会受到影响。

刘女士在回复中重申，保护公众免受冒充诈骗需要政府各部门的共同努力。

“关于回应时间，各机构将继续指导通过其官方渠道收到的公众问询。

“他们应保持现有的服务标准，包括必要的响应和升级，”这位高级国务部长说。