Singapore has passed a new criminal law that mandates caning as part of the punishment for scam-related crimes, following a surge in financial fraud that has cost the nation nearly $4bn over the past six years, Anadolu Ajansi reports.

According to The Straits Times, individuals found guilty of orchestrating or assisting scam operations will receive a minimum of six strokes of the cane, along with fines and prison sentences. Depending on the gravity of the offence, the maximum penalty may reach 24 strokes. Caning will be considered if the offender knew that the tools or credentials they provided would be used to commit scams, or if they failed to take reasonable steps to prevent their misuse.

The legislation also broadens accountability to include syndicate recruiters, accomplices, and so-called “money mules”, those who provide bank accounts, SIM cards, or digital identities to facilitate fraudulent activities.

Singapore has lost over $3.4bn to scams since 2019, with a record $1.1bn in reported losses in 2024 alone. Between January and August 2025, another $600mn was siphoned from victims, underscoring the country’s escalating scam crisis.

Beyond scam-related offences, the bill introduces stricter penalties for sexual crimes, the fatal abuse of vulnerable individuals, online doxxing of public servants, and the spread of obscene materials.

Anyone caught distributing obscene content to ten or more recipients now faces up to two years in prison, or four years if the perpetrator is under 18.

In cases of sexual grooming, the maximum prison term will increase to seven years for victims under 14, and five years for those aged between 14 and 17. Singapore’s jurisdiction will also extend to offences committed abroad if the victim or perpetrator is a Singaporean citizen or resident.

The new law further raises the maximum sentence for fatal abuse of vulnerable victims from 20 years to 30 years, or life imprisonment, marking one of the country’s toughest legislative crackdowns in recent years.