Singapore: Singapore police have issued an order directing Meta (META.O) to implement enhanced anti-scam measures across its Facebook platform, specifically targeting advertisements, accounts, profiles, and business pages that impersonate key government officials.
The company could be fined up to S$1 million ($775,698) if it fails to comply as part of the first such order under the nation’s new Online Criminal Harms Act, which came into force in February 2024.
“We are issuing (the order) to Meta because Facebook is the top platform used by scammers for such impersonation scams, and the police have assessed that more decisive action is required to curb these scams,” Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming said in a speech.
In August, Singapore’s Home Affairs Ministry reported that over one-third of all e-commerce scams in 2024 were conducted via Facebook, with Facebook Marketplace rated the weakest among six e-commerce marketplaces in terms of anti-scam protections.
A Meta spokesperson highlighted the company’s specialized systems to detect impersonating accounts, including facial recognition technology, as well as significant investment in detection and review teams.
Meta also provides tools and guidance for users to avoid scams, along with mechanisms to report potential violations. The spokesperson added that advertiser verification has been rolled out and that the company continues to cooperate with law enforcement and take legal action against criminals behind scams.
Police data released in August indicated that impersonation scams nearly tripled to 1,762 cases in the first half of 2025, up from 589 cases in the same period in 2024. Monetary losses associated with these scams also rose sharply, reaching S$126.5 million ($98.13 million), an 88 percent increase from S$67.2 million ($52.13 million) a year earlier.
The Home Affairs Ministry confirmed that Facebook Marketplace in Singapore has required enhanced user verification measures for select sellers since 2024. Additionally, Facebook introduced in-product safety notices and anti-scam warnings within its messaging functions to alert users about e-commerce scam risks. These measures followed government criticism over Facebook’s earlier shortcomings in safeguarding users from scams.
ALSO READ | Australia to ban stalker apps and deepfake nude tools
