Singapore will begin enforcing mandatory judicial caning of up to 24 strokes for convicted scammers from Dec. 30 as part of criminal law changes aimed at tackling a rise in fraud. Organisers and recruiters face six to 24 strokes; those who knowingly enable laundering of proceeds may face up to 12 discretionary strokes. Officials say scams comprised 60% of reported crime from 2020 to mid-2025, with about 190,000 incidents causing nearly S$3.7 billion (≈US$2.8 billion) in losses.
Singapore to Impose Mandatory Caning of Up to 24 Strokes for Scammers From Dec. 30
Singapore’s government announced that, effective Dec. 30, people convicted of running scams will face mandatory judicial caning of up to 24 strokes under amendments to the criminal law intended to curb a surge in fraud.
The measures, approved by Parliament last month, increase penalties that already include prison terms and fines. The Ministry of Home Affairs said the tougher sanctions are designed to “ensure that our criminal laws remain effective, fair, and responsive to emerging challenges.”
Under the revised legislation, individuals involved in scamming activities — including recruiters and members of organised scam syndicates — may receive between six and 24 strokes of the cane. Authorities said people who knowingly provide their bank accounts or other personal details to facilitate laundering of scam proceeds could face discretionary caning of up to 12 strokes. The new rules also allow discretionary caning for certain other forms of fraud.
“Fighting scams is a top national priority. The number of scam cases and scam losses remain concerning,” the ministry said.
Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs Sim Ann told Parliament that scams accounted for 60% of all reported crime in Singapore from 2020 through the first half of 2025. She said roughly 190,000 scam incidents during that period resulted in nearly S$3.7 billion (about US$2.8 billion) in losses.
Data on the Singapore Government Technology Agency’s website lists the top five scams in the city-state as phishing, fraudulent job offers, e-commerce and online shopping fraud, get-rich investment schemes, and impersonation scams.
About Judicial Caning: Judicial caning is a corporal punishment that involves strikes to the bare buttocks with a rattan cane. It is already imposed in Singapore on male offenders under 50 for serious crimes such as robbery and sexual offences, typically alongside prison sentences. The practice was introduced under British colonial rule and is also used in neighbouring Malaysia and Brunei.
The government says the changes are intended to strengthen deterrence and disrupt organised scam syndicates, while retaining judicial oversight and safeguards in sentencing.
