Monitoring Use of Telecommunication and Internet Services for Online and Phone Scams

Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Communications and Information whether the Ministry plans to impose on telecommunication and Internet service providers operating in Singapore a requirement to proactively monitor the use of their services for online and phone scams, take all necessary steps to deter such usage and promptly provide all relevant information to enforcement agencies.

The Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Dr Janil Puthucheary) (for the Minister for Communications and Information): Mr Speaker, combating online and phone scams requires a multi-faceted and holistic approach, including, in cases where scammers operate from overseas, working with our international counterparts. Regulators, law enforcement agencies, service providers and even members of the public, all have an important role to play in combating scams.

Today, mobile and Internet service providers already monitor their networks for scams based on complaints from consumers and assist enforcement agencies by providing information for investigations on suspected scams.

However, scammers' tactics have become more sophisticated. Technological solutions are necessary but not sufficient. Improving public education and individual vigilance are therefore key to combatting scams. To this end, Government agencies, including IMDA and the SPF, work with the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) to conduct public education and outreach programmes, especially to groups who are more likely to fall prey to scams. All of us must also do our part by helping to educate our loved ones about scams so that they will not become victims of scams.

Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok): Mr Speaker, I thank the hon Senior Minister of State for his comprehensive answer. I have a few supplementary questions. First is: whether the Ministry is contemplating any regulation to be put in place for the telco operators and the infocomm service operators to proactively monitor the space for scammers?

Secondly, in relation to the cost of compliance, whether there would be any measure to ensure that the cost of compliance is not passed on unreasonably to consumers?

Dr Janil Puthucheary: Mr Speaker, managing this issue and managing the space have its challenges, given the many different types of platforms and services that are offered, as well as the fact that many of the scammers operate overseas. And so there is a necessary consideration on how we will interface with other telecommunications regimes and services. We continue to study the matter and there is, at this point in time, no regulations that are being planned.