In an effort to combat scams, Singapore police have asked Meta to take action against misleading advertisements and accounts on Facebook that impersonate government officials.

Regulatory Measures Against Scammers

If Meta fails to enforce these anti-scam measures, it could face fines of up to USD 775,698. The new Online Criminal Harms Act, which took effect in February 2024, mandates such actions.

According to the police, Facebook is a common platform used by scammers for impersonation scams, necessitating stronger measures to address these issues.

Rising Scam Cases in Singapore

Recent data shows that cases of scams involving government officials have increased significantly from 589 in the first half of 2024 to 1,762 in the same period of 2025.

Moreover, over a third of all ecommerce scams reported in 2024 were conducted on Facebook, according to Singapore’s home affairs ministry. The platform was noted as one of the weakest in deploying anti-scam measures among six ecommerce marketplaces.

Meta has acknowledged the existence of systems designed to identify impersonating accounts and has taken steps to enhance detection and review processes. The company also offers tips for avoiding scams and provides tools for reporting violations, in addition to launching advertiser verification efforts and collaborating with law enforcement agencies.

Steps taken by Meta include the introduction of safety notices within its messaging functionality to warn users about the risks of ecommerce scams. These measures were implemented following criticism from the government regarding the company’s lack of robust user protection mechanisms against scams.