Singapore is seriously cranking up the heat on scam syndicates. If you’re the type who manages multiple mobile lines or works in the telco space, take note: the government is tightening the screws on SIM card registrations and introducing some of the harshest penalties we’ve seen yet.
The New “Rule of 10” (Effective Feb 28)
From February 28, you can no longer “hoard” postpaid lines. The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) is capping registration to 10 postpaid SIM cards per person across all telcos (Singtel, StarHub, M1, SIMBA, and MVNOs combined).
- Existing “Power Users”: If you already have 12 or 15 lines registered before Feb 28, don’t panic. You can keep your current active lines. However, you are “frozen”—you won’t be allowed to sign up for a single new line until your total count drops below 10.
- What’s Exempt? If you’re using Data-only SIMs (no SMS/Voice) or lines under a Corporate/Company BRN, those don’t count toward your personal limit.
Mandatory Caning for Scammers & Mules
The days of “light” sentences for scam facilitators are over. Since December 30, 2025, new laws have kicked in that make physical punishment a guarantee for those caught helping syndicates.
- Syndicate Members/Recruiters: Now face a mandatory minimum of 6 strokes of the cane, up to a maximum of 24.
- Scam Mules: If you sell your Singpass or register SIM cards for others to use in scams, you’re looking at up to 12 strokes of the cane. Additionally, convicted mules will be blacklisted from ever registering new SIM cards again.
The Crackdown is Real
The authorities aren’t playing around. In 2025, we saw several high-profile arrests, including a 19-year-old youth nabbed in September for recruiting people to buy SIM cards using their own IDs. These cards were later traced back to scam call centers.
Criminals have been using local SIMs and eSIMs for everything from unlicensed moneylending to vice. By capping the number of lines a person can own and introducing caning, the goal is to choke off the supply of “clean” numbers used for “dirty” work.
So, Keep your Singpass and IC details to yourself. With mandatory caning now on the table, the “fast cash” from selling a SIM card is absolutely not worth the physical and legal consequences.