Archive · 7 Nov 2025
Singapore Mandates Caning for Online Scammers Amidst Rising Losses
Singapore is adding a new punishment for people who cheat others online using the internet.
This punishment is called caning, which means hitting someone with a cane.
This is happening because online scams have caused a lot of money to be lost, almost $385 million in just the first half of this year!
Scams are now a big problem, making up 60% of all crimes in Singapore.
So, the government decided that men under 50 who are caught scamming will get at least six hits with a special cane.
They could get up to 24 hits if their crime is very bad.
This new rule is meant to scare scammers and stop them from hurting so many people financially.
Singapore has amended its criminal law to include mandatory caning for online scammers.
This new punishment is a response to a significant rise in online scams, resulting in nearly $385 million in losses in the first half of 2025.
Offenders convicted of scams will face a minimum of six strokes of the cane, with the possibility of up to 24 strokes.
The punishment applies only to male offenders under the age of 50.
Caning, typically performed with a rattan cane after a medical examination, is already a penalty for around 65 other offenses in Singapore.
- Who
- Singaporean Parliament
- What
- Amended criminal law to include mandatory caning for online scammers.
- When
- Recently passed legislation; significant scam losses reported in the first half of 2025.
- Where
- Singapore
- Why
- To combat a sharp increase in online scams and the substantial financial losses they cause, which account for 60% of all crimes.
- Punishment
- Mandatory caning for online scammers
- Minimum Strokes
- Six strokes
- Maximum Strokes
- 24 strokes
- Losses due to Scams
- Nearly $385 million in the first half of 2025
- Scams as Percentage of Crimes
- 60%
- Exemptions
- Males under 50 years old
- Tool Used
- Rattan cane
