Landing page banner

The Police have arrested 15 men and three women, aged between 18 and 59, for their suspected involvement in fraudulently registering SIM cards.

Between 15 and 23 October 2025, officers from the Anti-Scam Command and the seven Police Land Divisions carried out an island-wide enforcement against errant subscribers who registered postpaid SIM cards allegedly used for criminal activities scams. A total of 18 persons were arrested for their suspected involvement in providing fraudulently registered postpaid SIM cards for monetary gains. 

Preliminary investigations revealed that these errant subscribers were offered cash rewards between $10 and $20 per registered SIM card. These subscribers handed over between 38 and 66 SIM cards registered under their names, to the syndicates. These subscribers would be instructed to sign up and purchase SIM cards in bulk across different retailers. After purchasing the SIM cards, they would hand over their registered SIM cards to their courier. 

Three men and two women, aged 28 to 38 will be charged in court between 27 and 31 October 2025 with the offence of knowingly providing a fraudulently registered SIM card to another person to facilitate a crime for any gain under Section 39B(1) of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act 1906. Another 39-year-old woman will be charged with the offence of knowingly providing personal information for the purpose of registering SIM card to facilitate a crime for any gain under Section 39C(1) of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act 1906. Both offences carry a fine not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or both.  In addition, these individuals will be prohibited from subscribing to new mobile lines. 

Investigations against the remaining 12 persons are still ongoing. 

Criminal syndicates exploit local SIM cards and eSIMs as a channel of communication for scams, unlicensed moneylending and vice, among other illicit activities. 

The Police take a serious view of SIM cards being misused as a conduit for crimes and will not hesitate to take action against individuals who misuse their eSIM/SIM card via reselling, allowing others to use their SIM cards, helping other individuals to register or holding multiple SIM cards without a legitimate reason. Under the Facility Restriction Framework, individuals involved in such offences – whether they are under investigation and assessed to be at risk, or have been warned, issued with composition sums, prosecuted, or convicted – may be prohibited from subscribing to new mobile lines to prevent further facilitation of scams.

For more information on misuse of SIM cards, members of the public can visit Misuse of SIM Card Offences. Anyone with information on such offences may call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.