Singapore orders Facebook, Instagram, TikTok to ban scam ads

Singapore has ordered Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to block financial-services ads from providers that lack local authorization, under the Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA). The platforms have until January 31, 2027, to comply.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) announced the requirements on August 17, 2026, issuing a new Code of Practice for Social Media Services that replaces the existing code for online communication services. Police said these platforms accounted for about 30% of reported scam cases in 2025, with Facebook alone about 18%.

What the new code requires

The code requires platforms to reject ads offering financial services or products to Singapore users unless the advertiser is licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), another applicable Singapore authority, or is authorized by a licensed entity. The advertiser definition reaches beyond the company named in the promotion to include brand owners, merchants, agencies, content creators, influencers, affiliate marketers and other intermediaries.

Screening and verification duties

Facebook, Instagram and TikTok must review all ads intended to be accessible to Singapore users before publication and prevent ads from going live where there is reason to suspect they support a scam or malicious cyber activity. Screening must look for URL cloaking and monitor embedded links for changes. The code lists unrealistic investment returns, impersonation, redirects to unverified sites, pressure tactics and unlicensed financial products among indicators of suspicious content, and platforms must verify advertisers against government-issued records. Duties also include removing suspected scam ads promptly, acting on user reports within 24 hours, retaining account data for at least 90 days and filing an annual implementation report.

Penalties for noncompliance

Under the current OCHA framework, failure to comply with a Rectification Notice without a reasonable excuse carries a maximum fine of $1 million, plus up to $100,000 per day for a continuing offense. The Ministry of Home Affairs proposed amendments in Parliament in August 2026 to strengthen the framework. Under the proposed rules, each instance of noncompliance with a code could bring a penalty of up to S$10 million (about $7.83 million), and ignoring a Rectification Notice or Compliance Order could bring a fine of up to S$10 million plus S$300,000 per day for a continuing offense. These amendments are not yet part of the current framework, with more details to come at the Second Reading of the Scams (Countermeasures) and Other Matters Bill in September 2026.

Why the crackdown now

The existing codes, introduced in June 2024 and effective June 26, 2024, helped cut scam cases reported on designated online services by about 37% between 2024 and 2025. TikTok was designated under the earlier online communication code on September 1, 2025, after a 240% increase in scam cases on the platform in 2024 compared with 2023.