The Singapore Police Force (SPF) have arrested 77 people for their suspected involvement in fraudulently registering SIM cards. In addition, 11 others are being investigated for the same.
In a press release on Tuesday, April 22, the SPF said that the people who were arrested and investigated include 34 youths, aged between 15 and 17, along with a 19-year-old male who is believed to be a recruiter.
The authorities revealed that the officers from the Anti-Scam Command and the seven Police Land Divisions conducted an island-wide enforcement operation between 10 and 17 April 2025 against errant subscribers registering postpaid SIM cards used for criminal activities.
The SPF said, "A total of 63 men and 14 women, aged between 15 and 40, were arrested for their suspected involvement in providing fraudulently registered postpaid SIM cards for monetary gains. Another eight men and three women, aged between 15 and 80, are assisting with investigations."
The preliminary investigations revealed that these errant subscribers were allegedly offered cash rewards between S$100 and S$500 for handing over between 10 to 40 SIM cards registered under their names to criminal syndicates.
According to the press release, "These subscribers were allegedly instructed to sign up and purchase SIM cards in bulk across different retailers before handing them over to their recruiter or couriers. One recruiter was arrested during the operation."
The police said that the criminal syndicates exploit local SIM cards and eSIMs as a channel of communication for scams, unlicensed moneylending and vice, among other illicit activities.
"Out of the 88 persons investigated, 87 are being investigated for the offence of knowingly providing a fraudulently registered SIM card to another person to facilitate a crime for any gain under Section 39B(1) read with 39B(2)(a) of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act 1906 carries a fine not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or both," the statement added.
According to the authority, the 19-year-old male recruiter is being investigated for the offence of supplying SIM cards registered using other persons' personal information for criminal activity under Section 39D(2)(a)(i) of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act 1906 carries a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or both.
The misuse of SIM cards as a means of criminal activity is taken seriously by the SPF, and they will not hold back from taking action against those who resell, permit others to use, assist others in registering, or possess multiple SIM cards without a valid reason.
The public can visit Misuse of SIM Card Offences for additional information about SIM card misuse. Anyone with knowledge on such offenses can report it online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness or by calling the Police Hotline at 1800-255 0000. Every piece of information will be kept completely private.
