Singapore and Malaysia sign pact to target telecom scammers

SINGAPORE -- The information and media authorities of Singapore and Malaysia on Sunday inked an agreement to fight scams across telecommunications channels, after residents of the city-state were cheated of 651.8 million Singapore dollars ($484.9 million) last year.

Given Singapore's population of just 5.92 million, the 2023 figure -- provided by police -- equates to around SG$110 per person that was lost to scammers. Authorities said the agreement aims to strengthen cross-border exchange of "strategic intelligence" to combat scams conducted on telecom channels, primarily via phone calls and texts, and drive a coordinated regional approach to better protect citizens.