The Ministry of Home Affairs in Singapore has recently expressed its support for Meta’s decision to implement enhanced identity verification measures for all advertisers on Facebook amid a rise in online scams. This move comes as part of the Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA) which aims to crack down on online fraud and malicious cyber activities through stricter regulations.
Increased Verification Requirements
Under the OCHA, the ministry has evaluated the effectiveness of platforms like Carousell and various Facebook services that previously only verified the identities of specific sellers. The Act, which went into effect in June of the previous year, specifically targets online content that facilitates scams and cybercrimes.
During the assessment, it was observed that Facebook advertisements accounted for 37.4% of all reported e-commerce scams, with Carousell making up 17%. The ministry also noted a 12% increase in scam reports related to Facebook advertisements over this period.
The ministry acknowledged Meta’s intention to verify the identities of all advertisers on Facebook by the end of June 2025 and expressed its support for this initiative. The police’s data on scam advertisements includes both paid and unpaid posts, which necessitates stricter measures to combat fraudulent activities effectively.
Enhanced Verification for Facebook Pages
A significant proportion of e-commerce scams were found to originate from Facebook Pages, where scammers create pages to promote fake goods and services, preying on unsuspecting victims. In response, the ministry is collaborating with Meta to introduce enhanced verification requirements for Facebook Pages in 2025.
While Meta will initially apply these requirements to selected pages, the effectiveness of these measures will be assessed over a certain period. If the number of scam incidents does not decrease substantially, more stringent measures, such as mandating verification for all pages, may be implemented.
Marketplace and Carousell Updates
The number of reported scams on Facebook Marketplace decreased by approximately 55% during the evaluation period, demonstrating a positive trend. As a result, the ministry has decided not to enforce enhanced verification requirements for all Marketplace sellers at this time. However, they will continue to monitor the situation closely and may mandate stricter measures if needed.
Similarly, the number of reported scams on Carousell decreased by about 11% during the assessment period, indicating progress in combating fraudulent activities. While enhanced verification is not mandatory for all Carousell sellers currently, the platform’s pilot program will be extended to assess the impact of user verification on selected sellers and advertisers.
In conclusion, the Ministry of Home Affairs emphasized the importance of collaboration between the government and industry stakeholders to effectively tackle online scams. They expressed gratitude to Meta and Carousell for their cooperation in implementing technical measures and public education initiatives, stating their commitment to continued collaboration in combating fraudulent activities and protecting consumers.
