REACH 557 - What are your views on the Bill to introduce tougher laws against those who misuse SIM cards for criminal activities? How can we protect ourselves and those vulnerable around us against scams?
(SK)
03 Apr 2024 (10am - 7pm)
REACH
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Megan π
3/4/24, 9:45 am - +REACH: <Media omitted>
3/4/24, 10:03 am - +REACH: *Dear Contributors,*
Welcome back! π
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Megan π
3/4/24, 10:05 am - +REACH: *π’ Topic π’*
On 2 April 2024, The Law Enforcement and Other Matters Bill was passed to introduce offences targeting those who misuse local SIM cards to facilitate scams.
Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) had introduced the SMS Sender ID Registry in 2023, causing scams from SMSes to fall by 70 per cent in the three months after implementation. IMDA also worked with telecommunication companies to block incoming overseas calls that spoofed local numbers.
π¬ *What are your views on the Bill to introduce tougher laws against those who misuse SIM cards for criminal activities? How can we protect ourselves and those vulnerable around us against scams?*
Minister for Communications and Information and Second Minister for Home Affairs Josephine Teo said: "With these measures in place, scammers have quickly changed their tactics and pivoted to using local SIM cards to reach prospective victims. People who receive scam calls and SMSes from locally registered numbers may think they are legitimate, and fall prey.”
Three groups are being targeted – irresponsible subscribers, middlemen who procure or provide SIM cards to scammers, and errant retailers.
π _*Irresponsible Subscribers*_
With the new law, a person will be liable if they give away a SIM card registered with their particulars or allow their particulars to be used to sign up for one, despite knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that the SIM card would be used for unlawful purposes.
Those who have legitimate reasons, such as registering a SIM card for their family members, will not be liable. Those who were tricked into giving up their particulars will also not be prosecuted.
π _*Middlemen*_
Middlemen are those who broker SIM cards for misuse, including providing local SIM cards to scam syndicates.
To tackle this group, it will be an offence for a person to receive, supply or possess local SIM cards registered using another person’s particulars, and unregistered SIM cards if he believes the cards will be misused.
A person with legitimate reasons, such as being an employer who is holding on to SIM cards intended for employees, will also not be prosecuted.
π _*Errant Retailers*_
It will be an offence for a mobile service provider or retailer to register a local SIM card using anyone’s particulars without permission, or knowing that the particulars are false or misleading if it believes the cards will be misused or if the cards are later used in a crime.
The offences targeting irresponsible subscribers, middlemen, and errant retailers of SIM cards for misuse will carry a fine of up to $10,000 or a jail term of up to three years, or both.
π https://str.sg/oJ3p9
π https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/scams-sim-cards-new-law-passed-parliament-police-4236946
3/4/24, 10:08 am - ~ REACH Singapore changed the group description
3/4/24, 10:08 am - ~ REACH Singapore changed this group's settings to allow all members to send messages to this group
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3/4/24, 10:15 am - +Frankiie Wee: SIM card or eSIM register holder account number. When they are trying to make illegal loophole as many as they can. Loophole would share money from scammers in payment.
Crime can treat such gamble, scammers, drugs and whore
3/4/24, 10:16 am - +Rama: Very timely but frustrating for honest people to go through process of proving no wrongdoing because of some scrupulous people.
3/4/24, 10:22 am - +Ah Heng: emergency housing in the event of a national crisis. - if it is a national crisis highly all housing gone already
3/4/24, 10:22 am - +Ah Heng: how big are we .. a few bomb run and all housing in debris
3/4/24, 10:23 am - +Ah Heng: even if in crsis do you thing people still have the time to look at phone
3/4/24, 10:23 am - +Ah Heng: or can we guarantee in crisis (worst case assumption always) that public communication and mobile data still works?
3/4/24, 10:26 am - +Ah Heng: for scams the holes to cover is more than the people task to cover the holes
3/4/24, 10:26 am - +Ah Heng: one actin to take is tougher laws
3/4/24, 10:27 am - +Ah Heng: we had since LKY days days become a softie nation
3/4/24, 10:27 am - +Ah Heng: is not about moving with times that we soften the punishment
3/4/24, 10:27 am - +Frankiie Wee: Loophole Sold to someone unknown his or her own account in illegal. Police can local authorities and arrest them.
3/4/24, 10:28 am - +Rama: Void Deck bomb shelters
3/4/24, 10:28 am - +Kenneth Lee WM: It’s frustrating that the way the telcos implemented the sms/call block is a simplistic all or nothing. As a result of it, legitimate users are affected by it. What used to be a cost effective solution that worked for years before now doesn’t work π‘
Gov/police should also have a portal for recipients of scammers attempts to report those numbers.
3/4/24, 10:28 am - +Ah Heng: is should not be also to protect our goody country image and reputation that we soften our stance
3/4/24, 10:28 am - +Rama: Isn't scamshield for this!?
3/4/24, 10:28 am - +Frankiie Wee: It’s sound good billed passed law in parliament
3/4/24, 10:29 am - +Ah Heng: we should up hold what we believe that is good for the country social circle
3/4/24, 10:30 am - +~l or Smiley face: <Media omitted>
3/4/24, 10:30 am - +~l or Smiley face: <Media omitted>
3/4/24, 10:36 am - +Ah Heng: BEST WAY TO PREVENT SCAM -> DUN BE GREEDY
3/4/24, 10:37 am - +Ah Heng: NOTHING IS FREE IN SINGAPORE
3/4/24, 10:37 am - +Ah Heng: IF GOVERMENT WANTS TO GIVE MONEY IT WILL BE IN THE NEWS
3/4/24, 10:37 am - +Ah Heng: thing this is the best way to screw in the preventive message to all on this islands
3/4/24, 10:38 am - +Frankiie Wee: <Media omitted>
3/4/24, 10:39 am - +Frankiie Wee: <Media omitted>
3/4/24, 10:39 am - +Frankiie Wee: Those group trying the shit money mule by scammer
3/4/24, 10:41 am - +Frankiie Wee: They sent me WhatsApp without permission group however I left while searching Spotify didn’t mentioned this group. And advise avoiding by scammer.
3/4/24, 10:44 am - +Frankiie Wee: Anyone received payment unknown please do not touch amount and report police.
This money maybe come from anti money laundering by scam.
3/4/24, 11:36 am - +REACH: *Dear Contributors*
We want to *HEAR MORE* from you!
π¬ *What are your views on the Bill to introduce tougher laws against those who misuse SIM cards for criminal activities? How can we protect ourselves and those vulnerable around us against scams?*
We have had good feedback from this group, and we hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan π
3/4/24, 1:09 pm - +Dan: Is the sentence of 13months for the scammer who scam billions of dollars effective as a deterrent? Is the current law updated in view of the rampant scam attacks on the commoners, wiping them off their life savings.
3/4/24, 1:21 pm - +~l or Smiley face: Minusing the time spent under investigation and lockup and good behaviour during prison time ....what is the nett number of days in our Changi Prison?
To future potential
3/4/24, 1:22 pm - +Rama: I feel sentence too light unless he is a whistle blower.
3/4/24, 1:22 pm - +Frankiie Wee: He will be blacklist here and sent him back his own country <This message was edited>
3/4/24, 1:22 pm - +~l or Smiley face: To future potential offenders, X$billion = 13 months jail time....
Less than billion= less jail time?
3/4/24, 1:22 pm - +~l or Smiley face: Which country to send back? Hopefully, this country will accept it?
3/4/24, 1:23 pm - +Frankiie Wee: Cambodia π°π
3/4/24, 1:23 pm - +~l or Smiley face: Booked it in....
3/4/24, 1:23 pm - +Frankiie Wee: No
3/4/24, 1:23 pm - +Frankiie Wee: Jail here after release
3/4/24, 1:24 pm - +Rama: Is there a interpol red notice out on any of them after finishing sentence here!?
3/4/24, 1:24 pm - +Frankiie Wee: Yes right he is red flag under Interpol
3/4/24, 1:25 pm - +Rama: With extradition treaty, hand over to the next.
3/4/24, 1:25 pm - +Frankiie Wee: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-68705913
3/4/24, 1:27 pm - +Frankiie Wee: https://www.voanews.com/a/scam-victims-say-human-trafficking-still-a-problem-in-cambodia/7520511.html
3/4/24, 1:28 pm - +Frankiie Wee: Cambodia govt law weak and many corruption
3/4/24, 2:00 pm - +REACH: *π’ Topic π’*
3/4/24, 2:05 pm - +Nic Freehold: Is this a real government chat group
3/4/24, 2:12 pm - +Rama: Check the group profile. There is a number of admin civil servants monitoring posting here.
3/4/24, 2:26 pm - +Andy: Tough law welcome however must have more checks on retailers to deter them.
3/4/24, 2:27 pm - +Nic Freehold: Around Mustafa area, so many tiny shops open and close. They used to sell SIM cards
3/4/24, 2:36 pm - +Nic Freehold: For the foreigners, they can set up companies, sell SIM cards then close then open new company to sell and repeat.
Those foreigners maybe controlled by locals or foreign groups
3/4/24, 2:37 pm - ☸️ Danny εΏ:
*SIM Swap or SIM Hijacking*
1. SIM can be used as OTP for 2nd factor authentication in banking transactions.
2. However SIM being used as OTP can be abused and misused - when scammers get hold of victim personal information and trick mobile operators to divert and hijack victim's legitimate SIM messages into scammer SIM - known as "SIM Swap".
3. When this happen, scammer's can access victim's bank account and steal their money by fund transfer.
4. Alternatively, scammers can change victim handphone number into scammer's handphone and receive future SIM OTP into scammer's SIM to raid victims' bank savings.
5. Hence it is important people not give away personal information to scammers to earn fast buck because their information will not only be used by scammers to :-
a. register their SIM to call and scam victims; but also
b. to be used to open bank accounts to operate as money mules
c. to be used as SIM swap by forign scammers to capture bank SIM OTP to scam other victims
d. fool mobile phone operators and banks - as the legitimate phone customers and bank customers - and steal their bank savings.
3/4/24, 2:37 pm - +Nic Freehold: However when their wages are low w debts back home. I wouldn’t be surprised. These are speculation but it’s feasible
3/4/24, 2:38 pm - +Nic Freehold: Singaporeans judged low intelligence or medically unfit or aged 50 and above should only be assisted by authorised shops.
Android phones are easily hacked
3/4/24, 2:52 pm - ☸️ Danny εΏ:
1. Hence, giving away our personal particulars for scammers to register SIM cards for scamming purposes to earn some fast buck, or give away frivolously ---- will not only be unlawful, it will also hurt ourselves and hurt others.
Hence penalty to punish irresponsible subscribers is an apt measures - to help to rein in online scamming.
2. But law must ensure that people who have tricked to give up their particulars, or who register for their family members such as their young children, their elderly parents will not be subjected to the punishment as they are legitmate users.
3/4/24, 2:59 pm - ☸️ Danny εΏ:
1. But Middlemen and errant Retailers who abuse victims particulars by giving them to scam syndicates to earn money - must be subjected to the full force of the law - as they are complicit in helping local and overseas scammers to scam huge amount of life savings from the victims.
2. As online scam are very difficult to stop, arrest and prosecute - as money could be transfer overseas and become very difficult to recover.
3. Hence removing the source, the means and the tools from scammers - will be a good way to curb online scamming.
4. And the punishment must be punitive to serve as a deterrent.
3/4/24, 3:06 pm - ☸️ Danny εΏ:
1. One thing I notice that some simple tweak by the banks can stop many online scam fund transfer - and stop people's life saving from being stolen.
2. Eg. Maybank previously allow customers to do early termination of Fixed Deposit.
3. However, wth online scamming getting rampant - whereby scammers gain illicit access to the victim's online banking - can do early termination of FD and then transfet victim's FD to the scammer's account and steal victims' life savings.
4. Maybank has done a simple tweak to the online banking - by disallowing online early termination of Fixed Deposit - and customers must visit the bank branch to do so - thus preventing scammers from stealing FD online --- a function similar to "Moneylock".
3/4/24, 3:16 pm - ☸️ Danny εΏ:
5. But there are other online bank features that are quite worrying.
a. Bank customers can still apply loans online.
This means scammers can apply loans from the victim's account, then transfer the money out - and victims suddenly are laden with debt.
i. Can banks provide provision whereby bank customers can disable "online loan application" as a "Moneylock function" - as many bank customers don't apply loan online - and should not subject bank customers to such online risk. For such bank customers who need to apply loan - can then visit the bank branch to do so.
ii. If banks are not offering such "Moneylock feature" - if victims are compromised - then the full reimbursement must be made by banks - under the "Shared Accountability Framework" --- as bank customers has no means to protect themselves --- as banks fully make bank customers vulnerable to debt risk.
b. Applying credit cards and Extending credit card limit can still be done online.
This means that scammers can extend credit card limit to its maximum - if they are able to gain access to the victims online banking - and then charge the maximum amount to the credit card and steal away victims' money -- causing victims laden with credit card debt.
i. Similar to online application of loans, if banks are not offering such "Moneylock feature" - if victims are compromised - then the full reimbursement must be made by banks - under the "Shared Accountability Framework" --- as bank customers has no means to protect themselves --- as banks fully make bank customers vulnerable to debt risk.
3/4/24, 3:44 pm - ☸️ Danny εΏ:
1. Understand that future safer 2nd factor or multi-factor authentication techniques - using unique biometric features (specifically Life Biometric - to emulate Life Person appearing in the bank (like MoneyLock) - to establish the authentic "True Identity" of a bank customer - doing authentic bank transaction --- is a right direction.
2. But thorough, well tested, failsafe and foolproof measures must be developed, tested and proven - to ensure Life Biometric work like "Moneylock" of real users appearing in bank checking the IC and real person to establish the real identity.
3. Because Life Biometric - once stolen will be lost forever.
A person need to change their faces, fingerprint, eyes, voice - if stolen - and scammers in possession of the victims - will have unfetter access to the victims' banks, CPF, immigration, financial transactions --- throughout the victim's life.
4. Understand that CPF have used Life Biometric - specifically Facial Recognition - couple with liveliness and other measures such as establishing life person - and not video or image ---- to emulate "Life Person - Moneylock functions".
5. But recent breakthrough in Vietnam online scam - has manage to break Life Biometric authentication --- using very sophisticated technologies --- specifically AI, Machine Learning, GAN (Generative Adverserial Neural network), Computer Vision, Deepfake, Deep Learning.
6. As rightly guess, Life Biometric physical features if input into a computer system --- will need to convert into Digital Form - basically binary forms - of 0 or 1 - for storage and for programming code verification and processing.
7. Once in digital form, any IT experts who are worth the salt can circumvent, copy, reconstruct, manipulate or reprogram - to emulate the real users unique feature marks that are stored, process in digital forms.
8. Hence, as rightly guess, any 2nd factor or multi-factor authentication in digital form ----- no matter how sophisticated or look foolproof or failsafe - by emulating - the physical world ---- can still be hacked.
Hence any digital form of 2nd factor or multi-factor authentication - based on my assessment --- are still consider 1 factor authentication --- ie. still not failsafe or foolproof.
9. Hence, as it stand currently, "Moneylock" physical authentication is still the only "Failsafe and Foolproof" 2nd factor authentication -- for banking transaction.
10. Understand that the World Forum "Anti-spoofing biometric measures" - who have come out with more than 10 tracks to make Life Biometric authentication failsafe and foolproof.
Many R&D institutions are working tirelessly and quickly on them.
Singapore Government in particular has committed tremendous resources to work on it and at the same time collaborating with overseas R&D.
Hopefully, the advanced measures can be developed - and prove to be failsafe and foolproof.
11. The stake is very high for financial transaction.
Also Life Biometric if stolen, will be lost forever, unless reborn.
It is no joke.
3/4/24, 3:58 pm - ☸️ Danny εΏ:
1. Whether in Digital Form or Physical Form - the following principles must be religiously adhere to - to prevent online scams.
a. Any "In-band authentication" - no matter how many factor authentication - will be broken.
b. Only "Out-of-band authentication" - for fully Digital or Hybrid of Digital/& Physical authentication --- can effectively prevent online scams.
2. Eg.
a. Fully Digital :-
1st authentication - Digital
2nd authentication (must be "Out-Of-Band") - Digital
---- can prevent online scam.
b. Hybrid Digital & Physical (Moneylock)
1st authentication - Digital
2nd authentication (must be "Out-Of-Band") - Physical (Moneylock)
---- can prevent online scam.
3. But :-
a. Fully Digital :-
1st authentication - Digital
2nd authentication (must be "In-Band") - Digital
---- no matter how sophisticated is the 2nd or multi-factor authentication - can be hacked.
4. Hence the 10 or more track -- "Anti-spoofing biometric measures" ---- must take note of this "Barrier Principle" ---- in developing a "FailSafe and FoolProof" authentication for banking and financial transactions for the bank customers.
3/4/24, 4:00 pm - +REACH: *π’ Topic π’*
3/4/24, 4:37 pm - ☸️ Danny εΏ:
This "Barrier Principle" refer to "Air Gap".
3/4/24, 4:52 pm - ☸️ Danny εΏ:
For "Out-of-Band" to be effective - especially for "Full Digital" - the 2nd factor authentication must not be accessible by Internet that are infested by "Online scammers".
Moneylock physical authentication - are able to achieve such functions - hence failsafe and foolproof.
3/4/24, 5:21 pm - ☸️ Danny εΏ:
Since Life biometric features are unique to each and every individual.
It must be "jealousy safeguarded" by the system.
Because it is the most vital and confidential data identity to each individual.
If stolen, how the person is going to live on earth - without someone masquerading the person?
Hence "Out-of-band" authentication with no access to scammers in Internet - become paramount if authentication if to be done in digital form.
3/4/24, 5:39 pm - ☸️ Danny εΏ:
That's this must be a closed network architecture for Life biometric authentication.
Eg. Of closed network architecture are :-
1. Immigration biometric scan
2. ATM banking
3. Bank Video on demand banking.
4. National Intranet.
3/4/24, 6:07 pm - +~l or Smiley face: 3 April, 2024
" Scams and Scares"
"Amuse or Amaze? Unlike war, any natural disaster and unique crisis including cyberattacks or cybercrimes are unordered along a timeline and it simply means unpredictable. Perhaps, the strings of each of these consequential damages arising out of the eventuality are nevertheless always worse off than expected regardless of blip or full blown. "
-- anonymity
3/4/24, 6:08 pm - +REACH: *π’ Topic π’*
3/4/24, 6:48 pm - +REACH: *Dear Contributors,*
⏰ We will be closing the chat in *15 minutes* ⏰
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan π
3/4/24, 6:56 pm - +Redzuan: Good π
3/4/24, 6:59 pm - +~l or Smiley face: This message was deleted
3/4/24, 7:00 pm - +~l or Smiley face: 3 April, 2024
" Scams and Scares"
"Amuse or Amaze? Unlike war, any natural disaster and unique crisis including cyberattacks or cybercrimes are unordered along a timeline and it simply means unpredictable. Perhaps, the strings of each of these consequential damages arising out of the eventuality are nevertheless always worse off than expected regardless of blip or full blown. "
-- anonymity
Scare the Scam?
How to not be scared of scams? If SMS is one way scammers point of contact and communication with potential victims. Perhaps, it is now to stop the service of SMS. Let's do away with SMS just like we have done away with the paging system!
From the perspective of Telco, to stop providing SMS service to all pre paid or post paid customers will not cause disruption or decrease it's revenue and profits may increase due to the increase use of data for transactions of all kinds. In today, the utilitisation of SMS has gone down due to WhatsApp, Telegram, X, IG, TikTok and FB; all of these modern comms apps use data! Isn't it timely to consider stopping SMS and hopefully, one more stop to scam?
And how can we guard ourselves in this highly informed and data consuming world we are living in now? It starts from your Circle of Comms and Contacts (CCC). Your next less frequent contacts base is marginal, let's called it Marginal Contacts (MC).
The CCC goes like this: family & loved ones, relatives, friends from local and abroad, colleagues, bosses, and ex colleagues, regular suppliers and handymen. And will this CCC becoming the hit list for scammers?
How not to be cheated unless AI is used to impersonal your contact details, actual voice and facial feature, and relevant links or information being provided to you which seems like normal routine and non suspicious ?
An old saying, "if it looks too good to believe or too good to be true" that's your last line of defence against scammers!
- - in progress --
3/4/24, 7:00 pm - +REACH: *Dear Contributors,*
We will be closing the chat for today.
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan π
=====
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