Framework for restriction orders under Protection from Scams Act 2025 in force on 1 July 2025
15 July 2025
The Protection from Scams Act 2025 (“Act”) came into operation on 1 July 2025.
The Act aims to better protect targets of ongoing scams by empowering the Police to issue restriction orders (“ROs”) to banks to restrict the banking and credit facilities of an individual if there is reasonable belief that the individual will make money transfers to a scammer, withdraw any money with the intention of giving the money to a scammer, or apply for or draw down on any credit facility with the intention of benefitting a scammer.
In a press release issued on 30 June 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs (“MHA”) outlined key operational details of the new framework.
Issuance of RO
The decision to issue an RO will be made by a Police officer, based on an assessment of the facts and circumstances of each case. In making this decision, the Police may consider relevant facts provided by the individual or his family members.
A Police officer may issue an RO to a bank if he has reasonable belief that:
- the individual will execute a money transfer to a scammer, withdraw any money with intention of giving the money to a scammer, or apply for or draw down on any credit facility with the intention of benefitting a scammer; and
- the RO is necessary for the protection of the individual.
The RO will be issued only as a last resort, after other options to convince the individual have been exhausted.
Scope of RO
Individuals issued with an RO can expect the following banking facilities to be restricted:
- Money transfers out of the bank accounts and into other accounts (e.g. online banking, mobile banking, PayNow, and in person over the counter);
- ATM facilities; and
- All credit facilities (e.g. credit card transactions and access to personal loan facilities).
By default, the RO will be issued to the seven Domestic Systemically Important Banks (“D-SIBs”) in Singapore. In the event that there is reasonable suspicion that a non-DSIB account is directly involved, an RO may also be issued to the relevant non-D-SIB.
Access to funds
An individual subject to an RO will have access to his monies for legitimate reasons (e.g. daily expenses and to pay bills). Requests for access to funds will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, upon the individual’s application to the Police.
Duration of RO
An RO will be in effect for a maximum of 30 days at a time. If more time is required to put in place the necessary intervention measures, the Police may extend the RO for up to 30 days at a time, up to a maximum of five extensions.
Where the Police assess that the individual is no longer at risk of being scammed, the RO can be cancelled ahead of the 30-day limit.
Appeal mechanism
An individual who is the subject of an RO, or any joint account holder of the individual’s bank account, can appeal to the Commissioner of Police against the decision to issue an RO. The RO will remain active pending the outcome of the appeal. The decision of the Commissioner of Police is final.
Background
MHA conducted a public consultation on a draft version of the Protection from Scams Bill (“Bill”) from 30 August 2024 to 30 September 2024. The Bill was subsequently introduced for first reading in Parliament on 11 November 2024 and was passed on 7 January 2025. More information is available in our article “Protection from Scams Bill passed to empower Police to issue restriction orders to banks to restrict banking transactions of scam targets”.
Related subsidiary legislation
The Protection from Scams Regulations 2025 was issued pursuant to the Act and came into force on 1 July 2025.
Reference materials
The following materials are available on Singapore Statutes online sso.agc.gov.sg and the MHA website www.mha.gov.sg: