SINGAPORE — Singapore issued an Implementation Directive (ID) to Meta on Wednesday requiring the tech giant to implement measures to deter scammers impersonating key government officials on Facebook by September 30.

Singapore’s Home Ministry said this was the first ID issued under the Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA).

Failure to comply with the ID without a reasonable excuse would render Meta, the parent company of Facebook, liable to a fine of up to S$1 million (RM3.3 million) upon conviction and for repeated offences, an additional fine of up to S$100,000 for each day the offence continues after conviction, it said.

The ministry said in a statement on Thursday that Facebook is the top platform used by scammers to commit such impersonation scams.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, the Home Ministry and Singapore Police Force (SPF) observed an increase in scammers exploiting Facebook to perpetrate impersonation scams using videos or images of key government officials in fake advertisements, accounts, profiles, and business pages.

During the period, SPF disrupted approximately 2,000 such advertisements and online monikers on the platform.

“Meta will be required to implement enhanced facial recognition measures in Singapore and prioritise review of end-user reports from Singapore, to reduce scam advertisements, accounts, profiles, and/or business pages impersonating key government office holders in Singapore,” the ministry said.

Acknowledging that Meta has taken steps to address the risk of impersonation scams globally, including in Singapore, the ministry and SPF said they remain concerned about the continued prevalence of such scams in the country.

“SPF has therefore issued this ID to Meta to underscore the seriousness that the government attaches to the matter,” the ministry said.

The ministry and SPF are also considering imposing similar requirements on other online platforms.