Anti-scam efforts: Bill passed to target online account mules amid concerns on recourse

Parliament passed an anti-scam Bill targeting online account mules, with police able to issue orders to disable accounts suspected of being used for scams. MPs raised concerns about innocent users having trouble accessing frozen accounts. But the government reassured them there will be avenues for fair and swift review, and access to money for essential expenses. The Bill targets those who supply online accounts to criminals on platforms such as Carousell, TikTok and Telegram. Besides disabling suspect accounts, authorities can also make service providers disclose information on scam-related activities. MPs also pressed the Government on whether recovered scam proceeds could be returned to victims.