Government Call Verification Measures to Protect Seniors against Scams
Ministry of Digital Development and InformationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the impact of scam vigilance on government outreach to residents and the development of a nationalised caller ID system for verification. Ms Valerie Lee inquired about the protection of seniors and the assessment of public service delivery affected by the fear of impersonation scams. Minister for Digital Development and Information Mrs Josephine Teo stated that although service delivery is not currently significantly affected, the Government is exploring identification methods. She noted that residents should call the 1799 ScamShield Helpline if in doubt and reiterated that officials never request money or bank details via phone. Additionally, a National Simulated Scams Exercise will be piloted by the Cyber Security Agency and Ministry of Home Affairs to educate residents on scam tactics.
Transcript
28 Ms Valerie Lee asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) whether the Government has assessed the impact of heightened scam vigilance on agencies' ability to contact residents, especially seniors; (b) what measures are in place to help residents verify Government agencies' calls; and (c) when will a permanent nationalised caller ID system identifying Government-assistance related calls be implemented.
Mrs Josephine Teo: The Member is right to be concerned that vigilance against scams may discourage residents from receiving legitimate calls from public officers. Having heard about scammers who impersonate Government officials, they may feel it is safer not to engage with anyone who claims to represent a public agency.
Thus far, this problem has not significantly affected public service delivery. Nonetheless, the Government is exploring ways to help the public identify genuine calls from public agencies. This has been addressed in our reply to the question on "Additional Measures to Tackle Increase in Cases of Government Officials Impersonation and Phishing Scams" published after the Sitting of 23 September 2025. [Please refer to "Additional Measures to Tackle Increase in Cases of Government Officials Impersonation and Phishing Scams", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
In the meantime, we have issued advisories to remind the public that Government officials will never ask them to transfer money, disclose bank log-in details over a phone call or install mobile applications from unofficial app stores. We recognise that such messages take time to be internalised. We will continue to feature them prominently through various communication channels, including websites, mobile applications, social media, physical letters, collaterals and digital display panels. If in doubt, members should call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799.
The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore and the Ministry of Home Affairs will also be piloting a National Simulated Scams Exercise, focusing initially on Government Officials Impersonation Scams. Members of the public can register to take part at https://go.gov.sg/NSSE to experience the scam tactics in a safe environment and learn how to avoid falling prey.