Key Scam Trends and Cases in 2023
Scam and cybercrime cases in Singapore rise 49.6% in 2023, while the total amount lost falls slightly by 1.3%
According to the Singapore Police Force Annual Scams and Cybercrime Brief 2023 , Singapore recorded 50,376 scam and cybercrime cases in 2023 — a 49.6% year-on-year increase from 2022 — while total financial losses registered a minor decline of 1.3% to S$651.8 million; job scams recorded the highest number of reported offences, while investment scams inflicted the largest financial toll, accounting for S$204.5 million in losses.
Key Stat Tiles
Summarise this page with:
Executive Summary
In 2023, Singapore witnessed a sharp 49.6% year-on-year expansion in scam and cybercrime cases, which grew to a total of 50,376 reported incidents. This surge was driven overwhelmingly by scams, which accounted for 92.4% of the overall offences. Despite the escalation in case volumes, the total financial amount lost dropped for the first time in five years, declining 1.3% to S$651.8 million. Job scams emerged as the most frequently reported category with 9,914 cases, closely followed by e-commerce scams at 9,783 incidents. Conversely, investment scams remained the costliest variant, driving a leading S$204.5 million in losses. While a substantial 73.0% of victims were under the age of 50, coordinated public-private enforcement interventions via the Anti-Scam Command and targeted automation initiatives successfully froze over 19,600 bank accounts, recovering more than S$100 million and averting an additional S$192 million in potential victim losses.
Methodology Callout
Data Source: Singapore Police Force Annual Scams & Cybercrime Brief 2023 (published Feb 2024)
Coverage Period: Full-year 2023 reporting cycle
- Scam and cybercrime cases reported to Singapore authorities
- Financial losses reported by victims
- Categorisation based on primary scam type
Top Scam Types
Reported Cases By Type
Volume distribution · 2023
| Type | Cases | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Job Scam | 9,914 | 21.3% |
| E-commerce | 9,783 | 21.0% |
| Fake Friend Call | 6,859 | 14.7% |
| Phishing | 5,938 | 12.8% |
| Investment | 4,030 | 8.7% |
| Others | 9,852 | 21.5% |
Breakdown by Cases
Case volume ranking
Job Scam
9,914
E-commerce
9,783
Fake Friend Call
6,859
Phishing
5,938
Investment
4,030
Others
9,852
Financial Losses By Type
Loss distribution · 2023
| Type | Losses (S$M) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | S$204.5M | 31.4% |
| Job Scam | S$135.7M | 20.8% |
| Govt. Impersonation | S$92.5M | 14.2% |
| Business Email Compromise | S$42.5M | 6.5% |
| Internet Love Scam | S$39.8M | 6.1% |
Comparative Breakdown
Severity & loss ranking
Investment
S$204.5M
Job Scam
S$135.7M
Govt. Impersonation
S$92.5M
Business Email Compromise
S$42.5M
Internet Love Scam
S$39.8M
Cases vs. Losses Trajectory
2019 — 2023
| Year | Cases | Losses (S$M) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 9,545 | S$170.8M |
| 2020 | 15,651 | S$265.7M |
| 2021 | 23,933 | S$632M ⚠ |
| 2022 | 31,728 | S$660.7M |
| 2023 | 46,563 | S$651.8M ↓ |
2019–2023: Unbroken Case Growth
Reported scam cases nearly quintupled from 9,545 in 2019 to 46,563 in 2023, representing a five-year compound annual growth rate of approximately 37%, driven by digitalisation and increasingly sophisticated social engineering.
2021: First Major Loss Inflection
Financial losses surged 137.8% from S$265.7M to S$632.0M in a single year — the sharpest annual jump in the recorded period — coinciding with the pandemic-era shift to digital commerce and cryptocurrency scam proliferation.
2023: First Loss Decline in Five Years
Despite cases rising 46.7%, total losses declined 1.3% to S$651.8M — the first year-on-year decrease since 2019 — attributable to targeted enforcement through the Anti-Scam Command freezing over 19,600 accounts and recovering S$100M+.
2022–2023: Diverging Case vs. Loss Trajectory
The decoupling of case volume and financial loss in 2022–2023 suggests enforcement interventions were successfully containing loss severity even as scam frequency continued accelerating — a positive signal for deterrence effectiveness.
Victim Demographics
Scam Victims Profile
Age distribution of victims in 2023
| Age group | Share |
|---|---|
| Adults | 43.1% |
| Young Adults | 24.6% |
| Young Seniors | 19.9% |
| Elderly | 7.1% |
| Youths | 5.3% |
73.0% of victims were under 50 — Adults (30–49) led at 43.1%, followed by Young Adults (20–29) at 24.6%, indicating that working-age individuals remain the most exposed demographic in 2023.
Cases by Contact Method
How scammers reached victims in 2023
| Contact method | Cases | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Social Media | 13,725 | 31.8% |
| Messaging Platforms | 12,368 | 28.7% |
| Phone Calls | 7,196 | 16.7% |
| Online Shopping Platforms | 4,893 | 11.3% |
| Other Websites | 1,677 | 3.9% |
| Dating Apps / Websites | 1,657 | 3.8% |
| SMS | 1,601 | 3.7% |
Top Social Media Platforms Exploited
Breakdown of social media contacts used by scammers in 2023
Dominant channel for scam contact
Second most abused platform
Facebook dominated at 71.7% of social media contacts, with Instagram accounting for a further 18.5% — together comprising over 90% of all scammer-initiated social media outreach in 2023.
Continue with AI
Methodology Appendix
Data is compiled from official reporting by the Singapore Police Force Annual Scams & Cybercrime Brief 2023. All figures reflect cases reported to Singapore Police Force during the full-year 2023 reporting cycle.
Limitations: Figures represent reported cases only; actual scam incidence may be higher due to under-reporting. Loss figures are based on amounts reported by victims and may not capture all indirect financial impacts.
Correction Policy: If errors are identified, this page will be updated with a correction notice. Please contact us to flag any inaccuracies.