After giving platforms a sufficient grace period, the authorities have flagged one social media firm for an unprecedented ultimatum.

The Singapore government has issued a landmark order for Meta Platforms Inc to enact stricter anti-scam measures on Facebook, threatening a fine of up to S$1m (US$775,698) if the firm fails to comply, according to a Reuters report.

This directive, delivered by the country’s Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming, is the first enforcement under Singapore’s Online Criminal Harms Act, which took effect in February 2024 (with a further provision announced in June 2024, and a compliance grace period ending 31 December 2024).

For context, the ministry cites an alarming surge in scams involving fake profiles impersonating government officials, with police data revealing nearly 1,762 such cases in the first half of 2025, up 200% from the previous year; financial losses from these scams reached S$126.5m, an 88% increase.

According to the ministry, stronger action is needed because “Facebook is the top platform used by scammers for such impersonation scams.” Facebook Marketplace had recently being deemed by the authority as the weakest among six e-commerce platforms for anti-scam features, linked to more than a third of e-commerce scams in the country in 2024. Although the platform has since introduced enhanced seller verification and in-app safety notices, the government has concluded that these steps have not done enough to stem impersonation and marketplace fraud.

As part of Singapore’s multi-pronged anti-scam strategy, social media platforms are, as of September 2025, required to comply with rigorous anti-fraud standards and processes to proactively disrupt online scams.

As of  3 Sep 2025 Meta has not immediately commented on the order.

Singapore’s move reflects intensifying global regulatory scrutiny of Meta over fraud concerns. Other countries such as Thailand, South Korea, and Brazil have taken strong measures against social networks, including threats of bans or fines, but Singapore’s new order represents one of the most specific and punitive actions targeting scam prevention standards on Meta’s platforms.