Singapore's 2026 Scams Act and the Messaging Code for WhatsApp: Risks for Business Accounts

Singapore's Parliament passed the Scams (Countermeasures) and Other Matters Act 2026 on 9 September 2026, and it was published in the Gazette on 29 September 2026, according to a review by law firm Allen & Gledhill dated 30 September 2026. The Act is not yet in force. Meanwhile, a new code of practice for messaging services such as WhatsApp and Telegram must be complied with by platforms no later than 31 January 2027.

For small businesses in Singapore that sell through chat and social media, and for Indonesian owners serving customers there, neither adds a direct obligation. Both change the environment your business account lives in.

If you came here looking for a "Singapore scams act business" summary, it follows in plain terms.

What the Act covers

Every point below comes from the Allen & Gledhill review, the only source for this article.

Its status. The Act has been passed and gazetted but is not in force. It commences on a date to be appointed later, so none of its provisions can be applied today.

Account disabling orders. The police may issue an account disabling order where they suspect or have reason to believe an account has been or will be used for a scam-related offence. Note the threshold: reasonable suspicion, not a court ruling.

New offences about accounts. The Act makes it an offence to supply, receive and misuse certain online service accounts. For individuals the penalty is a fine of up to S$10,000, imprisonment of up to three years, or both. For entities, the maximum fine is double.

Penalties for services. The maximum administrative fine for services that fail to comply with the codes rises from S$1 million to S$10 million.

Three codes and one deadline

Alongside the Act are codes of practice addressed to platforms.

The most important point to grasp: these obligations sit with the platforms, not with small businesses. You are not asked to comply with the Messaging Code. WhatsApp, Telegram and the other listed services are.

Our source does not detail what the codes require platforms to do, so we will not guess at any feature change. What can fairly be said: when the maximum fine rises tenfold, platforms have a strong reason to be more cautious about accounts that look suspicious.

Why a legitimate business account still needs care

Here is the picture from an owner's side, in three points. From here on, this is our reading and advice.

1. An account can be disabled on suspicion. Even a legitimate business needs to make sure its account does not look like a scammer's.
2. Lending, renting or selling an account is no longer just a bad habit. Once the Act is in force, supplying and receiving certain accounts can be a criminal offence.
3. Platforms are under pressure to act, and the deadline is close.

For a small business, the chat and social media account is often the shop itself. Losing it means losing order history, the customer list and the front door for sales.

Habits that make an account look legitimate

One clear owner

• Register the account in the name of the business or its owner, with a number and email the business controls, not those of an employee or relative.
• Record who holds access and when it was last changed.
• When a staff member leaves, remove their access that same day.

A complete, consistent profile

• Fill in the business name, address, opening hours and a short description.
• Use the same name and logo on every channel.
• Link to your website or other official channels so customers can cross-check.

Never lend or buy an account

This is the point most easily broken without bad intent. Some examples to stop:

• Using an account in a friend's name because your own is having trouble.
• Buying an account that already has many followers to start a shop.
• Handing an old account to someone else when the business closes or rebrands.
• Letting an outside party use your account to sell their products.

If the business is sold or transferred, take legal advice on how to transfer accounts properly.

Customer records you can show

If your account is questioned, being able to show that you serve real customers helps a great deal. Keep order records, invoices and proof of payment outside the chat app. Conversation history alone is not enough, least of all when the account itself cannot be opened.

Reasonable messaging patterns

• Message people who actually have a relationship with your business.
• Avoid sending payment links without context to new contacts.
• If a customer reports a fake account imitating you, respond and report it to the platform.

A plan in case the account is disabled

You cannot remove this risk entirely, but you can shrink the damage.

• Keep a backup of the customer list and open orders outside the platform.
• Have at least one other official channel customers already know, such as email or a website.
• Keep business identity documents and proof of account ownership ready to submit if asked.
• Decide who contacts the platform and who informs customers.

Notes per customer and bookkeeping that records invoices and payments, as available in Polynusa, help with the first item: customer data does not live only in chat history. Details are on the pricing page.

What to watch

• The Act's commencement date, which has not been set.
• Notices from the platforms you use in the run-up to 31 January 2027.
• Official announcements from Singapore authorities on implementation details.

Note: this article summarises one law firm's review and is not legal advice. Confirm your own case with a legal adviser or the relevant Singapore authority.

Sources

• Allen & Gledhill, 30 September 2026: Scams (Countermeasures) and Other Matters Act 2026 to strengthen measures to detect, disrupt and deter scams

FAQ

Is Singapore's Scams Act 2026 in force?

Not yet. According to Allen & Gledhill, the Act was passed by Parliament on 9 September 2026 and gazetted on 29 September 2026, but it commences on a date to be appointed later.

Do small businesses have to comply with the Messaging Code?

No. The code's obligations fall on platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram, with a 31 January 2027 deadline. Small businesses are affected indirectly, since platforms may scrutinise accounts more closely.

Why should a business account never be lent or sold?

The Act makes supplying, receiving and misusing certain online service accounts an offence, with a fine of up to S$10,000, up to three years in prison, or both for individuals.