• Singapore orders Apple and Google to stop spoofing of government agency identities in messaging apps.
• The directive mandates specific measures to prevent impersonation scams.
• Government impersonation scams reportedly tripled in recent months.
• Tech companies must comply under the Online Criminal Harms Act by November 30, 2025.
• Punishments for non-compliance include fines up to S$1 million.

The Singapore Police Force has issued an order to Apple and Google requiring them to implement measures aimed at preventing government agency impersonation on their messaging platforms, particularly iMessage and Google Messages. This directive, which falls under the Online Criminal Harms Act, was announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) following a reported surge in scams where cybercriminals impersonate recognized local entities like the postal service, SingPost, as stated by the MHA. Both companies have indicated their commitment to comply with these measures, which must be implemented by November 30, 2025, according to Channel News Asia, South China Morning Post, and India Times.

The order specifically instructs Apple and Google to prevent accounts and group chats from displaying names that could mislead users into thinking they are legitimate government communications. The ministry highlighted that the authentication systems presently established for SMS messages, which use the "gov.sg" sender ID, do not extend to iMessage or Google Messages. Consequently, many users may mistakenly trust messages that appear to be from "gov.sg," creating a vulnerability for scams, as indicated by both Channel News Asia and India Times.

The MHA has reported a dramatic increase in government impersonation scams, with nearly 1,762 cases documented in the first half of 2025—representing a 199.2% rise from the previous year. This category of scams accounted for a substantial S$126.5 million in reported losses, which marked approximately 28% of all reported scam cases in that timeframe, highlighting the urgency of the situation. The measures mandated for Apple and Google are expected to significantly reduce such scams in the long run, according to South China Morning Post and India Times.

To enforce compliance, the Online Criminal Harms Act stipulates severe penalties for non-compliance, including fines up to S$1 million and additional daily charges for ongoing violations. The proactive stance taken by Singapore's government reflects an urgent need to safeguard public trust and enhance the overall security of digital communications against impersonation threats, as emphasized in the communications from the MHA and reported by Channel News Asia, South China Morning Post, and India Times.