ICA suspends change of address e-service after uncovering scam activities

Scammers' aim of altering victims' addresses is to take control of their Singpass accounts

- Gabrielle Andres

The home addresses of about 60 people were changed online without their knowledge, after scammers obtained their NRIC and Singpass details.

Scammers had used compromised Singpass accounts to circumvent several security safeguards in the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority's (ICA) change of address system.

ICA has temporarily suspended the change of address function on its website to implement additional security measures to prevent further abuse.

It will also conduct a review in the next two days, and will likely resume the service on Jan 14, it said.

Initially, only several unauthorised changes of residential address were reported in 2024.

But the number has increased recently, and it appears this is one method for crime syndicates to gain access to and control the victims' Singpass accounts.

On Jan 11, ICA said it started investigating such cases in September 2024.

All NRIC holders are required to report a change of address within 28 days of moving into a new residence, whether it is located in or outside Singapore.

Anyone who reports a false residential address can be fined up to $3,000, jailed for two years, or both. It is also an offence if a user does not affix the new address sticker to the NRIC.

To make it convenient for members of the public to update the authorities on their new address, ICA had in 2020 introduced a feature on its website to allow them to do it online, without needing to go to the police station.

They can access the e-service using Singpass.