Debated in Parliament on 12 Jan 2026.
Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) what measures are in place to ensure Singpass accounts are linked to valid mobile phone numbers; and (b) whether the Government will consider setting up a platform for telecommunication providers to update deregistered phone numbers for organisations to verify against.
Today, Singpass provides a convenient and secure platform for users to transact with Government agencies and private sector organisations. To facilitate the linking of mobile numbers to Singpass accounts, users are required to verify their mobile number through one-time passwords (OTPs) during registration and when making changes to their account details. This verification confirms that the user has access to the mobile number at the point of verification.
For high-risk transactions or when anomalies are detected on an account, Singpass implements additional safeguards, such as facial verification, to provide stronger assurance of the user's identity. This helps mitigate the risk of unauthorised access, including situations in which a malicious actor gains access to a user's OTP, such as by successfully changing the user's registered Singpass mobile number to their own or by phishing the OTP from the user.
The Government will continue to work with relevant agencies and industry partners to assess whether additional measures are needed to strengthen the validation of mobile phone numbers. Individuals should remain responsible for updating their personal data they have provided to the organisations they transact with.
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