SINGAPORE: Seven people , have been arrested in connection with a series of unauthorised attempts to change registered residential addresses through an Immigration &, Checkpoints Authority’s ( ICA ) e-service, the police said on Tuesday ( Jan 14 ).
The arrests come after ICA revealed on January 11 that spies were stealing or having SingPass records to evade detection by altering patients ‘ names in a false manner.
Between Jan 11 and Jan 13, more than 60 soldiers from the Criminal Investigation Department and the Police Intelligence Department conducted the arrests.
Six men and one lady- both 19 and 32 years old- are thought to be responsible for at least 30 attempted illegal address changes.
Six of them are facing charges of immoral reporting of access code and are facing charges that they may have broken the Computer Misuse Act 1993. For making a Singpass password or access code public without authorization, another suspect faces possible charges under the same work.
ICA is also looking into some of the suspects ‘ alleged breaches of Regulation 20 ( a ) of the National Registration Regulations.
The offences carry prison sentences of up to three years, charges, or both.
SERVICE PARTIALLY RESTORED
In a separate news release, ICA said it has resumed the electronic change of address (eCOA ) service for the” Myself” module, with additional security places in place. The” Myself and my family members” and” Others” modules remain suspended.  ,
Those logging into the” Myself” package using their Singpass bill will now be required to use additional encounter verification.
As of Monday, studies have uncovered 87 attempts to change personal lists, with 69 changes effectively executed, said ICA.
Of the 69 changes, the culprits had gained power of 17 Singpass records. ICA claimed it attempted to contact the 87 affected individuals after the electric company was suspended in order to remind them of the intended change to their listed address, and that house visits were made to those who were uncontactable by phone.
” In all the 87 cases, regardless of whether the attempt to change their target was powerful, ICA is facilitating the replacement of their identification cards and restoring their registered target in our collection to their genuine one,” said ICA.
” All 87 of the Singpass cases have been reset or suspended.
The 17 Singpass account holders who were hacked, ICA said it is even working with GovTech.
According to the authorities, the Police and GovTech have been contacting relevant government entities and private sector companies ( for example, businesses and telcos ) to make sure that appropriate corrective or preventive steps are taken in this regard.