A total of 90,276 crimes were reported in 2023, representing an increase of 28.9% compared to the figure for 2022, Police said today.

The upsurge was mainly attributed to an increase in deception cases.

The overall detection rate was 31.1%. The detection rate for robbery and arson cases hit a record high, while the detection rate for burglary cases was the second highest on record.

As normalcy resumed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, instances of most traditional crimes increased in 2023 compared to the year before, although several crimes showed significant decreases when compared to the figures for 2018.

Deception cases rose 42.6% year-on-year in 2023 to 39,824. A total of more than $9 billion was involved in these crimes.

Last year, 9,239 people were arrested for involvement in deception cases, including money laundering cases. About 6,500 people were found to be stooge account holders.

In November 2023, the one-stop scam and pitfall search engine, Scameter, was linked to the Faster Payment System (FPS). By the end of December, more than 148,000 alerts were issued to the public, covering high-risk transfers amounting to nearly $180 million.

The 18222 Anti-Scam Helpline received some 52,000 calls last year, and more than $1.29 billion in fraudulent payments was intercepted.

Police will optimise the functions of Scameter+ by incorporating automated elements to issue alerts when users browse suspicious websites and receive suspicious calls. A public reporting mechanism in the application will also be introduced.

Looking forward, Police will focus this year on safeguarding national security, enhancing community engagement and soliciting support from the public, as well as working to combat deception cases.