THE Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) of Singapore and the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen cross-border efforts to combat solicited and unlawful communications, including scams.

On Thursday (Oct 12), both government agencies said jointly that the MOU seeks to enhance cooperation in regulatory enforcement activities related to scams, particularly those conducted through communication channels such as calls and mobile messaging.

It also aims to improve mutual information exchanges in areas such as regulatory frameworks and technical and policy solutions related to unsolicited and unlawful communications in Singapore and the US.

“By working together and sharing strategic insights on scams, IMDA and FCC aim to combat the growing threat of scams, thereby mitigating the risk that citizens and businesses face from fraudulent activities.”

IMDA chief executive Lew Chuen Hong, who signed the MOU with FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel at an Oct 11 ceremony in Washington, DC, emphasised the importance of international cooperation in addressing issues such as online scams, which transcend borders.

Said Lew: “The agreement builds on the strong ties between Singapore and the United States in working towards safeguarding our digital environment.”

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Rosenworcel added: “Robocall scams do not respect international borders and are a problem for consumers and businesses around the world. It is critical that we work closely with partners like our colleagues in Singapore, who share our commitment to fight robocall scams and unmasking the bad actors behind them.”