On Monday, 2 February, the CPF Board introduced two new anti-scam security measures for us to safeguard our hard-earned CPF savings. These features, known as the Trusted Contact notification service and the CPF Safety Switch, complement CPF’s existing anti-scam measures, providing extra oversight and emergency features should you suspect you’ve fallen victim to a scam.
Trusted Contact Notification Service
We already have the option to receive notifications from CPF when we perform any transactions on our account. These notifications are sent via email, SMS, and mobile app push notifications, depending on which contact channels are registered with CPF.
With the new Trusted Contact notification service, those of us aged 21 and above can now choose up to two Trusted Contacts. When we make major CPF transactions, such as CPF lump sum withdrawals, changing our Daily Withdrawal Limit, or updating our bank account details and contact information, these Trusted Contacts will also receive the same notifications we do.
This is so that people we trust, such as a family member, have the ability to warn us should they notice any suspicious activities we might miss. For example, here is what a Trusted Contact will receive should you make a withdrawal from your CPF:
Source: CPF Board
Trusted Contacts do not have any legal powers and cannot make any decisions on your behalf. For example, they cannot nominate beneficiaries to your CPF savings, or see how much you currently have. You can remove a Trusted Contact at any time. Trusted Contacts also have the right to remove themselves from your Trusted Contact list.
Ultimately, this is a courtesy feature. Trusted Contacts are intended only as an extra set of eyes to protect you from potential scammers. You remain responsible for all CPF account activities. Trusted Contacts should not be held responsible for any unusual or unexpected activities done on your account.
CPF Safety Switch
The CPF Safety Switch is a new security feature that complements the CPF Withdrawal Lock, introduced in 2023. The CPF Withdrawal Lock only disables online withdrawals, ensuring that no one, including yourself, can perform lump sum withdrawals from your CPF savings. The new CPF Safety Switch goes one step further, disabling all CPF online services and e-services.
This is a drastic measure that should be used only if you suspect you have fallen victim to a scam and your CPF account is compromised. To activate the CPF Safety Switch all you need to do is call CPF’s Hotline at 1800-227-1188.
However, use it only as a last resort. The only way to disable the CPF Safety Switch is with the assistance of a CPF staff member, either via the Hotline or in person at the CPF Service Centre. Deactivation may take up to three to five working days.
When the CPF Safety Switch is activated, withdrawals are blocked, and online services are disabled. So as not to disrupt, however, any incoming CPF contributions will still be available, and any recurring payments, such as for housing loans or insurance premiums, will continue.
Read Also: 8 Changes To CPF Scheme That Will Happen In 2026
These New Measures Complement Existing CPF Anti-Scam Measures
Trusted Contacts and Safety Switch join other anti-scam measures that CPF has introduced to safeguard your CPF savings.
#1 SingPass Face Verification
Following a series of scams that involved the loss of CPF savings in 2023, CPF partnered with GovTech to introduce several additional precautions.
The first of these is SingPass Face Verification, which is an additional authentication step during login. It will automatically be triggered for higher-risk transactions requiring SingPass. Your face will be scanned and matched against existing government records.
#2 Daily Withdrawal Limit
CPF also introduced a default Daily Withdrawal Limit of $2,000 in 2023 for those aged 55 and above. This amount could then be adjusted between $0 to $200,000. Following several scams, the maximum daily withdrawal limit was reduced to $50,000.
#3 CPF Withdrawal Lock
Setting the Daily Withdrawal Limit to $0 is also known as the CPF Withdrawal Lock. This effectively disables any online CPF withdrawals, “locking” your CPF account. You can unlock it at any time by increasing the Daily Withdrawal Limit, but such actions will require enhanced authentication as well as a 12-hour cooling period.
#4 12-Hour Cooling Period
Any changes to key account details, such as your contact details or bank account details, now require a 12-hour cooling period. This gives us more time to report any unauthorised changes, creating additional friction for scammers in order to reduce losses.
#5 Bank Account Verification
When updating your registered bank account details with CPF, you may need to verify your identity using some of the enhanced authentication measures mentioned earlier.
The time it takes CPF to verify your bank account depends on the method you choose to receive payments. For PayNow via your NRIC-linked bank account, updating will take 12 hours. For Interbank GIRO, it will take up to two working days because CPF will make payment only after the bank has verified that the account belongs to you.
