SINGAPORE, Jan 12 – The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has temporarily suspended its electronic service for changing residential addresses online after detecting unauthorised attempts to misuse the platform.

The ICA said it identified about 80 cases of unauthorised address changes made through the "others” option, which allows users to update addresses on behalf of others using their Singpass accounts.

"Initially, there were only a few cases that appeared unconnected, but more cases surfaced recently,” it said in a statement yesterday.

"By December 2024, our investigations uncovered how the unauthorised changes of residential address were effected, and what they were used for.”

To prevent further misuse, the electronic change of address (eCOA) service was suspended on Saturday morning.

"We will likely resume this service on January 14, 2025,” ICA added.

The eCOA service was launched in October 2020 to let residents, including those overseas, update their residential addresses online.

Users can choose to update their own or others’ addresses through three options: "myself,” "myself and my family members,” or "others.”

Singapore’s CNA reported that the "others” option was designed to help residents who are not digitally proficient by allowing proxies with Singpass accounts to assist in address updates.

It said on average, 900 residents use proxies to update their addresses each month.