Man Arrested for Selling TP Slots for Conversion of Foreign Driving Licence

To scalpers who sold Taylor Swift concert tickets for more than double the original price: firstly, I, and probably many of my fellow readers, have not forgiven you for that.

Secondly, you have a new competitor.

Here’s What Happened

A police spokesperson announced on 20 January 2025 that a 39-year-old man was arrested for his suspected involvement in selling Traffic Police (TP) appointment slots for the conversion of foreign driving licenses.

He is under investigation for cheating by personation under Section 419 of the Penal Code. If found guilty, he may be given a prison sentence of up to 5 years, or a hefty fine, or both.

Previously, applicants could simply use their mobile phone numbers to book appointment slots for the conversion of their foreign driving license.

Scalpers would snatch up available appointment slots using their own details and sell these slots at exorbitant prices to those genuinely looking to convert their foreign driving licenses. After which, scalpers would change these details to that of the buyer.

How exorbitant exactly? According to investigations by Straits Times, several scalpers were selling these slots on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu for up to S$800.

Image: The Straits Times

As much as I do not condone the scalpers’ actions, we have to give some credit to their fastest fingers. With our stubby ones, any attempt at speed-running the appointment booking process would end with millions of typos.

Reader: oi, who said my fingers were stubby

In light of the slew of instances of scalpers doing this, from 10 December 2024 onwards, applicants have had to make appointments for the license conversion using their Singpass accounts, and not just their mobile numbers. As the particulars provided by Singpass are unique and strictly non-transferrable, this would prevent individuals who have no intention of converting their license from booking an appointment slot.

The Traffic Police has also voided numerous repeated bookings made using the same personal particulars, to put a halt to any more exploitation of the system.