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Response to "A dangerous risk to surrender IC?" (The New Paper, 13 November 2007)
Give ICs to trusted parties only
260 words
21 November 2007
The New Paper
English
Copyright 2007, Singapore Press Holdings Limited
WE refer to the letter 'A dangerous risk to surrender IC?' (The New Paper, 12 Nov).
We agree with the writer that losing an identity card (NRIC) is a serious matter as the lost card may fall into wrong hands and be used for illegal purposes.
Hence, the NRIC holder is required to report the loss of his NRIC to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and apply for a replacement card in person at the ICA Building within 14 days.
The police also advise NRIC holders to lodge a police report immediately if they suspect that their NRIC has been stolen or used in criminal activities.
The police will then investigate if an offence has been committed using the stolen card.
ICA does not regulate the type of collaterals that organisations may demand, in exchange for entry into their premises.
Private organisations such as gaming arcades are not authorised by the National Registration Regulations to retain a person's NRIC. Nevertheless, it is not illegal if they do so, as long as the other party authorises them - by way of surrendering their NRIC - to hold their card as a condition for entry, or in exchange for a visitor's pass.
This is considered as a private arrangement between the two parties concerned.
The NRIC is an important document, ICA urges all cardholders to hand over their cards to trusted parties only.
Lim Jing Jing Deputy Head, Public & Internal Communications Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
Audrey Ang Assistant Director (Media Relations) Singapore Police Force
Document NEWPAP0020071120e3bl0000u
A dangerous risk to surrender IC?
643 words
13 November 2007
The New Paper
English
Copyright 2007, Singapore Press Holdings Limited
MY 17-year-old son visited X-Com Cybergame at level two of Parklane Shopping Mall on 1 Oct with a group of friends. They were required to deposit their identity cards (ICs) at the reception.
After their game and making payment, their stack of ICs was returned to them.
Upon checking, my son realised his was missing from the stack. He informed the person handling it.
After a search he was informed that they were unable to locate his IC and he had to make a police report. There was no apology or responsibility taken by the management.
My son went to Hougang Neighbourhood Police Centre to report the loss the next day.
However, an officer told him that there is no need to report the lost IC unless he had lost his entire wallet with other important documents.
I am alarmed to learn about this.
If the IC falls into the wrong hands, it could be used to borrow money from illegal moneylenders, or books from the library.
It could also be used by someone engaging in illegal activities or for setting up a bank account in my son's name. I was kept in the dark about the loss initially as my son was hoping someone would find his card and return it to him.
More than a month later, on 5 Nov, a letter arrived for my son. It contained his lost IC and a handwritten note advising him to keep his IC securely.
As there was no information of the sender, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the kind person who mailed it back to us.
I would also like to ask the sender to contact me as I would really like to thank him or her personally.
I still have a few questions for the police and X-com management.
Would the police please confirm if it is necessary to report the loss of ICs? As it was lost for more than a month, I am concerned it might have been used in illegal activities already.
Can the police advise what recourse I have if something like that happens since no statement was taken from my son when it happened?
Can the police also comment if it is legal for X-Com to hold patrons' ICs as deposit?
I note that in many condominiums, this practice of collecting the ICs of visitors has been stopped or replaced by other means of identifying visitors for fear of loss of ICs and/or identity theft.
When X-Com loses a patron's IC while it is in X-Com's possession, isn't it responsible for investigating what happens, on the possibility that someone working there might have taken it? Will the police investigate such concerns?
Doesn't the management of X-Com have an obligation to accompany my son to the police station to detail how the loss might have occurred.
I know this point is now moot since the IC has been returned, but if it was really lost, X-Com should bear the cost of replacement.
And what safety measures are X-Com taking to prevent a similar event from happening?
Since the loss, X-Com has not even called my son once to enquire if anyone has found and returned the IC to him. I am looking forward to a satisfactory response from the management of X-Com before I decide my next course of action.
In view of the rising global trend of identity thefts, the police or other relevant authorities should step in to stop gaming arcades from collecting ICs as deposits.
And if repeated thefts of ICs and other criminal activities occur on such premises, the authorities should revoke their licences.
Can the relevant parties please comment on this?
Serene Wong Mei Fong
260 words
21 November 2007
The New Paper
English
Copyright 2007, Singapore Press Holdings Limited
WE refer to the letter 'A dangerous risk to surrender IC?' (The New Paper, 12 Nov).
We agree with the writer that losing an identity card (NRIC) is a serious matter as the lost card may fall into wrong hands and be used for illegal purposes.
Hence, the NRIC holder is required to report the loss of his NRIC to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and apply for a replacement card in person at the ICA Building within 14 days.
The police also advise NRIC holders to lodge a police report immediately if they suspect that their NRIC has been stolen or used in criminal activities.
The police will then investigate if an offence has been committed using the stolen card.
ICA does not regulate the type of collaterals that organisations may demand, in exchange for entry into their premises.
Private organisations such as gaming arcades are not authorised by the National Registration Regulations to retain a person's NRIC. Nevertheless, it is not illegal if they do so, as long as the other party authorises them - by way of surrendering their NRIC - to hold their card as a condition for entry, or in exchange for a visitor's pass.
This is considered as a private arrangement between the two parties concerned.
The NRIC is an important document, ICA urges all cardholders to hand over their cards to trusted parties only.
Lim Jing Jing Deputy Head, Public & Internal Communications Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
Audrey Ang Assistant Director (Media Relations) Singapore Police Force
Document NEWPAP0020071120e3bl0000u
A dangerous risk to surrender IC?
643 words
13 November 2007
The New Paper
English
Copyright 2007, Singapore Press Holdings Limited
MY 17-year-old son visited X-Com Cybergame at level two of Parklane Shopping Mall on 1 Oct with a group of friends. They were required to deposit their identity cards (ICs) at the reception.
After their game and making payment, their stack of ICs was returned to them.
Upon checking, my son realised his was missing from the stack. He informed the person handling it.
After a search he was informed that they were unable to locate his IC and he had to make a police report. There was no apology or responsibility taken by the management.
My son went to Hougang Neighbourhood Police Centre to report the loss the next day.
However, an officer told him that there is no need to report the lost IC unless he had lost his entire wallet with other important documents.
I am alarmed to learn about this.
If the IC falls into the wrong hands, it could be used to borrow money from illegal moneylenders, or books from the library.
It could also be used by someone engaging in illegal activities or for setting up a bank account in my son's name. I was kept in the dark about the loss initially as my son was hoping someone would find his card and return it to him.
More than a month later, on 5 Nov, a letter arrived for my son. It contained his lost IC and a handwritten note advising him to keep his IC securely.
As there was no information of the sender, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the kind person who mailed it back to us.
I would also like to ask the sender to contact me as I would really like to thank him or her personally.
I still have a few questions for the police and X-com management.
Would the police please confirm if it is necessary to report the loss of ICs? As it was lost for more than a month, I am concerned it might have been used in illegal activities already.
Can the police advise what recourse I have if something like that happens since no statement was taken from my son when it happened?
Can the police also comment if it is legal for X-Com to hold patrons' ICs as deposit?
I note that in many condominiums, this practice of collecting the ICs of visitors has been stopped or replaced by other means of identifying visitors for fear of loss of ICs and/or identity theft.
When X-Com loses a patron's IC while it is in X-Com's possession, isn't it responsible for investigating what happens, on the possibility that someone working there might have taken it? Will the police investigate such concerns?
Doesn't the management of X-Com have an obligation to accompany my son to the police station to detail how the loss might have occurred.
I know this point is now moot since the IC has been returned, but if it was really lost, X-Com should bear the cost of replacement.
And what safety measures are X-Com taking to prevent a similar event from happening?
Since the loss, X-Com has not even called my son once to enquire if anyone has found and returned the IC to him. I am looking forward to a satisfactory response from the management of X-Com before I decide my next course of action.
In view of the rising global trend of identity thefts, the police or other relevant authorities should step in to stop gaming arcades from collecting ICs as deposits.
And if repeated thefts of ICs and other criminal activities occur on such premises, the authorities should revoke their licences.
Can the relevant parties please comment on this?
Serene Wong Mei Fong