[Notice to Foreign Applicants] Fraudulent Registration Certificates

We have detected a possible scam targeting eye care professionals where falsified registration certificates were offered by unauthorised parties.

1. These fraudulent certificates may be distributed through unofficial channels. Please be aware that legitimate registration and practising certificates are only issued through official regulatory bodies and professional boards/councils.

2. Only applicants holding OOB recognised qualifications are eligible for registration as optometrists or opticians in Singapore. OOB does not conduct any examination for the purpose of registration for applicants holding non-recognised optometry or opticianry qualification. For more information on how to apply for registration, please click here.

3. To verify registration status, you may use the Professional Search function on our website to search for registered optometrists and opticians.

If you come across any suspicious registration certificate, you are advised to document the details and report the incident to your local regulatory authority and law enforcement agency.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Under the Optometrists and Opticians Act, Section 27

Fraudulent registration, etc.

27. Any person who —

(a) procures or attempts to procure registration as an optometrist or optician under this Act, a certificate of registration or a practising certificate, by knowingly making or producing or causing to be made or produced any false or fraudulent declaration, certificate, application or representation, whether in writing or otherwise;

(b) wilfully makes or causes to be made any false entry in the Register of Optometrists or the Register of Opticians;

(c) forges or alters a certificate of registration or practising certificate;

(d) fraudulently or dishonestly uses as genuine a certificate of registration or practising certificate which the person knows or has reason to believe is forged or altered; or

(e) buys, sells or fraudulently obtains a certificate of registration or practising certificate,

shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.