ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on Tuesday told a senate panel that the country has recorded a surge in online fraud cases.
It said online fraud cases involving an amount of Rs2-3 billion collectively have been reported by the citizens with WhatsApp hacking becoming the most common method of financial fraud.
The revelation was made in the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecommunication, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan.
Fraudsters impersonate family members
Officials from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency informed the committee that a large number of fraudulent calls are made to ordinary citizens. In many cases, fraudsters impersonate family members and friends through hacked WhatsApp accounts to solicit money, the officials said.
The agency officials said that frauds involving Rs 720 million have already been documented and multiple FIRs registered. So far, 63 raids have been conducted on illegal call centers across the country, they added.
Officials warned that criminal elements are also deceiving citizens by offering fake overseas employment opportunities and luring them with fabricated promises.
Moreover, some fraudsters use flashy lifestyles on social media to influence and lure potential victims.
In July this year, Cybercrime authorities arrested former chairman Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO), Tahseen Awan, for his alleged involvement in an international online fraud racket being run through foreign nationals.
