NCCIA arrests 34 in online scam involving foreign, Pakistani citizens

• 15 foreigners, 19 Pakistanis among arrested suspects.
• NCCIA recovers Illegal gateways, thousands of SIMs.
• NCCIA official says team continues to gather evidence.
  

KARACHI: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested 34 individuals, including 15 foreigners, involved in an online investment scam that duped citizens with promises of high returns.

Speaking at a press conference alongside NCCIA Additional Director Tariq Nawaz on Thursday, Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar said that the suspects lured people with false investment schemes, claiming large profits in return.

"Victims were shown fake profits through fraudulent logins to resemble genuine investment portals," Lanjar said.

The operation also resulted in the seizure of 37 computers, 40 mobile phones, over 10,000 mobile SIMs, and six illegal gateway exchanges, he added.

The Sindh minister stated that the SIM cards were used to create fake accounts on social media and Telegram.

The NCCIA's additional director said that the operation, which led to arrests in DHA Phase-1 and Phase-6, included 15 foreign nationals and 19 Pakistani citizens.

"The investigative team is working on gathering further technical evidence," he added.

The Sindh minister praised NCCIA's professional handling of the case, saying cybercrime posed a serious threat to public trust and financial security.

He reiterated the Sindh government's resolve to take strict action against organised cybercriminal networks.

In July, the NCCIA arrested five foreign nationals accused of operating an illegal call centre in the G-10 area of Islamabad.

According to the NCCIA, the call centre was found to be hosting a fraudulent online network, allegedly run by the five foreign individuals. More than 60 Pakistani nationals were also employed at the site.

During a court hearing granting the NCCIA two-day custody of the suspects, the prosecutor stated that the accused were part of an organised network involved in online scams through illegal websites.