NCCIA raids two Lahore call centres, arrests 12 over telecom fraud
The NCCIA's Lahore Zone raided two illegal call centres on Friday and arrested 12 suspects, including two women. Officials said the centres defrauded people abroad, and 28 digital devices were seized.
- NCCIA Lahore Zone arrested 12 suspects, 10 men and 2 women, in two raids.
- 28 devices were seized: 13 laptops, 2 desktop computers and 13 mobile phones.
- The centres allegedly posed as Canadian and US telecom firms to obtain financial details.
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Lahore Zone raided two illegal call centres in Lahore on Friday, arresting 12 suspects in connection with international telecom fraud. Among those held were 10 men and two women.
The raids took place at Solution Hub in Batapur and Task Taker in Punjab Housing Society. According to the reports, they were carried out on credible information and under search warrants issued by a competent court. Additional Director Atif Amir led both operations and was present at the sites.
Officials said the call centres targeted citizens of Canada, the United States and other countries by posing as representatives of Rogers, Bell, Telus and AT&T. The suspects allegedly offered mobile phone upgrades, network packages and SIM deals to obtain victims' financial information.
That information was allegedly used in illegal financial transactions and carding fraud. In the first operation, one woman and six men were arrested. In the second, one woman and four men were detained.
Investigators seized 13 laptops, two desktop computers and 13 mobile phones, 28 devices in all. Initial checks found dial-up software used to call people abroad, along with related data. All devices have been sent for forensic analysis.
Cases have been registered against the suspects and investigations are continuing. TechJuice reported that the agency would continue action against illegal call centres, international telecom fraud and misuse of citizens' financial information without discrimination, in accordance with the law. Atif Amir was quoted as saying so.
TechJuice also noted an earlier NCCIA raid on a call centre on Sharea Faisal in Karachi on 4 November, in which 273 people were arrested and 339 laptops, 152 mobile phones and four computers were seized. NCCIA Additional Director Shahzad Akbar said that centre operated as Voxtron Solutions.
Background
khabr.pk reported on 6 November that Pakistan's National CERT had issued an advisory on rising cyber threats driven by artificial intelligence, saying financial institutions and critical infrastructure were the main targets.
Why it matters for Pakistan
The call centres allegedly defrauded people abroad, but they operated from Pakistan, so such cases bear on the country's reputation and on enforcement against cybercrime. Pakistani authorities have now acted against call centres in both Lahore and Karachi within days. Forensic analysis of the seized devices is still to come.
