ISLAMABAD: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested over 65 individuals, including five foreign nationals, during a raid on a scam call centre operating in Islamabad’s G-10 Sector, officials confirmed on Monday.
According to authorities, the raid uncovered substantial evidence of illegal activities. Those arrested include more than 60 Pakistani men and women, running the scam operations under the guise of a legitimate business.
A spokesperson for the NCCIA stated that legal proceedings are underway against both the suspects and those who facilitated or provided security and infrastructure to the illicit operation.
Faisalabad’s Big scam call center
The Islamabad raid follows a similar operation earlier this month in Faisalabad, where 149 people — including 71 foreign nationals, primarily Chinese — were taken into custody during a crackdown on a large-scale scam call centre.
“The centre was engaged in Ponzi schemes and investment fraud, deceiving the public and collecting large sums of money,” the NCCIA said in a statement issued last Thursday.
The Faisalabad network, officials revealed, had been under surveillance after a tip-off alerted authorities to its sophisticated fraud setup. Victims were lured with small investment returns and gradually convinced to invest larger amounts, often through WhatsApp and Telegram groups.
A police report stated that participants were initially offered tasks like subscribing to TikTok and YouTube channels, after which they were transitioned to more complex online assignments requiring additional payments.
Among the 149 arrested in Faisalabad were 78 Pakistanis, 48 Chinese nationals, and others from Nigeria, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, and Myanmar. Eighteen of the suspects were women, the agency added.
The NCCIA has vowed to intensify its crackdown on cyber and financial crimes, particularly targeting foreign-backed fraudulent operations that exploit Pakistan’s digital platforms and financial systems.
