LAHORE: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Lahore has arrested three suspects accused of impersonating government officials and extorting money from citizens.
According to the agency, the suspects contacted victims while posing as officials from different government institutions.
They allegedly told citizens that authorities had detected suspicious transactions in their bank accounts.
The suspects then threatened to block or freeze the accounts unless victims paid money to resolve the alleged issues.
Gang allegedly extorted Rs15 million
The NCCIA said the gang used the scheme to obtain Rs15 million from a woman.
Following her complaint, NCCIA Lahore launched an investigation and arrested Muhammad Arif, Muhammad Younis Sajid and Muhammad Nadeem.
Investigators also recovered digital devices from the suspects during the operation.
Preliminary analysis of the devices reportedly revealed more than 12 fake accounts linked to alleged fraudulent financial activities.
Investigation into wider network continues
The NCCIA said investigators are examining the accounts to determine the full scope of the alleged fraud.
They are also reviewing transaction records and identifying people associated with the suspected accounts.
The agency said the investigation would help establish whether additional individuals participated in the alleged criminal network.
Meanwhile, authorities have repeatedly warned citizens against sharing financial information with callers claiming to represent government institutions.
The latest arrests highlight the growing use of impersonation and digital financial channels in sophisticated cybercrime schemes.
