Loopholes fuel crime wave as illegal SIMs drive banking fraud, NA panel told
ISLAMABAD: Loopholes in the system continue to fuel a crime wave, with illegally issued SIMs being used in a large number of fraudulent calls and fake banking messages. This was the grim picture presented to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control on Thursday, as regulators acknowledged that scammers remain active despite the blocking of 18.2 million illegal…
Islamabad: Officials at a National Assembly meeting warned that gaps in the system are enabling criminals to exploit loopholes in illegal SIMs for financial fraud, despite the authorities having blocked 18.2 million of these devices over the past two and a half years. Senior officers from various departments, including the Interior Ministry, National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, Federal Investigation Agency, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, and Punjab Board of Revenue, attended the meeting chaired by Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz.
NCCIA Director Irfanullah Khan revealed that 195 active SIMs and 81 ATM cards were seized during a recent raid in Multan, stolen by scammers exploiting system gaps. PTA Chairman Major General (retd) Hafeezur Rehman admitted that the biometric verification system for SIM issuance is being bypassed, with fraudsters stealing fingerprints from various official locations.
State Minister Talal Chaudhry called for a shift towards facial and iris recognition, urging telecom companies to enhance their security features. He also highlighted the rise of rented bank accounts used for laundering scam proceeds. The committee was briefed on various fraudulent methods, including unauthorised withdrawals and rented "mule" bank accounts.
Action points included collaborating with stakeholders to devise a new plan to curb illegal SIMs, raising public awareness, and monitoring social media to prevent their promotion.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
