11 held for online fraud, running illegal call centres

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Lahore, arrested 11 suspects during multiple operations targeting alleged cyber fraud and illegal call centres, according to a report in Dawn on September 25th, 2026. The recovered items included laptops, mobile phones, and digital data linked to fraudulent activities. The NCCIA claims the arrests were made against groups attempting to obtain citizens' financial information by impersonating bank officials and service company representatives.

In one instance, suspects Aslam, Huzaifa, Abdul Rauf, Jan Muhammad, Asghar, and Umar Usman were apprehended for allegedly posing as bank managers and persuading individuals to open fraudulent accounts, from which funds were subsequently withdrawn. Two mobile phones were seized from these suspects. In another operation at an illegal call centre in Al-Qadir Plaza, Gulberg III, Ahsan Rizwan, Muhammad Ahmed, and Irfan Khalid Hussain were arrested, along with eight laptops and three mobile phones, where forensic examination revealed VoIP software, credit and debit card details, and mobile phone numbers.

In a third operation at Barkat Market, Garden Town, Adeel Shehzad and Ali Adnan were detained, and five laptops, six computers, and one mobile phone were recovered. The NCCIA alleges these individuals posed as service company representatives while making international calls to citizens. The recovered digital devices have been sent for forensic analysis, and investigators are probing further financial transactions, identifying additional victims, and tracing other alleged network members.

Further legal action will follow the outcomes of the forensic findings and the ongoing investigation.