NCCIA Arrests 28 Suspects in Punjab Cyber Fraud Crackdown

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested 28 suspects in separate operations against an alleged cyber fraud network operating in different parts of Punjab.

The arrests took place in Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan. According to the NCCIA, the suspects allegedly used fake identities and false promises to deceive citizens and collect large amounts of money.

During the operations, investigators recovered 24 mobile phones and a laptop from the suspects. The agency is examining the devices and other evidence to determine the scale of the alleged fraud. Officials said the cases involve financial losses amounting to millions of rupees.

NCCIA Arrests 28 Suspects in Punjab Cyber Fraud Crackdown

The suspects allegedly used different identities to gain the trust of their victims. These included relatives, visa agents, government officials, bank employees and overseas Pakistanis. Investigators believe the suspects used these identities to convince people to transfer money for different reasons.

In Lahore, the NCCIA arrested 18 suspects. In one case, suspects allegedly posed as a relative and a visa agent and managed to obtain Rs2.586 million from a citizen.

In other cases, suspects allegedly impersonated a deputy director and officials of the Punjab Safe Cities Authority. They reportedly used these identities to convince citizens to hand over money. The agency is investigating the transactions to determine the total amount involved in these cases.

The NCCIA also arrested three suspects in Faisalabad over alleged online trading fraud and unauthorised access to a company email account.

According to investigators, the suspects used fake screenshots showing trading activity, wallet balances and profits to attract victims. They allegedly convinced a citizen to invest money by presenting these false records as evidence of successful trading. The victim reportedly suffered a loss of Rs5.466 million.

The agency also carried out an operation in Multan, where seven suspects were arrested. These suspects allegedly used several false identities, including those of a UK-based person, bank employee or relative.

They reportedly contacted citizens and demanded money on different pretexts. These included prize money, customs clearance, tax payments and visa renewal. Investigators are now examining the cases to establish how the suspects operated and whether they were connected to a larger network.

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The NCCIA said the investigation is still in progress. Forensic teams are analysing the mobile phones and laptop recovered during the operations. The agency is also examining financial transactions, call records and other digital evidence.

Officials said the analysis could help investigators identify other people involved in the alleged fraud network. It may also reveal additional victims and financial transactions linked to the suspects.

The arrests come as online financial scams continue to pose a challenge for citizens. Fraudsters often use social engineering techniques, fake profiles and impersonation to gain the confidence of victims before asking them to send money.

The NCCIA has urged citizens to remain cautious when receiving unexpected calls or messages from people claiming to be relatives, government officials, bank employees or overseas contacts. Citizens should verify the identity of the caller before sharing personal information or transferring money.

Further action will be taken after the completion of the investigation and forensic examination of the recovered devices, according to the agency.