RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested 61 people during a raid on an alleged illegal call centre involved in a foreign loan recovery scheme, officials said.
The agency also seized 155 laptops and 71 mobile phones during the operation in Rawalpindi.
According to the NCCIA, intelligence sources reported the presence of an illegal call centre in the Commercial Market area of Satellite Town.
The agency alleged that workers at the centre were threatening and harassing foreign citizens in the name of recovering loans.
Acting on the information, a team from the NCCIA’s Rawalpindi Circle raided the call centre and arrested 61 people.
Officials said investigators seized 155 laptops and 71 mobile phones from the premises. They also took the digital devices and the data stored on them for forensic examination.
The NCCIA said its initial investigation found that the suspects allegedly posed as fake recovery agents. They contacted foreign citizens and demanded money in the name of recovering loans, while allegedly threatening and harassing them.
The agency said the alleged activities had caused mental distress to victims and could damage Pakistan’s international reputation.
The NCCIA said it had registered a case against the suspects. Further investigation is under way, while authorities are conducting technical and forensic analysis of the seized devices and data.
NCCIA Director General Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi said illegal call centres posed a serious threat to Pakistan’s reputation and public trust.
He said the agency was following a zero-tolerance policy against cybercrime and would continue action against illegal call centres and those involved in cyber fraud.
Rizvi urged citizens to report cybercrime through the NCCIA helpline at 1799 or to the nearest NCCIA circle.
