NCCIA Raids Call Centre on Shahrah-e-Faisal, Arrests 27 Suspects in International Fraud Case

KARACHI: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Karachi has conducted a major operation against a call centre allegedly involved in an international fraud network on Business Avenue, Shahrah-e-Faisal, arresting 27 suspects, including four Afghan nationals and three alleged owners of the call centre.

According to the NCCIA, the suspects were allegedly targeting foreign citizens through fraudulent calls and impersonation schemes.

Initial investigations found that the suspects allegedly posed as representatives of US banks and debt-settlement organisations to obtain sensitive information from foreign citizens.

The suspects allegedly contacted victims through fake and spoofed calls, presenting themselves as authorised representatives of financial institutions.

According to the NCCIA, the suspects used prepared scripts to persuade foreign citizens to make unauthorised financial transfers.

The agency said the suspects had access to sensitive information belonging to foreign citizens, including Social Security numbers, mobile phone numbers and dates of birth.

Investigators also found information related to bank accounts, credit cards and debit cards, according to the initial findings.

The NCCIA said the information obtained from victims was allegedly transferred to individuals connected with the call centre’s management.

During the operation, the NCCIA recovered laptops, mobile phones and other digital devices from the suspects.

The agency said technical examination identified evidence of spoofing diallers and fraudulent calling techniques allegedly being used by the call centre.

The digital devices were taken into official custody under a seizure memo dated September 15 and subsequently submitted for forensic and technical examination.

According to the NCCIA, the arrested suspects include alleged call centre owners Ali Siddiqui alias Medi, Fawad Ahmed and Farooq, along with Afghan nationals, agents and operational staff.

The three alleged owners and the other suspects have been named in the FIR registered in connection with the case.

The agency said the three owners had allegedly been involved in the unlawful activities for an extended period.

The NCCIA has launched an investigation into the suspects’ alleged financial network and money trail.

Investigators are also examining the individual roles of those arrested and working to identify additional people who may be linked to the alleged international fraud network.

The forensic examination of the seized devices is expected to provide further information about the scope of the operation, the identities of potential victims and the financial transactions allegedly connected to the call centre.

The suspects’ alleged involvement and the full extent of the network will be determined through the ongoing investigation and legal proceedings.