The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in Islamabad has taken into custody four individuals accused of cheating citizens by offering counterfeit visa and airline ticket services on WhatsApp groups.
An NCCIA official explained that the suspects operated a fraud network masquerading as a travel agency, contacting potential clients through WhatsApp and urging them to send money for travel arrangements.
According to the official, the group collected payments but delivered forged travel documents rather than authentic visas and tickets.
The agency has lodged two First Information Reports (FIRs) against the four under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 and the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Investigations continue to gauge the fraud's scale and locate additional participants.
Separately, NCCIA uncovered another cluster allegedly scamming taxi drivers with fake SIM cards, WhatsApp and online accounts. A spokesperson said the suspects pretended to be government officials, booking rides near Rawalpindi's Red Zone, then citing medical emergencies to extract money before canceling the trips and disappearing.
A case has been filed for this scheme, and inquiries are ongoing.
Earlier, NCCIA officers in Lahore arrested the alleged mastermind behind an international online fraud operation valued at Rs35 billion. Authorities claim a website selling counterfeit US postage stamps was used to market over five million fake stamps, leading to raids at 35 sites across Punjab, Islamabad and Sindh.
The agency said the actions are part of Director General Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi's zero-tolerance policy aimed at curbing international cyber fraud and protecting the country's reputation.
