A 13-year-old girl in Karachi was saved by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency after a dark web-connected online syndicate ordered her to hurt animals and commit self-harm, officials announced.
An inquiry started when an overseas intelligence service alerted the agency about unusual internet activity tied to a suspected child exploitation ring. Tariq Nawaz, who serves as the NCCIA Additional Director, stated that officers obtained a tip, an email address, and internet protocol addresses.
Cyber detectives followed the digital trail to Karachi and discovered the individual tied to the activity was actually a victim rather than an offender. Undercover agents used hidden social media and messaging accounts to reach out to the teenager, according to Nawaz.
The syndicate gave her directives that included animal abuse and self-harm. She finished the initial assignment by poisoning a feline. Afterward, the network directed her to inflict serious injury upon herself, but NCCIA personnel arrived at her location prior to the execution of that assignment.
Officers went to her residence, confiscated her digital gadgets for forensic review, and alerted her mother and father, who previously had no knowledge of her digital habits. The parents explained to investigators that they observed behavioral shifts during the preceding six months but failed to connect them to her internet usage.
Nawaz mentioned that the inquiry continues to find the profiles used for contacting the minor and track down the administrators of the syndicate. Officials are also checking if other minors inside Pakistan suffered targeting from the same group. Investigators have reported zero arrests to date.
The NCCIA advised parents to supervise the digital habits of their youngsters, observe strange behavioral shifts, and stay informed regarding online dangers present on messaging services and social platforms.
In a separate development on Monday, the NCCIA issued a warning against generating fraudulent social media accounts of females, publishing their private information and photographs, and extorting them digitally. The agency declared through a social media bulletin that such actions constitute punishable cybercrimes.
