Cybercriminal network expanding fast

Officials say bank employees working hand-in-hand with conmen

LAHORE: There seems to be no let-up in cyber fraud cases in recent times as the numbers are increasing by the day. With the help of bank employees, mobile company representatives and specialised software, fraudsters are depriving people of millions of rupees. They also use credit and debit cards hacking methodology and phone calls to make people lose their money.

FIA Cyber Crime Wing Lahore’s Chaudhry Sarfraz told The Express Tribune that online fraud incidents were occurring with alarming regularity.  He stated that despite the fact that people were aware of such incidents, they continue to be duped into providing information. “Afterwards, they bring the complaints of the fraud to us,” he said.

The deputy director stated that the wing would immediately take action on these complaints. He said the FIA arrested eight-plus people in such cases and pointed out that most of the suspects were well educated. He said that a further crackdown had been initiated based on information extracted from the culprits.

The Cyber Crime Wing Lahore has received around 2,790 complaints during the last three months. Taking action against these complaints, the FIA arrested the mentioned eight persons, but failed to prevent further frauds. He said the victims, who have been deprived of their money, include army officers, teachers, reputed businessmen, employees of public and private companies, doctors, lawyers and even an imam-e-masjid.

He said conmen made fake calls or sent emails to people using sophisticated software. The callers mention their previous transaction history, duping the unsuspecting victims into thinking that some dubious activity had taken place in their name.

Lack of information hampers fight against cybercrime

The culprits' guided victims that they would receive a phone call from a bank helpline with which they would have to share pin codes. With the information in hand, the conmen would fleece the customers of their money.

FIA sources revealed that this fraud occurs with the connivance of bank officials who have access to customer accounts. With the help of employees from various mobile companies, money is shifted between accounts before it disappears. In some cases, customers get a text message stating that the respective account has been deposited with a hefty amount of up to Rs1 million. Subsequently, when the account holder enquires from the helpline, they are informed that no such amount has been deposited.

Other times, account holders receive messages that state that the amount has been withdrawn from their account without a trace or trail. While this suspicious or unwarranted activity takes place between accounts, the scammers make away with the looted wealth.

Such incidents have occurred in Lahore and the areas of Gulberg, DHA, Cavalry Ground, Iqbal Town, Shalamar, Shahdara, Ravi Road, Bilal Ganj, Samanabad, Wahdat Road, Muslim Town, and Airport.  Details of the bank accounts are being extracted by using the latest software.

It is also being reported by FIA sources that records are also being obtained from voter lists. From these records, complete information of the family trail is stolen. Even extracting the details of CNICs is no longer difficult.  The software is readily available and scammers identify accounts using details extracted through it. There are also some cases of fraud in which people receive calls or emails accusing them of being tax defaulters. The victims in such cases are told about their latest ATM transaction and the callers threaten to freeze their accounts within an hour or two if they would not provide the required information. Once the unsuspecting victims reveal all, the conmen use that information to steal millions of rupees.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2019.