FIA warns against sharing verification codes as cyber fraud increases

FIA advised the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to Cyber Crime Wing of the agency

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has warned citizens against sharing their verification codes, as fraudsters are increasingly impersonating officials from various institutions to target the public, Express News reported.

According to the FIA, individuals involved in online scams have been impersonating officials from prominent organisations such as the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), and the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC).

These fraudsters are reaching out to people through social media platforms like WhatsApp, claiming to be representatives of these institutions, the FIA said in a statement.

The agency revealed that the fraudsters pressure individuals into sharing their verification codes, often under the pretext of degree verification. Once the code is provided, the fraudsters hack the victim's WhatsApp account and initiate a scam by contacting their close contacts.

The FIA advised the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the Cyber Crime Wing of the agency.

Earlier this year, the FIA revealed that in July alone, more than 1,400 WhatsApp accounts had been hacked across the country.

According to complaints received by the Cyber Crime Wing, since July 1, the FIA had recorded a total of 1,426 complaints related to hacked accounts, although this number does not include users whose complaints have not yet been registered.

The Cyber Crime Wing reported that of the registered complaints, 549 hacked accounts have already been restored, and details regarding these accounts have been submitted to the Senate.