'Business account being hacked'

NCCIA says 39 social media accounts recovered and 95 blocked in 15 days

KARACHI:

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has warned that WhatsApp Business accounts are increasingly being hacked, urging users to exercise caution amid a rise in cybercrime.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, NCCIA Karachi Zone Deputy Director Shehzad Akbar said the agency had recovered 39 accounts belonging to citizens on WhatsApp, Instagram and other social media platforms over the past 15 days.

It had also blocked 95 accounts allegedly involved in financially defrauding people. He said action had been taken against 38 accounts allegedly used to harass women through fake identities.

Akbar advised users to remain vigilant, particularly regarding the security of their WhatsApp Business accounts, which he said were being compromised in large numbers.

In a separate development, the agency raided a location on Thursday night following a tip-off and uncovered what the official described as an alleged child exploitation network involving online abuse and the production of pornographic material featuring minors.

According to Akbar, individuals based in Germany and the United Kingdom were allegedly involved in the operation. He claimed that children were offered $100 for producing videos involving the sexual exploitation of minors, while the children themselves received Rs6,000.

He said 42 suspects had been arrested in connection with the alleged network, including 12 minors. He identified a suspect named Fida as a central figure, claiming that he operated three companies and that specially designated rooms were used to assign tasks to children.

Akbar said similar online exploitation spaces existed in other parts of the world. He also referred to previous investigations in Karachi, including a case involving a child allegedly seeking revenge online, and a more recent case in which investigators traced a 14-year-old girl.