NCCIA Busts Ponzi Scheme Call Center, Arrests 149

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) announced the apprehension of 149 individuals following a raid on a call center implicated in a Ponzi scheme. The announcement was made via an agency statement on Thursday.

Among those taken into custody, 71 are foreign citizens, primarily identified as being from China. Authorities indicate that the operation specifically targeted individuals engaged in fraudulent activities through digital means and telephone communications.

According to the NCCIA, the illicit call center was deeply involved in Ponzi schemes and various forms of investment fraud. It served as a front, deceiving unsuspecting members of the public and enticing them into financial scams camouflaged as attractive investment opportunities.

The agency added that this fraud network was actively engaged in deceiving the populace and unlawfully amassing considerable amounts of capital. These funds were accumulated through deceptive tactics and unauthorised channels, representing a grave risk to both financial stability and public confidence.

“Through this deceptive network, individuals were being defrauded, and substantial sums of money were being illicitly obtained,” the agency stated.

The agency further disclosed that they acted on actionable intelligence concerning the network, which was operating within the city of Faisalabad, an industrial hub located in the eastern part of the country.

The raid, according to reports, occurred at the residence of Tasheen Awan, who previously headed the city’s power distribution network.