LAHORE – The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA),Lahore Zone on Saturday decided to expand its cybercrime awareness campaign to educational institutions, social organizations and households to protect citizens, students and children from online crimes.
On the directions of Additional Director Lahore Zone Atif Ameer,special awareness sessions were organized at Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan and the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) where students and participants were briefed on online fraud,cyber harassment and ways to ensure digital safety.
During the sessions,NCCIA Deputy Directors Waqas Saeed and Mudassar Shah highlighted various aspects of cybersecurity,online financial fraud,digital harassment,unsafe use of social media and other cybercrimes.
They also explained practical measures to identify potential online threats and prevent digital fraud.
At the Alkhidmat Foundation’s central office,participants included Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Khubaib Bilal, Group Chief Financial Officer Atiq Rashid and Shoaib Hashmi.
In his presentation,Deputy Director Waqas Saeed highlighted fraudulent websites, suspicious links, phishing, online financial scams,cyber harassment and the illegal use of personal and institutional information.
Participants were advised to use strong passwords, enable multi-factor authentication and secure their social media accounts.
They were also briefed on avoiding financial fraud through fake calls and messages.
At UET, the NCCIA officers briefed students on online gambling, financial fraud, phishing, misuse of digital identities and cyberbullying.
They said illegal activities carried out through the internet and social media were also covered under the country’s laws and could lead to legal action against those involved.
The students were also guided on immediate safety measures in case of cyberattacks or hacked accounts, including changing passwords,disconnecting affected devices from networks, preserving digital evidence and filing complaints with the relevant authorities.
The speakers urged victims of online fraud and harassment to report such incidents promptly instead of remaining silent.
Additional Director Atif Ameer said the awareness campaign would be extended to schools,colleges and other educational institutions, while efforts would also be made to educate children and parents about cybercrime prevention at their homes.
He said public awareness and cooperation were essential for preventing cybercrimes, adding that the NCCIA would continue such activities to promote digital safety among citizens.
At the conclusion of the Alkhidmat session,the foundation presented a shield to Deputy Director Waqas Saeed, while Group Chief Financial Officer Atiq Rashid thanked the NCCIA officers for their participation.
