Staff Reporter
Federal Investigation Agency received 4547 complaints during the ongoing year (2021) regarding unsolicited and fraudulent calls where common people were financially deceived.
Out of 4547 complaints, 1815 were converted into regular enquiry and 145 cases were also registered in this regard, an official source told media on Sunday.
The source said that Cyber Crime Wing (CCW) of FIA registered 3706 enquiries as well as 154 cases in year 2020 while 1798 enquiries were held and 158 cases were registered in 2019.
He said that complaints were registered under various sections of Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016.
He said the Cyber Crime Wing of FIA assists Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in tracking the owner of such SIMs and interrogate them.
During interrogation it was revealed that all such SIMs were activated fraudulently by using different fraudulent techniques like silicon thumb impression.
The source said that it was mandate of PTA under section 17 of PECA-2016 to check and monitor the illegally SIMs biometric verification.
Cyber Crime Wing of FIA has established special team in every Cyber crime reporting centre who dealt complaints against such unsolicited callers who defrauded common people and also jointly launched crackdown with the assistance of PTA against such franchises which activated SIMs fraudulently.
However, he said PTA was the authority to monitor activation of such SIMs. During current year, he said CCW-FIA registered five FIRs under sections 16, 17 of PECA 2016 and 15 accused were arrested besides recovery of 75 biometric devices, 14533 SIMs and 1408 silicon thumb impression and 3000 sheets.
