ISLAMABAD – National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Director General Khurram Ali has warned that sharing one-time passwords (OTPs) remains the leading cause of WhatsApp account hacking in Pakistan, as incidents of cyber fraud continue to rise.
Khurram Ali said complaints related to hacked WhatsApp and bank accounts had increased significantly, prompting the agency to develop a comprehensive action plan to combat the growing threat.
He announced that the NCCIA is setting up a dedicated helpline to assist victims in recovering compromised accounts. The agency is also preparing a nationwide awareness campaign in partnership with Meta to educate the public about cyber safety through messages in local languages.
Ali urged users to activate two-step verification on their WhatsApp accounts and stressed that verification codes or OTPs received on mobile phones should never be shared with anyone.
He said sharing OTPs remains the primary reason cybercriminals gain access to WhatsApp accounts, adding that the agency is also working on technological measures to curb the misuse of verification codes.
The NCCIA chief noted that the increasing use of the internet and smartphones had contributed to a rise in cybercrime, particularly online financial fraud. He said several cybercrime networks operating in Pakistan had been dismantled through international cooperation and advised citizens to adopt stronger digital security practices to safeguard both their WhatsApp and banking accounts.
Referring to an earlier operation in May, Ali said the NCCIA had busted an organised network in South Punjab involved in selling sensitive personal data for nominal amounts. Four suspects were arrested during the crackdown.
He added that investigations revealed the group had leaked and sold information linked to prominent individuals, while some people within various institutions were also found to have facilitated unauthorised access to confidential data.
