As scammers devise new forms of online criminal activity, thousands of citizens have suffered financial losses.
LAHORE:
Incidents of account hacking fraud on major social media platforms (WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram) have been steadily increasing across Pakistan, raising serious concerns about cybersecurity and public awareness.
The trend has continued even after the establishment of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in 2025, which replaced the cyber crime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The agency was created to specifically address the growing number of cybercrime cases, particularly those involving social media fraud and online financial scams.
Several social media hacking victims have also reported financial losses. Grade 20 government official Muhammad Afzal Ahmed shared that hackers used his WhatsApp account to ask his friends and family for money, and several people transferred funds through mobile banking services before the account was restored after 24 hours.
Similarly, Rizwan Anwar had a fake Facebook account created in his name, which was used to solicit money from his contacts. Another victim, Shahid Ali, a mechanic, claimed that hackers collected Rs 500,000 from people using his name after gaining access to his WhatsApp account. “I filed a complaint but I’m still waiting for action to be taken,” Ali said.
Amir Naseem, professor of Information Technology at Government College, said the NCCIA did not yet have sufficiently advanced equipment or up-to-date systems, making it difficult to locate hackers.
“Facebook, WhatsApp and other social media applications do not have formal agreements with the FIA, which creates additional difficulties in investigations,” Naseem explained.
According to official records available to The Express PAkGazette, in 2024 more than 380,000 complaints were received related to WhatsApp, Facebook, financial fraud and online scams. Of these complaints and investigations, 63 per cent came from Punjab, while the remaining 37 per cent came from other provinces.
After the formation of the NCCIA, the use of digital platforms continued to expand and cybercrime also showed a sharp increase. In 2025 alone, the agency received 254,930 complaints specifically related to the hacking of WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram accounts or the creation of fake profiles used to demand money.
Additionally, the agency received more than 500,000 phone calls from citizens seeking information or reporting suspected fraud through phone calls or emails. During the same period, authorities recorded more than 85,000 complaints related to financial fraud and more than 25,000 complaints directly related to hacking incidents.
As of February 2026, data shows that 500 to 700 complaints related to hacking and fraud are received every month on social media.
According to officials, more than 2,000 calls and emails are received daily in Punjab alone reporting hacking incidents or seeking help regarding cyber fraud.
Cybercrime and IT expert Shahid Hussain warned that criminals often pose as friends or family to trick victims into sending them money through duplicate accounts on WhatsApp, Facebook and, increasingly, Instagram.
“Hackers also share fake links for financial rewards or benefits that can steal personal data when clicked. Some scammers make phone calls posing as banks or government programs, including the Benazir Income Support Program, to obtain sensitive financial information,” Hussain said.
“Artificial intelligence tools are now used to copy photos and details to create fake profiles and send urgent money requests to contacts,” added Hussain, who advised users to avoid suspicious links, report fake accounts and enable two-factor authentication for greater security.
Former FIA Director General Khadim Hussain Bhatti said that although the government has set up the NCCIA, public awareness about cyber fraud remains limited. “Large-scale awareness campaigns and digital safety education are necessary to prevent people from falling victim to online scams,” Bhatti said.
Cybercrime investigation agency officials acknowledged that cybercrime incidents are increasing, but maintained that efforts are being made to improve investigations, raise awareness and strengthen cooperation with educational institutions to educate the public about online safety.
Under the revised cybercrime procedures, citizens can now lodge cybercrime-related complaints at the nearest police station instead of traveling to major cities, after which cases are forwarded to relevant cybercrime authorities.
