LAHORE, Oct 28 (APP):The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA),Lahore Zone on Wednesday arrested 42 suspects, including 11 women,during raids on three alleged illegal call centers in the city and seized 67 laptops,50 mobile phones and two server systems.
According to an NCCIA spokesperson,the raids were conducted in Garden Town,Gulberg and OPF Society on the directions of Additional Director NCCIA Lahore Zone Atif Ameer.
In Garden Town, 22 suspects,including 10 women were arrested while seven suspects,including a woman were apprehended in Gulberg.
Another 13 suspects were arrested during a raid in OPF Society.
The spokesperson said 19 laptops, a desktop computer and 24 mobile phones were recovered from Garden Town,while 28 laptops and 12 mobile phones were seized from Gulberg.
In OPF Society, the agency recovered 20 laptops, 14 mobile phones and two server systems.
According to preliminary investigations,the alleged call centers were targeting overseas customers,including US citizens,under the pretext of offering mobile phone upgrades,telecommunications packages and SIM-related services.
The suspects allegedly posed as representatives of US telecommunications companies to obtain customers’ financial information and receive money through unauthorized transactions,the spokesperson said.
An initial examination of digital material recovered from Garden Town revealed the presence of dialer software and data linked to suspicious activities.
All seized devices have been taken into custody for further forensic analysis.
Additional Director NCCIA,Atif Ameer said investigations were under way to determine the individual roles of the suspects,examine the alleged financial transactions and identify other people linked to the activities.
He said the agency would continue action against those allegedly defrauding overseas customers under the guise of telemarketing.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
