LAHORE: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested three suspects involved in impersonating bank officials to obtain sensitive information from citizens and fraudulently withdraw money from their bank accounts.

According to the NCCIA, the suspects -- Muhammad Asif, Muhammad Rizwan and Samiullah –have been arrestd under various sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016 and the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

The suspects used to pose as officers or managers of different banks and contact citizens through phone calls. They allegedly deceived victims into sharing sensitive information, including bank account details, ATM card information, and other confidential data. They used the stolen information to withdraw money from the victims’ accounts.

The NCCIA said the suspects defrauded complainant Nadeem Karamat of approximately Rs1 million. “The suspects lured illiterate individuals into opening bank accounts in exchange for financial incentives and later used those accounts to transfer and withdraw illegally obtained funds.”

The arrests were made on the directive of NCCIA Punjab Director Muhammad Ali Waseem who reiterated the agency’s commitment to taking indiscriminate action against cyber fraudsters and ensuring strict legal action against those involved in looting citizens’ hard-earned savings.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2026