ABBOTTABAD: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Hazara Circle, has arrested five members of an alleged gang involved in an online financial fraud worth Rs18 million, according to officials.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, NCCIA deputy director Abdul Wahab said that five suspects were arrested in connection with the case and Rs5.5 million was recovered from them.

He said that an investigation was launched after registration of a case following the complaint.

During the investigation, around 25 suspects belonging to Abbottabad and Islamabad were found involved in the scam, he added.

According to NCCIA officials, the suspects used fake female identities on Instagram to establish contact with victims and subsequently persuaded them to invest money in purported business ventures.

They said that relevant bank records and other evidence connected with the case had been secured, while further legal proceedings against the arrested suspects were under way.

Efforts were also being made to trace and arrest the remaining suspects allegedly involved in the fraud.

Mr Wahab said that around 5,000 complaints relating to different forms of cybercrime had been received in Hazara Circle during 2026.

He said that the agency had taken action in cases involving online fraud, harassment of women and other digital crimes.

He said that the Hazara Circle facilitated the recovery of around Rs40 million for victims in various cybercrime cases.

He said that the NCCIA staff was working to respond promptly to complaints and provide relief to victims of digital crimes.

The suspects allegedly defrauded Malik Haider Manzoor, a resident of Havelian, after initially contacting him on Instagram while posing as a German woman.

They later allegedly lured him into a business investment scheme and fraudulently obtained Rs18 million from him.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026