NATIONAL ( The cow news digital ) Punjab has recorded the highest number of online fraud and social media scam complaints in Pakistan, according to official data, as cybercrime authorities continue to face growing pressure from the rapid rise in digital financial fraud and account hacking.
Government records show that more than 380,000 complaints related to WhatsApp, Facebook, financial fraud, and other online scams were registered across Pakistan in 2024. Of these, 63 percent originated from Punjab, while the remaining complaints came from other provinces, highlighting the province as the country’s most affected region.
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), established in 2025 to replace the Federal Investigation Agency’s Cyber Crime Wing, was created to strengthen Pakistan’s response to cybercrime. However, cybersecurity experts argue that the agency continues to struggle due to outdated technology and limited investigative resources.
Professor Amir Naseem, an information technology expert, said the NCCIA lacks modern digital forensic tools and updated systems required to effectively trace cybercriminals. He also noted that the absence of formal cooperation agreements between Pakistani authorities and major social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook makes investigations more difficult.
Several victims have reported significant financial losses after hackers gained access to their social media accounts. In one case, senior government official Muhammad Afzal Ahmad said cybercriminals used his hacked WhatsApp account to request money from friends and relatives, leading several contacts to transfer funds through mobile banking services.
In another incident, fraudsters created a fake Facebook account using the name of Rizwan Anwar and allegedly used it to solicit money from people in his social circle. A mechanic, Shahid Ali, claimed scammers collected around PKR 500,000 through his compromised WhatsApp account despite his complaint to the authorities.
Official figures also show that the NCCIA received 254,930 cybercrime complaints in 2025, while more than 500,000 phone calls were made by citizens seeking information or reporting suspected online fraud. The agency additionally recorded over 85,000 financial fraud complaints and more than 25,000 hacking-related cases during the year.
Read more
- Trump Hopes Iran Talks Succeed, Warns Against Midnight Hammer
- Pakistan, Taliban, and Afghanistan: The Complex Triangle of Influence
Data up to February 2026 indicates that authorities continue to receive between 500 and 700 complaints each month involving hacked social media accounts and online scams. Officials also reported receiving more than 2,000 calls and emails every day from Punjab alone related to cyber fraud and hacking incidents.
The figures underline the growing threat of cybercrime in Pakistan and the increasing need for stronger digital security measures, public awareness campaigns, and improved investigative capabilities.
