600,000 fingerprints recovered in cybercrime raid

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has revealed that biometric data and fingerprints belonging to around 600,000 citizens were recovered during a single raid.

The disclosure was made during a briefing before the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior, which discussed the growing threat of cyber fraud, data theft and bank account hacking across the country.

NCCIA officials told the committee that one suspect arrested in Faisalabad was found carrying 195 active mobile SIMs, 16 smartphones and 81 ATM cards belonging to different banks.

The officials said stolen biometric information and illegally obtained SIM cards were being used to carry out financial fraud against citizens on a large scale.

The NCCIA director said the agency was also working to completely eliminate WhatsApp hacking. He said investigations had uncovered networks exploiting stolen biometric data and SIMs to target victims financially.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman informed the committee that 18 million fraudulent SIMs issued in other people’s names had so far been blocked. He said telecommunications companies had also been fined around Rs4.5 billion for violations.

The PTA chairman further admitted that employees of mobile phone companies were also involved in leaking customers’ personal data.

He cited a case from Rajanpur in which a woman’s thumb impression was obtained on the pretext of providing ration assistance. A SIM was subsequently issued using her biometric information and was later used in a terrorism-related case.

The growing threat has also affected lawmakers. Committee Chairman Khurram Nawaz said parliamentarians were regularly receiving fraudulent calls, often made under the guise of courier services. He said his WhatsApp account had also been hacked.

“We know these are scams, but ordinary people may not,” Khurram said. He questioned how citizens’ fingerprints reach hackers and whether stolen biometric information could be used to access bank accounts and steal money.

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry disclosed another emerging trend, describing it as a “rent-a-bank-account” scheme.

He said some people were deliberately renting out their bank accounts in exchange for money. According to the minister, such account holders are aware that they could face imprisonment if caught, but negotiate their share in advance and still allow their accounts to be used.