NCCIA arrests two suspects in Dera Ghazi Khan fake prize call scam

LAHORE: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested two men in Dera Ghazi Khan in connection with an alleged fake prize call scam that officials said was used to target members of the public through fraudulent mobile phone schemes.

According to officials, the suspects allegedly approached citizens using multiple SIM cards while pretending to be representatives of government prize schemes and welfare programmes. People were allegedly told they had won cash prizes and were then asked to send money under different pretexts, including registration fees, taxes and charges for the release of the prize amount.

The arrested suspects were identified as Rameez Yousaf and Waqar Younis. Officials said a case had been registered against them under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, along with other relevant legal provisions.

Raid carried out on NCCIA Punjab director’s instructions

Officials said the raid was conducted on the directions of NCCIA Punjab Director Muhammad Ali Waseem. During the operation, investigators seized 120 SIM cards, more than 100 ATM cards and other digital material.

The recovered digital evidence has been sent for forensic examination, according to officials. They added that the ongoing investigation could lead to the identification of additional victims as well as possible accomplices linked to the alleged fraud network.

Investigation team to receive rewards

The NCCIA also announced cash rewards and appreciation certificates for members of the investigation team involved in the operation.

Officials said the suspects had allegedly used fraudulent calls to exploit people by falsely linking the scheme to official prize and welfare programmes. The case is now being pursued under cybercrime and other applicable laws as investigators continue to examine the seized material.

The arrests come as authorities intensify action against digital and phone-based fraud schemes that rely on false claims of prize winnings to obtain money from citizens. In this case, officials said the suspects allegedly used a large number of SIM cards and ATM cards, suggesting a wider operation that is still under investigation.

Further investigation is under way, and officials said more victims and additional suspects may surface as forensic analysis and inquiry progress.