Illegal call centers busted, hundreds arrested

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested hundreds of individuals from 16 major call centers within a month as part of its ongoing crackdown on illegal operations.

According to officials, these call centers gather and analyze data of people living in countries such as the US, India, Portugal, and Greece. Using social media, they identify the interests and habits of individuals. People interested in cars, branded clothes, watches, online shopping, and entertainment are often targeted. The profiling data collected in Pakistan is sent abroad, where foreign networks use it to commit financial scams. To carry out these operations, illegal groups hire 50 to 500 youth and set up fake call centers across Pakistan.

Officials said that these centers use special software and operate through VPNs to hide their location. A sharp rise in the number of call centers recently raised alarms among the authorities. Many of these call centers are registering themselves with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to appear legal. Despite the registration, they are involved in illegal activities such as data theft and fraud.