Shocking AI Scam: Pakistan's Cybercrime Agency Busts Loan Fraud Ring

Major Crackdown on Fraudulent Call Center in Lahore

Lahore: In a significant operation, Pakistan's anti-cybercrime unit has detained 40 individuals in Punjab after uncovering an illegal call center that utilized artificial intelligence (AI) to fabricate fake images of borrowers who defaulted on loans, an official reported on Wednesday.

Atif Ameer, Additional Director of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), revealed that the call center, situated in the GCP housing society of Lahore, was running multiple instant loan applications, including Gurbat Fund, Jahez Fund, Cash Air, Credit Check, and Credit Support.

The official noted that these applications would request access to users' photo galleries and contact lists upon installation on their devices.

If borrowers failed to meet repayment deadlines, the call center employees would manipulate their photos using AI technology, transforming them into explicit images. Victims were then coerced with threats that these altered images would be shared with their family and friends unless immediate payment was made.

Authorities confiscated 41 laptops and 40 mobile devices from the suspects, who are facing charges under various provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).

The agency is also investigating potential connections of this network beyond Pakistan's borders.