Addressing a press conference in Lahore, NCCIA Director Ali Wasim said the suspects had gained unauthorised access to data belonging to the embassies of Saudi Arabia, Germany and Italy.

According to the NCCIA director, the gang hacked embassy contact numbers and diverted incoming calls to their own phone lines, allowing them to deceive people seeking visa appointments, visa extensions and other consular services.

Ali Wasim said raids conducted by the agency led to the recovery of fake appointment letters, mobile phones and other digital evidence believed to have been used in the fraud.

He said the investigation was launched after multiple embassies lodged complaints with the agency, eventually leading investigators to the organised network.

The NCCIA director said the gang had been operating since 2019, targeting visa applicants through fake websites and online platforms designed to closely resemble official embassy portals, making it difficult for victims to distinguish between genuine and fraudulent services.

He added that raids were continuing to arrest other members of the network, while investigators were also probing the alleged use of a hacking application identified as “Tycoon 2FA” in the cybercrime operation.

To strengthen efforts against cyber fraud, Ali Wasim announced that a joint task force comprising all relevant institutions and stakeholders would be established to monitor call centres, investigate cyber-enabled scams and improve coordination in tackling online financial fraud.