The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has warned people against clicking on fraudulent links circulating on WhatsApp, social media, and through text messages, falsely claiming to be associated with PTA’s Device Identification Registration & Blocking System.

“The message making rounds purports to be an official communication, stating that the user’s SIM is found to be involved in ‘suspicious activities’ and that the user should check the number of SIMs at the given link,” the PTA said in a statement on Friday.

“Alternatively, another message warns that the user’s phone registration will be suspended unless they visit the provided link.”

The authority described them as “deceptive tactics”, aimed at tricking individuals into clicking on “malicious links and compromising” their personal information.

It urged the people to refrain from clicking on links from unknown numbers or senders. The authority called for reporting such phone numbers/links for blocking through PTA’s complaint management system.