Sri Lankans Caught in International Ponzi Scheme Raid in Faisalabad

COLOMBO (News 1st); Two Sri Lankan nationals are among 149 individuals arrested in a large-scale raid on a scam call centre in Faisalabad, Pakistan, according to the country’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).

The NCCIA confirmed that the operation was launched following a tip-off about a fraudulent network involved in Ponzi schemes and fake investment scams. 

The centre reportedly lured victims through social media platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok, and Telegram, promising high returns on small investments before persuading them to deposit larger sums.

Among those arrested were 78 Pakistanis, 48 Chinese nationals, eight Nigerians, four Filipinos, six Bangladeshis, two Myanmar nationals, one Zimbabwean, and two Sri Lankans. Eighteen of the suspects were women.

Authorities seized hundreds of computers, cryptocurrency exchanges, foreign SIM cards, and servers during the raid, which took place at the residence of Malik Tehseen Awan, a former head of Faisalabad’s power grid. Awan has not yet been arrested.

The suspects were presented in court on Wednesday. Eighty-seven were placed under NCCIA custody for a five-day physical remand, while the remaining 62 were sent to district jail under judicial remand until July 23.

Victims of the scam were reportedly added to Telegram groups with tens of thousands of members and assigned tasks such as subscribing to YouTube and TikTok channels. One Pakistani victim claimed to have lost over 3.1 million rupees (approximately $36,600) through the scheme.

The NCCIA continues its investigation into what appears to be a transnational cybercrime operation with far-reaching implications.

Source: BBC