149 Detained in Pakistan Over Online Fraud Scheme — Zimbabweans Included

A number of Zimbabwean citizens are reportedly among 149 individuals detained in Pakistan after authorities uncovered a fraudulent call centre operation, according to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).

The arrests occurred in Faisalabad, where police raided a facility believed to be central to a large-scale scam.

Following the raid, a local court granted a five-day physical remand for 69 of the suspects, while 62 others were placed under judicial remand for 14 days.

Authorities have filed seven cases against the suspects, all related to investment scams and financial deception.

Of the total arrested, 78 are Pakistani nationals. The remaining suspects come from a range of countries including China, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, and Myanmar.

Among them were 18 women, the NCCIA confirmed.

The agency revealed that the raided location was operating as a fake call centre used to run Ponzi schemes and fraudulent investment operations.

Victims were reportedly tricked into handing over large sums of money under the guise of online income opportunities.

Officials said the crackdown followed a tip-off about the illegal activities being conducted from a residence in Faisalabad.

The house belongs to Tasheen Awan, a former official with the city’s power utility. However, Awan has not been detained.

According to the police report, the scam started with small, believable returns on initial investments to gain victims’ confidence.

Participants were first drawn into WhatsApp groups and asked to perform simple online tasks — such as subscribing to TikTok and YouTube channels — in return for modest earnings.

Once trust was established, victims were moved to Telegram channels, where they were persuaded to invest larger amounts in supposed income-generating tasks — a tactic that eventually led to significant financial losses.

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