Chinese national among 212 arrested in Pakistan as authorities crack down on call center fraud

SEPTEMBER 26, 2026 14:42Updated: SEPTEMBER 26, 2026 14:45Pakistani authorities have arrested 212 people, including Chinese nationals, in raids on three illegal call centers in Islamabad linked to an alleged international online fraud network. For more stories from The Media Line go to themedialine.orgThe National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) conducted simultaneous operations in the capital’s E-11 and G-10 sectors over the past 24 hours, targeting call centers allegedly involved in defrauding victims in Pakistan and abroad. Officials said the centers used several schemes, including impersonating Google representatives, “tasking fraud,” and romance or “love-dating” scams.Tasking fraud typically begins with fake online opportunities offering victims money for completing simple assignments, such as liking videos, rating products, or promoting content. Scammers may initially make small payments to build trust before persuading victims to deposit larger amounts to complete higher-value tasks or withdraw supposed earnings.Once larger sums are transferred, victims may be asked for additional payments or lose contact with the operators, leaving them unable to recover their money.A police officer guarding outside railway station in Peshawar, Pakistan March 25, 2020. Ilustrative. (credit: REUTERS/KHURRAM PARVEZ)More than 300 phones, almost 400 computers seizedCiting a spokesperson for the NCCIA, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported that authorities recovered a large quantity of equipment, including 306 mobile phones, 383 computers and CPUs, and 299 monitors and laptops. The detainees included Pakistani and Chinese men and women. Authorities did not disclose how many Chinese were arrested. Chinese nationals have also featured in several recent Pakistani investigations into illegal call centers and online fraud, including a separate NCCIA case earlier in September in which investigators identified a Chinese national as the alleged mastermind of an online investment and e-commerce scam.Investigators in the latest case also reported possible links to networks in India and Brazil.A case has been registered, and officials said that the call center premises were designated as a temporary sub-jail because of the large number of suspects. Investigators are continuing to examine the alleged financial links of the network and determine the individual roles of those detained.Pakistani crackdown on illegal call centersThe latest operation comes amid a broader Pakistani crackdown on illegal call centers and organized cyber fraud. In July 2025, the NCCIA arrested 149 people, including 48 Chinese nationals, in Faisalabad in a raid on a call center allegedly involved in Ponzi schemes and investment fraud.In August 2026, Pakistani authorities also conducted major operations in Islamabad involving hundreds of foreign nationals.One operation involved 258 foreigners, including Chinese nationals, while a separate crackdown led to the arrest of 114 foreigners, including 111 Chinese and three Vietnamese nationals, over alleged cyber and online fraud activities.The continuing operations show the increasingly international nature of cyber-fraud investigations in Pakistan, with Chinese nationals repeatedly appearing among those detained or identified in cases involving illegal call centers and online financial scams.Follow us on Google