he Punjab Safe City Authority has filed a complaint with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency saying unidentified people have sent fake messages to a number of citizens to cause them to send money to the fraudsters.

The tricksters have apparently cloned the PSCA website and sent fraudulent messages to many citizens urging them to promptly pay ‘fines’ imposed using e-challans.

It may be mentioned that lately, various cities of the Punjab, including the provincial metropolis, have received complaints from citizens about receiving fake e-challan SMSs. The fake messages are designed to cause the citizens to click on various links or transfer money. The messages threaten heavy fines and arrests in the event of failure to comply with instructions.

The Safe City Authority has since issued a public advisory saying the citizens should be on their guard against the criminals who have been sending fake, misleading and bogus messages and ‘e-challans’ linked to mobile payment services like Easypaisa.

When contacted, Benson Robinson, the PSCA spokesperson, said a complaint has been lodged with the NCCIA. Moreover, he said, the Punjab Police have been requested to trace the mobile phone numbers of the suspects who have created the fake website and the fraudulent links. “Now it’s up to them to nab the culprits.”

Robinson said the e-challan was sent only from the Punjab government’s official number, 8070. An e-challan message from any other link, number or source, he said, was a fake.

He said the Safe City never asks citizens for cash, bank account details or personal information via SMS. “If anyone receives such messages, they should be careful because this is the modus operandi of the scammers,” he added.

He said, “some of the swindlers try to make citizens to click on fake links and then attempt to extract money from their accounts. People are advised not to click on any suspicious SMS or make any payment.”

The swindlers start chasing people when they approach vendors to acquire new SIMs. They secure multiple finger impressions of people on biometric machines without their knowledge. Some of the tricksters use silicone to obtain the fingerprints of uneducated people in remote and backward areas to obtain SIMs.

When asked how citizens can verify the genuineness of an e-challan, he said the authenticity of an e-challan can be verified using the information provided in the SMS: time of the alleged violation, site of violation and details of the violation. Otherwise, the message is a fake. Benson called upon citizens not to pay for any suspicious SMS. All Safe City services are absolutely free for citizens, he said, adding that in case of any suspicious message, they should call 15 or contact the FIA cyber wing.

He said that during the investigation, it was found that a man belonging to Karachi had generated “the alert message with a voice note.” Also, he said, the domain name of the fake website was different from the original - gop.pk.

Speaking to TNS about the modus operandi of the fraudsters, an officer of the NCCIA, requesting anonymity, said the scammers acquire mobile phone numbers, SIMs and CNICs of citizens from the vendors, some of whom are also in on the scam. This way, they conceal their identity and ensure their escape, he added.

The officer said the method is simple. The swindlers start chasing people when they approach vendors to acquire new SIMs. The officer said these vendors of various cellular services companies take multiple finger impressions of people on biometric machines without their knowledge. “Some of the tricksters use silicone to obtain the fingerprints of uneducated people in remote and backward areas.”

More than 80,000 SIMs have been found registered in the laat four years using silicone thumbs.

The issue of unregistered SIMs has once again reared its head. It is pertinent to note that with the tightening of restrictions, counterfeiters have come up with new methods to continue defrauding the public.

Not long ago the FIA Cyber Crime Circle had submitted a detailed report to the Ministry of Interior in this connection. As per the report, the fraudulent elements managed to get fingerprints on the pretext of voter list updates. The unregistered SIMs have been found to be in use by terrorists. More than 3,500 SIMs with fake registrations may be still active. During the last four years, 93 cases have been registered and 193 people arrested in this regard. Moreover, 294 fake biometric devices have been seized.

In the meantime, the National Database and Registration Authority has announced a crackdown on mobile SIMs issued against expired or fake CNICs. The decision was made at a meeting chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi at the NADRA headquarters.

In the first phase, all SIMs registered using CNICs that expired in 2017 or earlier will be blocked. Subsequent phases will target SIMs linked to CNICs cancelled after 2017. Only valid and active CNICs will now be considered eligible for the issuance and continued use of mobile SIMs.

Arshad Naeem, a resident of Model Town, said he had recently been the victim of e-challan fraudsters who contacted him via SMS, asking him to click on a link forthwith. “The moment I clicked on the link, they managed to access my bank account and withdrew whatever money there was.”

The writer is a print and broadcast journalist.