The Federal Research Agency (FIA) warned citizens on Friday to send “false emails and WhatsApp messages” in its name.
“The FIA has received reports that some unknown people are harassing the public by sending false emails and WhatsApp messages in the name of the DG FIA,” said a statement issued by the agency’s spokesman, Abdul Ghafffar.
“In these false messages, the public is terrifying by the name and position of DG FIA,” said the statement, added that the scammers put a false seal of “top secret” in these messages so that they look authentic.
In addition, these elements are trying to present themselves as government officials using false and deceitful names. In these messages, attempts are being made to blackmail citizens accusing them of “cyber crimes.”
“The FIA does not send these messages to any individual through WhatsApp or email,” said the agency.
“The public is requested to present a complaint about any suspicious message or contact with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, which is the agency authorized to investigate cyber crimes.”
The statement asked citizens to distrust false messages and never share their personal and financial information, adding that for more information, the FIA help line can be contacted in 1991.
Earlier this week, the Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) issued an alert this week, warning against an ongoing scam with the aim of compromising WhatsApp accounts through false calls requesting a code.
Last month, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency made a successful raid in an illegal call center in Islamabad and arrested five foreign citizens, according to a press release.
Meanwhile, in May, the National Cyber Emergency Response Team issued a warning warning that login credentials and passwords of more than 180 million Internet users in Pakistan had been stolen in a global data violation, urging people to take immediate protection measures.
