Rising Cyber Fraud:Authorities urge mobile users to stay vigilant

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Apr, 2026) In view of increasing cyber fraud incidents across the country,the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Monday issued a fresh advisory urging mobile users to safeguard their sensitive personal information.

According to PTA officials, fraudsters were employing increasingly sophisticated tactics to deceive citizens.

Posing as representatives of government departments,banks and courier services,these individuals attempt to extract confidential data through fraudulent calls,SMS messages and deceptive online links.

The authority has categorically warned users against trusting unsolicited communications,emphasizing that sensitive information including CNIC numbers,one-time passwords (OTPs) and banking credentials must not be shared under any circumstances.

“Citizens should exercise extreme caution and avoid clicking on unknown or suspicious links as these may compromise personal and financial data,”the PTA stated.

The advisory further highlights a surge in fake messages related to traffic challan payments,cautioning users not to respond or engage with such communications.

Officials have clarified that these messages were part of ongoing cybercrime campaigns aimed at exploiting unsuspecting individuals.

In case of suspicious activity,the PTA has urged citizens to promptly report incidents via its official complaint portal or through the PTA Complaint Management System (CMS) application,available on both Android and iOS platforms.

Authorities reiterate that awareness and vigilance remain the first line of defense against cyber fraud, as digital threats continue to evolve in scale and complexity.