Key Takeaways
- Two Members of National Assembly (MNAs) lost a total of Rs. 3.5 million in SIM card fraud cases.
- Investigations revealed attempts to obtain customer data from bank and NADRA employees.
- Telecom operators fined in the cases, but banks only ordered to return the victims' money.
Two Members of National Assembly (MNAs) have fallen victim to a sophisticated SIM card fraud scheme, losing a total of Rs. 3.5 million in separate incidents, according to reports.
MQM MNA Farhan Chishti lost Rs. 1.5 million after a duplicate SIM was issued against his mobile number without his knowledge. The original SIM stopped working, and the fraudster used the number to register Chishti for online banking and transferred the money.
In a separate incident, MNA Shaharyar Mahar lost Rs. 2 million. Karachi businessman Sunny Kumar also lost Rs. 8.5 million, with evidence suggesting that a bank employee accessed customer records and shared information with others.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) fined a telecom operator Rs. 77.8 million in each of the two cases, highlighting the severity of the fraud.
Investigations have uncovered attempts to obtain customer data from both bank and NADRA employees, raising concerns about the security of biometric information.
While action against the banks was reportedly limited to orders to return the victims’ money, the PTA’s fines against the telecom operators indicate a stronger stance against such fraudulent activities.
The cases highlight the vulnerability of personal data and the need for enhanced security measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
Experts warn that criminals may be obtaining fingerprints from leaked data or misusing biometric information collected for routine services, underscoring the urgency of addressing these security gaps.
