LAHORE: Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested a highly wanted suspect accused of orchestrating an alleged Rs. 35 billion online fraud scheme that involved selling more than five million counterfeit U.S. postage stamps for $2 each through a website that reportedly operated for more than three years, investigators said.
The suspect, identified as Faheem Akram, ran the website LabelsBank.com from August 2023 through September 2026, marketing fake U.S. postage stamps to buyers online. Authorities are investigating the financial network behind the operation, including bank accounts linked to Akram and several of his family members.
According to investigators, the case involves 16 bank accounts used to facilitate the operation. Seven accounts reportedly belonged to Akram, five to his brother, two to his wife, and one each to his sister and maternal aunt.
The investigation is being supervised by Atif Amir, additional director of the NCCIA’s Lahore Zone. Investigators are examining transactions conducted through the accounts to trace the movement of funds and determine whether other individuals were involved in this scheme.
Authorities have registered a case under First Information Report No. 246/2026, and the investigation remains ongoing. To locate the suspect and gather evidence, the NCCIA deployed eight special teams across Punjab, Islamabad, and Sindh.
The teams conducted 35 raids at various locations and questioned 47 individuals as part of the investigation. Investigators also used advanced technological tools and artificial intelligence to analyze digital evidence and trace the suspect’s movements.
The inquiry included reviews of 122 call data records, 50 International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) tracking reports, and audio and video footage collected from 120 cameras.
Authorities are continuing to examine the evidence and financial records to establish the full scope of the alleged operation and identify any additional suspects.
