Cybercrime in Pakistan rises 35% amid surge in WhatsApp hacking, digital fraud

Cybercrime incidents in Pakistan have increased by 35% so far in 2025, driven largely by a rise in WhatsApp hacking and digital financial fraud, according to officials from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).

Officials attributed the growing threat to widespread digital illiteracy, which often leads citizens to unknowingly share sensitive data such as one-time passwords (OTPs) with cybercriminals. Most attacks reportedly originate from South Punjab and cross-border networks.

A report cited by the agency noted that digital fraud remains one of the most common forms of cybercrime in Pakistan. Visa’s 2024 study revealed that every second Pakistani experienced online financial fraud, while one in five individuals fell victim to multiple scams.

The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) 2024 Annual Administration Report recorded over 73,000 cybercrime complaints nationwide, though only 1,604 were formally registered. Nearly half of these cases involved financial scams.

In Karachi alone, NCCIA has received around 29,000 complaints in 2025 — a sharp increase from the previous year. The majority of these relate to financial fraud, online harassment, and data theft.