Pakistan legal guide
Online Fraud Complaint Guidance in Pakistan
Educational support for understanding online fraud, cyber complaint preparation, and what documents to collect in Pakistan.
Legal safety note
Wakeel.org provides legal information and research support. It does not provide final legal advice, does not guarantee outcomes, and does not replace consultation with a licensed advocate.
Read the full disclaimerThe problem
Online fraud victims may not know what evidence to save, which facts matter, or how cyber complaint processes usually work.
How Wakeel can help
Wakeel can help organize screenshots, transaction details, phone numbers, links, dates, and a clear incident summary for further advice.
What Wakeel cannot do
Wakeel cannot recover money, contact authorities, file a complaint for you, or guarantee action by any department.
PECA 2016 is the actual law — and there's now one dedicated agency
Online fraud in Pakistan is prosecuted under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA), which came into force in August 2016 and criminalizes offences like unauthorized access, electronic fraud, identity theft, and cyberstalking, among others. Investigation authority has evolved: what was long handled by the FIA's cybercrime wing is now, following 2025 amendments to PECA, the exclusive responsibility of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) — Section 30 of PECA was amended to give the NCCIA sole investigative power over cybercrime cases, centralizing what used to be shared with police and other FIA wings.
Complaints can be filed through the NCCIA's official channels, and the earlier well-known reporting portal for FIA cybercrime complaints has transitioned toward the NCCIA's own infrastructure — always confirm you're using the current official government channel rather than a third-party site claiming to file reports on your behalf.
What you actually need to preserve before you report anything
Cyber fraud cases live or die on preserved evidence, and much of it disappears or becomes hard to retrieve if you wait. Save screenshots of the fraudulent messages, ads, or profiles (including the URL and timestamp visible), transaction records or bank statements showing the transfer, the phone numbers or account details used by the fraudster, and any app or website links involved — don't just note them from memory. Write a clear, dated incident summary: what happened, when, how much was involved, and what you've already reported to your bank or the platform.
If money moved through a bank transfer or mobile wallet, report it to your bank or payment provider immediately as well — some fraud cases have a narrow window during which a transfer can potentially be reversed or flagged before it reaches the fraudster's account, and that clock runs independently of the criminal complaint process.
Example questions to ask Wakeel
Frequently asked questions
Which law covers online fraud in Pakistan?
The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA), which criminalizes offences including electronic fraud, unauthorized access, identity theft, and cyberstalking. Investigation of these offences is now the exclusive responsibility of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) following 2025 amendments to the Act.
Where do I report cybercrime or online fraud in Pakistan?
Through the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), which now holds exclusive investigative authority over cybercrime under amended PECA. Confirm you're using NCCIA's official reporting channel rather than a third-party site, since fraudulent 'complaint filing' services do exist.
What evidence should I collect after online fraud?
Screenshots of the messages, ads, or profiles involved (with URL and timestamp visible), transaction or bank statement records, the phone numbers or account details used, and any links to apps or websites involved. Write a dated, factual incident summary while the details are fresh, rather than relying on memory later.
Can I get my money back after online fraud in Pakistan?
It depends heavily on how quickly you act and how the money moved. Reporting to your bank or payment provider immediately can, in some cases, allow a transfer to be flagged or reversed before reaching the fraudster — but this window is often short, and there's no guarantee, especially once funds have been withdrawn or moved further.
Can Wakeel.org help me with an online fraud complaint?
Wakeel can help you organize screenshots, transaction details, and a clear incident summary, and explain what PECA covers and how the NCCIA complaint process generally works. It cannot recover your money, contact your bank or the NCCIA on your behalf, or guarantee that any action will be taken.