Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has issued a fresh alert warning Pakistanis about a surge in fraudulent calls and SMS messages, saying scammers are impersonating banks, courier services and the regulator itself to pull personal details out of victims. In a post on its official account, PTA said:
“The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority warns the public about fake calls and messages coming from spoofed or false UAN numbers.”
PTA’s own public guidance says the scam often depends on urgency and false authority. The regulator said:
“Remember: No government department or bank ever asks for personal or financial details over calls, messages, or links.”
In another advisory, it said:
“PTA will NEVER call, email or message and ask for your personal details, passwords, or OTPs.”
The same warnings tell users not to click unknown links or share OTPs, CNIC numbers, or biometric data.
The authority is also steering complaints through its consumer channels. PTA’s website lists helpline 0800-55055 and the complaint portal complaint.pta.gov.pk for fraud calls and SMS reports.
Daily Times reported on April 1 that PTA had already warned about phishing attacks, while ProPakistani said on March 31 that users should verify senders and avoid suspicious links.
PTA’s latest official social posts also expand the warning beyond phone calls, saying fraudsters are posing as “PTA, NCCIA, banks, or mobile wallet services (Easypaisa/JazzCash)” to steal sensitive information.
Spoofed caller IDs and cloned UAN numbers can make a fake contact appear legitimate at first glance, which is why the regulator is urging users to verify and confirm any request through official channels before responding.
For mobile users in Pakistan, the risk is not limited to a nuisance call.
A reply to a message, a shared OTP, or a tap on a fake link can expose bank accounts, SIM records and mobile wallets, which is why PTA is treating every unsolicited request for credentials as unverified until it is checked through the operator or the regulator’s complaint system.
