NCCIA Warns Against Fake Social Media Profiles, Online Blackmail of Women in Pakistan

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has issued a stern warning against the creation of fake social media profiles of women, the leaking of their personal data and images, and online blackmail, declaring all of these to be punishable cybercrimes under Pakistani law. In a public statement shared on social media, the agency urged citizens to break their silence, expose those involved in online harassment, and file formal complaints backed by evidence.

The NCCIA fake profiles warning is part of a wider push by Pakistan’s cybercrime agency to curb digital harassment at a time when fake accounts, doctored images and extortion rackets are spreading rapidly across platforms including TikTok, Facebook and WhatsApp.

What the NCCIA warning says

In its statement, the NCCIA made the position unambiguous: “Blackmailing women, leaking private pictures or creating fake profiles are crimes,” the agency said. It urged citizens not to remain silent and to expose those involved in online harassment by submitting complaints to the NCCIA along with relevant evidence.

“A safer digital Pakistan is a shared responsibility,” the agency added, calling on the public to report online harassment, fake profiles, misuse of private images and blackmailing through its helpline at 1799. The agency also urged victims and affected individuals to come forward and report cybercrime incidents so that legal action can be taken against the perpetrators.

Cybercrime law in Pakistan treats a range of digital offences as criminal acts, including unauthorised use of identity information, cyberstalking, harassment and the distribution of intimate images without consent. Convictions can carry prison terms and heavy fines, depending on the offence charged.

The Mirpur TikTok case shows why the warning matters

The warning came days after a case in Azad Jammu and Kashmir highlighted exactly the kind of crime the agency is targeting. Mirpur police arrested a suspect last week for uploading a video of a girl to TikTok through a fake account without her consent.

According to a police spokesperson, the case came to light on September 25, 2026, when the victim’s family lodged a complaint with SSP Mirpur Khurram Iqbal: an unidentified person had recorded a video of their daughter while she was travelling to an academy with her brother and uploaded it to TikTok without permission, raising serious concerns over her privacy and reputation. The Cyber Crime Unit Mirpur traced the fake account and identified the suspect as Essa, son of Afzal, a resident of Bang Rarah in Islamgarh tehsil of Mirpur district, who was arrested by a police team led by SHO Islamgarh Umair Rasheed.

A wider crackdown: 1,129 suspects arrested in a month

The NCCIA fake profiles warning is the latest move in an unusually active month for the agency. During the first month under Director General Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, the NCCIA arrested 1,129 suspects and recovered Rs105.3 million for victims of cybercrime across Pakistan, according to figures reported by TechJuice.

The agency has also made headlines for major enforcement actions, including the recent arrest of a suspect in Lahore over an alleged $126 million counterfeit US postage scheme, and a sweeping crackdown in Islamabad that led to the arrest of more than 200 foreign nationals in a digital fraud operation. The scale of the operations signals that the NCCIA is moving from reactive complaint-handling to proactive enforcement against organised cybercrime networks.

How to report online blackmail to the NCCIA

Anyone facing online blackmail, fake-profile abuse or the unauthorised sharing of private images can take the following steps, in line with the agency’s guidance:

First, do not delete the evidence. Save screenshots, URLs, account details, timestamps and any threats or messages before the content can be removed. Second, do not give in to blackmailers or pay them, as extortion demands typically escalate. Third, report the matter to the NCCIA through its helpline at 1799 or through its online complaint portal, attaching all preserved evidence. Victims can also report abusive accounts directly through the reporting tools built into TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X, which is often the fastest way to get fake profiles taken down.

Cyber-safety experts additionally advise families in Pakistan to keep social media profiles private, avoid sharing personal phone numbers publicly, and to teach young users never to accept follow requests from unknown accounts.

Universities join in: IUB bans TikTok on campus

On the same day as the NCCIA warning, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB) prohibited the use of TikTok and other social media applications within its premises, citing complaints that female students were being filmed and posted online without their consent. The Directorate of Student Affairs said the step was taken to protect the privacy and dignity of students, warning that violators will face disciplinary action.

Taken together, the NCCIA warning and the IUB campus ban underline a growing national concern: the misuse of smartphones and social media to target women and students, and a determination by authorities to treat such conduct as serious crime rather than harmless mischief.

Sources: TechJuice · Independent News Pakistan (INP)

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