BISP request: FIA declines to act against cellphone fraudsters

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) says it has no authority to take stern action on the request of Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) against fraudsters fleecing unsuspecting people using deceptive tactics. Sources told Business Recorder here on Thursday that the BISP management had requested FIA to take action against fake text messages and calls being sent to a large number of mobile customers across the country.
These callers inform their victims on cell phone that they had won a prize and the prize money would either be transferred to their bank accounts through a cheque or they would get the prize money at their door step as soon as they paid between Rs 8,000 and Rs 10,000 through easypaisa transfers. Once the money is received by the scam artists, he or she disappeared.
Sources said that these text messages were sent using unregistered SIM cards in which people are told that they have been selected for financial assistance under the program. The fake text messages reads as follows: 'BENAZIR INCOM: sport program ghr ghr srway k teht apko 25000 mubark ho. Apna number or id card is number (a cell number other than the one from which the text was sent) pr send krain yaa cal kraen'.
FIA maintained that after the expiry of the Electronic Crime Ordinance (Peco) Act, the federal agency had no power to take action against crimes committed via electronic devices. Peco 2007 was promulgated by General Musharraf in 2007 but expired on November 2009. Peco empowered the FIA's cyber crimes wing to trace emails, short text messages or SMS, telephone calls on the request of ordinary citizens.
"Without Peco Act, FIA can do nothing to stop these criminals from sending fake messages or threatening calls," sources said. The main characteristics of the ordinance included the criminalisation of unlawful access and damage to and misuse of electronic data, equipment and systems, the criminalisation of the creation and spread of computer viruses, and the establishment of exclusive investigatory and prosecutorial powers in the FIA.