ISLAMABAD: Poor people in different backward areas of the country are being scammed by fraudsters using different tools, showing themselves to be a part of Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), Pakistan Today has reliably learnt.
Different tactics are being used by tricksters which include fake surveys on the behalf of BISP, sending fake short messages and overcharging transactions made through private companies which are in agreement with BISP.
According to sources privy to Pakistan Today, a few days ago a fake survey was conducted by a fraudulent team in district Mansehra using BISP as their head organisation. The team was arrested after a tip-off received by the police and upon interrogation, it was revealed that Rs 1000 were charged per family and the fraudsters had collected almost Rs 0.2 million in their fake campaign.
The arrested team, however, was soon released without returning the looted amount back to the scammed families.
Similarly, it has been reported that Short Message Service (SMS) is also used by such tricksters to loot innocent citizens on the pretext of providing BISP instalments.
BISP has signed contracts with different banks including UBL to transfer money to its beneficiaries. In line with banks, Omani franchises are working to disburse the BISP funds, however, the staff of the franchise at Layyah is charging extra money despite the fact that the banks provide service charges for their services.
Similarly, the beneficiaries who receive their payment through post office service are also facing serious problems as delay in their instalments has become a routine matter.
The BISP also lacks a policy of transferring registration in the event of the focal person passing away within the beneficiary family.
Talking to Pakistan Today, an official of BISP seeking anonymity stated that presently no such complaints were received and that BISP offices at district level were also monitoring and keeping an eye out for fraudulent elements.
In response to another question regarding the purity of collected data and the plight of families who had lost the person registered with BISP, the official stated that work on removing all such the discrepancies by using different strategies was underway.
The official further stated that investigations were underway to identify fake beneficiaries and recovering the lost sum of Rs2.1 billion that had gone to all such undeserving individuals.
