ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested a suspect exploiting woman through matrimonial ads in daily newspapers while impersonating an army brigadier.
According to details, the arrest was made on a complaint by a person who had come from the UAE just to pursue the case of his sister’s exploitation by the impersonator.
In the ads, ‘brigadier’ Basharat claimed that he was looking for potential brides with an “attractive and beautiful face”.
“A person registered his complaint with the cyber crime wing that some guy was publishing ads in daily national newspapers like Jang, Nawa-e-Waqt, and Dawn etc. in which he seeks a life partner who is educated and good looking. Many women and their families contacted the mobile number provided in the ad,” FIA Deputy Director Cybercrime Wing Rana Imran Saeed told Pakistan Today.
Once a family or lady contacted him, Basharat would inquire about the potential bride’s height, weight, body type and then obtained their personal pictures. He would then edit the photographs into objectionable images and blackmail the victims, extorting huge amounts of money by threatening to post the images on the internet. The suspect also allegedly sexually assaulted several victims and videotaped them by forcing them to visit his residence.
The FIA official said that Basharat was arrested from Bahria Town at midnight on Monday. He was wanted in different cases registered with the FIA cybercrime wing.
He added that it is alarming that most newspapers published matrimonial ads without verifying the advertiser, adding that a system should be put in place to prevent such criminals from taking advantage of unsuspecting citizens.
SALIENT FEATURES OF CYBERCRIME LAW:
-Up to three years imprisonment, Rs 1 million fine or both for unauthorised access to critical infrastructure information system or data.
-The government may cooperate with any foreign government, foreign or international agency, organisation or 24×7 network for investigation or proceedings relating to an offence or for collecting evidence.
-The government may forward any information to any foreign government, 24×7 network, foreign or international agency or organisation any information obtained from its own investigation if the disclosure assists their investigations.
-Up to seven years, Rs 10 million fine or both for interference with critical infrastructure information system or data with a dishonest intention.
-Up to seven years, Rs 10 million fine or both for the glorification of an offence relating to terrorism, any person convicted of a crime relating to terrorism or proscribed individuals or groups. Glorification is explained as “depiction of any form of praise or celebration in a desirable manner”.
-Up to six months imprisonment, Rs 50 thousand or both for producing, making, generating, adapting, exporting, supplying, offering to supply or importing a device for use in an offence.
-Up to three years imprisonment, Rs 5 million fine or both for obtaining, selling, possessing, transmitting or using another person’s identity information without authorization.
-If your identity information is used without authorisation, you may apply to the authorities to secure, destroy or prevent transmission of your information.
