PTA Reported Over 1,000 Fake IDs And 37 Hacked Accounts to Meta in 2024

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has disclosed that in 2024, it reported 1,043 fake IDs to Meta, the parent company of Facebook and WhatsApp, for blocking and removal.

These fake accounts included impersonations of government officials, politicians, and ordinary citizens.

The PTA also processed 37 cases of hacked social media accounts this year, including 27 Facebook and 10 WhatsApp accounts, forwarding them to Meta for restoration. However, the regulator clarified that it does not maintain comprehensive records of hacking complaints from previous years as users often report such incidents directly to social media platforms.

Meta encourages direct reporting to facilitate effective communication and resolution.

PTA has blamed social engineering scams, data breaches, and the use of unsecured public Wi-Fi as the primary causes. Other contributing factors include malware, weak passwords, lack of two-factor authentication (2FA), and the use of free virtual private networks (VPNs).

The regulator has emphasized the importance of digital literacy and proactive measures to secure online accounts. The authority regularly conducts public awareness campaigns through SMS, print, and social media to educate users on safeguarding their accounts.

The PTA has also recommended specific precautions to enhance account security. Users have been urged to adopt stronger passwords, enable 2FA, and avoid sharing one-time passwords or security codes. Additional safeguards include avoiding public Wi-Fi for sensitive activities, logging out of shared devices, and limiting permissions granted to third-party applications.