Man Arrested for Targeting Minors With Scholarship Scam on Instagram

Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against a Rawalpindi resident accused of running multiple fake social media accounts to groom, exploit, and blackmail minors.

According to the FIR registered at the NCCIA Cyber Crime Reporting Centre, Islamabad, the accused allegedly used fraudulent Instagram accounts posing as scholarship programs to lure children into online contact.

Investigators say the suspect manipulated at least two minor boys, recorded obscene and sexually explicit material, and later used the content to blackmail and threaten the victims with public exposure.

The case emerged following the conclusion of NCCIA Enquiry No. 239/2026, which found evidence that the accused deliberately groomed one victim over time, coercing him into sharing explicit videos and images. Authorities state that the suspect also attempted to unlawfully access the child’s Instagram and WhatsApp accounts by seeking verification codes.

A technical forensic analysis of the seized mobile phone revealed extensive evidence of criminal activity.

Investigators recovered hundreds of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) files from the device and identified constant communication with multiple WhatsApp numbers and an EasyPaisa account allegedly used for the sharing, transmission, and sale of child exploitation content, both within Pakistan and internationally.

Further inquiry uncovered that the accused had also targeted another minor using a separate fake Instagram profile while impersonating a female. In that case, investigators say the suspect succeeded in obtaining explicit material and illegally acquiring a WhatsApp verification code linked to the child’s phone number.

Digital records obtained from Meta Inc. confirmed that the fraudulent Instagram accounts were registered using phone numbers connected to the accused and, in one instance, a number belonging to the family of a victim. Connectivity data showed that the accounts were operated from the accused’s mobile device and internet connection.

The technical report also revealed that the accused was using a patched smartphone with an illegally altered IMEI number, an act constituting electronic forgery under Pakistani law.

The FIR has been registered under multiple sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, along with relevant provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code. Authorities say investigations are ongoing to determine the roles of other suspected subscribers, facilitators, and abettors identified during forensic analysis


  • This gang busted by the NCCIA seems pure evil—they tricked innocent kids with fake scholarships to top International institutions, then used those kids’ photos to make fake digital content to sell them. This is just the tio of the iceberg. I’m sure if the NCCIA probes into more intricate arteries of this heinous crime, they’ll definitely stumble upon a larger network of the heartless criminals who are closely connected with the Onion Sites or the infamous “Dark Web”. The perpetrators behind this crime definitely did all this for quick and easy cash for which they shamelessly blackmailed and terrified good-hearted children who just wanted to learn and dream big. These monsters are worse than wild animals; they destroy young lives without a second thought. I earnestly appeal to the erstwhile Field Marshall Asim Munir to ensure personally that those involved in this nastiest crime against Humanity, are dispatched to Hell as early as possible to set an example to disourage all such loathsome lunatics who think earning easy and quick money is possible by harming our children, our coming generations.The crininals deserve the harshest punishment the law allows so no other child ever has to suffer like this again. Our kids deserve real justice and real protection.


  • Get Alerts

    ProPakistani Community

    Join the groups below to get latest news and updates.



    >