Tag: #Cyber-crimes

How to file a complaint against cyber-crime in Pakistan?

If your Facebook page is hacked, or if someone has posted your pictures without your consent, or even if you think someone is spreading hatred online, you can simply go ahead and report such cyber -crimes to NR3C to get relief that’s mandated by law now.

Reporting cyber-crimes in Pakistan is very simple and easy, here are cyber-crimes that you can report to cyber-crime wing of FIA.

Types of Cyber Crime You Can Report

  • If someone has made a fake FB ID or Twitter ID with your name
  • If someone has posted your images without your consent
  • If someone is spreading racial or ethnic hatred
  • If someone has hacked your Facebook/Email ID
  • If someone has gained un-authorized access to your laptop, phone (Physical Information system, digital data, personal Identity)
  • If someone is defaming you on social media and you think he/she’s wrong in claims he/she is making
  • Online Fund Transfer Fraud through bank, ATM, Easypaisa, U-paisa, Time pay or any other online fund transfer facility
  • If your website is hacked by someone

How to Report Cyber Crimes

  • If you a victim or any above-mentioned offenses, then you can go ahead and follow below instructions to register a cyber-crime in Pakistan
  • Register Complaint Against Cyber Crimes by filling form online: Go to this URL and submit your application online: http://www.nr3c.gov.pk/creport.php
  • Register Complaint Against Cyber Crimes with Email: Write an application with all possible details and your complete credentials (Name, Address, CNIC, and Contact No.) and email it to this email-address: helpdesk@nr3c.gov.pk
  • Register Complaint against Cyber Crimes by writing hard-copy application: Write an application with all possible details and your complete credentials (Name, Address, CNIC, and Contact No.) and send the application to this address: Director NR3C-FIA, National Police Foundation Building, 2nd Floor, Mauve Area, G-10/4, Islamabad.
  • Registering Complaint by Walking to NR3C Regional office: Simply visit any of the regional offices of NR3C and register your complaint in person.

How to Write a Complaint against a Cyber Crime?

You can write your complain in plain English/Urdu with maximum possible details about the offense. You can attach any evidence, such as email printouts (screen-grabs) and any possible detail to help the officials understand your case better. You can also mention (nominate) anyone with their phone/address details.

How effective is it to Complain with NR3C?

NR3C is more resourceful. They have official contacts with ISPs, mobile phone companies, Facebook, Twitter and so on to get your complaint resolved.

It is to be noted that the process time of your application may be up to a few weeks, depending on type of your complaint. If you submit it in proper fashion alongside proof and needed documentation,  your complaint can get resolved with ease.

How to Get Update on Complaints:

You can email (helpdesk@nr3c.gov.pk) or contact them on 051-9106384 or mobile no: 03366006060 for any queries against your complaint and update.

Cyber-crimes and their Punishments in Pakistan

Cyber-crimes are the offences that are committed against individuals or groups of individuals with a criminal motive to intentionally harm the reputation of the victim or cause physical or mental harm to the victim directly or indirectly, using modern telecommunication networks such as Internet (Chat rooms, emails, notice boards and groups) and mobile phones (SMS/MMS).

Cyber criminals use computer technology to access personal information, business trade secrets, or use the Internet for exploitive or malicious purposes. They use computers for communication and document or data storage.

In Pakistan the government is not allocating fair resources to tackle cyber-crimes. Resultantly, the crime has been doubled and there is alarming number of pending cases. The number of the complaints has been increasing day by day. A total of 50,505 complaints had been registered during the last year out of which 11,389 complaints were converted into enquiries and total 1,071 cases were registered till September 30, 2019. It is due to immense pressure on the cybercrime cell of FIA and the state is not making effective investment in the field of enhancing manpower as well as rendering training to the NR3C staff.

According to prevention of electronic crimes Act, 2016 following punishments should be given to the person committing cyber-crime:

Cyber stalking:                                                                         

Whoever commits this office is liable for imprisonment up-to three years or fine up-to one million rupees or both and in case of minor, imprisonment will be up to-five years and fine up-to ten million rupees or both.

Data diddling:

This is called “electronic forgery” in Pakistani legal system and the criminal is awarded punishment up to three years and fine up to two hundred and fifty thousand rupees or both and if the criminal commits this crime is respect to critical infrastructure, he will be imprisoned up to seven years and fine up to five million rupees or both.

Criminal defamation:   

Whoever intentionally and publicly exhibits or displays or transmits any information through any information system, which he knows to be false, and intimidates or harms the reputation or privacy of a natural person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to one million rupees or with both.

Spamming:

Anyone (an individual or an organization) can be fined with up to Rs. 50,000 for the first and three months of jail if they:

  • Send spam emails/SMS without permission of receiver
  • Send emails without unsubscribe options
  • Send emails with
  • harmful fraudulent emails
  • misleading email
  • Illegal email.

Spoofing:

 Up to 3 Years in Jail or fine up to Rs. 500,00 or both .

Whoever with dishonest intention establishes a website or sends any information with a counterfeit source intended to be believed by the recipient or visitor of the website to be an authentic source commits spoofing.

Unauthorized Access to Information or Data:

Law says that if you access any information system or data with dishonest intents then you can go to jail for up to three months or be liable to pay a fine up to Rs. 50,000 or both.

Unauthorized Copying or Transmission of Data:

Whoever with dishonest intention and without authorization copies or otherwise transmits or causes to be transmitted any data shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one hundred thousand rupees or with both.

Unauthorized Access to Critical Infrastructure Information System or Data:

Whoever with dishonest intention gains unauthorized access to any critical infrastructure information system or data shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to one million rupees or both.

National Response Centre for Cyber-crimes

The Government of Pakistan has established the “National Response Centre for Cybercrime,”  (NR3C) under the administrative control of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), to investigate the cybercrimes, trace the criminals and use their efforts to stop misuse of the internet.

NR3C has expertise to deal in the following subjects’ i.e. digital forensics, information system security audits, technical investigation, penetration testing and training in these fields. Since its establishment, it is working for the capacity building of law enforcement agencies, Bench and bar, and other Government organizations. This institution needs to be more vigilant towards the identification of these crimes. There are many challenges to overcome cyber-crimes successfully, to prevent such crimes education and public awareness is necessary. Due to lack of awareness of existing cyber-crimes, the general public is facing many problems. Even the law enforcement agencies are unaware of these crimes due to complex nature of these crimes. Therefore, the proper understanding of such crimes is necessary to