This article is general information about cybercrime reporting procedure in Pakistan, not legal advice. Complaint intake practices, contact details, and processing steps change periodically. Confirm current details on the official NCCIA complaint portal, or speak to a lawyer, before you rely on anything here.
Most people searching for how to file an FIA cybercrime complaint are already dealing with something upsetting: a hacked account, a blackmail message, a fake profile using their photos, or money gone from a bank account after a scam. The short answer is that FIA cybercrime complaints in Pakistan now go to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), which has taken over the role the FIA Cyber Crime Wing used to hold on its own. You can file online through the official complaint portal, call the helpline on 1799, or visit the cybercrime reporting centre in person. This guide explains who handles your complaint today, what counts as an offence under PECA 2016, how to file step by step, what evidence to keep, and what happens once you submit.
Key facts at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Governing law | Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA) |
| Who handles complaints now | National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), which took over the FIA Cyber Crime Wing's mandate |
| Helpline | 1799 (as published on the official portal) |
| How to file | Online complaint portal, in person at a cybercrime reporting centre, or by phone via the helpline |
| What you need | CNIC, contact details, evidence (screenshots, URLs, transaction IDs) |
| PECA offences covered here | Unauthorized access (s.3), electronic forgery (s.13), electronic fraud (s.14), unauthorized use of identity information (s.16), offences against dignity (s.20), offences against modesty (s.21), cyberstalking (s.24) |
Key takeaways
- FIA cybercrime complaints now go to the NCCIA, which took over the FIA Cyber Crime Wing's role, so an older FIA-only guide is out of date.
- PECA 2016 covers specific offences by section: unauthorized access, forgery, fraud, identity misuse, dignity, modesty, and cyberstalking.
- Evidence quality decides how fast a complaint moves: unedited screenshots, saved conversations, and transaction IDs matter more than a strong story alone.
- Timelines after filing vary by case and are not something to rely on a fixed number for.
- A criminal lawyer in Lahore helps most at the drafting stage, if a complaint stalls, or if you face a counter-complaint.
Who handles cybercrime complaints now: FIA or NCCIA?
For years, the answer to "where do I report cybercrime in Pakistan" was simple: the FIA Cyber Crime Wing. That is still the answer many older articles, and even some official-looking domains, give. It is no longer the full picture.
Cybercrime investigation and complaint intake has been transferred to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), a body that now carries out the mandate the FIA Cyber Crime Wing used to hold. If you search for "FIA cybercrime complaint" today, you are as likely to land on the older complaint.fia.gov.pk portal as the newer complaint.nccia.gov.pk one, and both can appear in the same search results. That overlap is the source of most of the confusion victims run into.
In practice, this means a complaint under PECA 2016 (the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act) is now handled by the NCCIA rather than run end to end by the FIA on its own. The FIA name still appears in public references to cybercrime work in Pakistan, partly because the transition is recent and partly because the two bodies share history and, in places, staff. [VERIFY WITH FIRM: current intake practice at the Lahore cybercrime office, including whether walk-in complaints are still processed under the FIA name locally.]
For a searcher, the practical takeaway matters more than the organisational chart: file through the current NCCIA portal or helpline rather than an outdated bookmark, and treat whatever complaint reference number you receive as the one that matters going forward, regardless of which agency's name appears on the page you used to file.
What counts as cybercrime under PECA 2016
PECA 2016 is the law that defines what counts as a cybercrime in Pakistan, and it covers more ground than most people expect. Here are the offences we see most often in practice, in plain language, each tied to the section of PECA that covers it.
Unauthorized access (section 3). Logging into someone's email, social media, or device without their permission, even if you know the password because you used to be close to them. This is the base offence behind most hacked-account complaints.
Electronic forgery (section 13). Creating, altering, or using a fake electronic document, such as a doctored screenshot of a chat, a fabricated bank statement, or an edited image presented as genuine, with intent to cause harm or gain an advantage.
Electronic fraud (section 14). Using a computer, network, or device to dishonestly cause someone to part with money or property. This covers most online scams: fake investment schemes, fraudulent online marketplaces, phishing links that lead to a bank transfer, and mobile wallet fraud.
Unauthorized use of identity information (section 16). Using someone's CNIC number, photograph, name, or other identifying details online without consent, including opening a fake account in their name or using their identity to deceive a third party.
Offences against the dignity of a natural person (section 20). Publishing or transmitting information online that harms a person's reputation or dignity, including certain forms of online defamation and public shaming. For the civil and criminal defamation route more broadly, see our guide on defamation law in Pakistan.
Offences against the modesty of a natural person (section 21). This is the section most relevant to blackmail involving intimate images or messages, non-consensual sharing of private photos or videos, and threats to publish such material. Victims of this offence should treat it as urgent.
Cyberstalking (section 24). Repeatedly contacting, monitoring, or following someone online in a way that causes fear or distress, including persistent unwanted messages, tracking someone's online activity, or using fake accounts to keep contacting a person who has cut off communication.
These sections cover the offences, not the penalties. PECA has been amended more than once since 2016, and the punishment attached to each section varies by offence and has changed over time. [VERIFY WITH FIRM: current penalty ranges under the amended Act.] What matters for a complaint is naming the right section, not memorising the sentence it carries. A well-drafted complaint identifies the specific PECA offence involved, which is one reason a lawyer's involvement at the drafting stage helps.
How to file an FIA cybercrime complaint online, step by step
Filing an FIA cybercrime complaint, in current practice a NCCIA complaint, follows the same basic sequence whether the incident is a hacked account, a scam, or online harassment.
Step 1: Gather your evidence before you start
Collect everything relevant before you open the complaint form: screenshots, the URLs or usernames involved, transaction IDs for any financial loss, and a short written timeline of what happened. Filing while your account is still compromised, or before you have evidence saved, weakens the complaint.
Step 2: Go to the official complaint portal
File through the current official portal rather than an old bookmark or a link shared in a WhatsApp group. If you are unsure which URL is current, search for the NCCIA directly rather than clicking a forwarded link, since scam pages sometimes imitate government complaint forms.
Step 3: Fill in the complaint form
The form asks for your CNIC, contact details, and a description of the incident. Be specific: dates, the platform involved, and the usernames or phone numbers of the person you are complaining about, if known. A vague complaint ("someone is harassing me online") is harder to act on than a specific one ("this account sent these messages on these dates").
Step 4: Attach your evidence
Upload the screenshots, files, and any supporting documents you gathered in step one. Attach evidence as originals where possible rather than heavily cropped or edited versions; the next section explains why that matters.
Step 5: Submit and save your complaint number
Once submitted, you should receive a complaint or tracking number. Save it somewhere safe, a note on your phone or a printed copy, and use it if you need to check status or follow up later.
If you prefer not to file online, or your matter is urgent, the helpline number published on the official portal is 1799. We do not publish additional office phone numbers here because they change; use the number listed on the current official portal.
Filing in person in Lahore
A cybercrime reporting centre exists in Lahore for complainants who prefer, or need, to file an FIA cybercrime complaint in person rather than online. This matters for cases involving financial fraud where a bank also needs a written complaint reference, or for victims who are not comfortable describing sensitive material, such as intimate image blackmail, through an online form.
If you go in person, bring your CNIC, printed or saved copies of your evidence, and a written application describing the incident: what happened, when, on which platform, who was involved (if known), and what you are asking the agency to do. Keep a copy of whatever you hand over.
Office locations and contact details for cybercrime reporting centres change from time to time, so confirm the current Lahore address and hours through the official NCCIA portal rather than relying on an address in an older article or a business directory. [VERIFY WITH FIRM: current Lahore cybercrime office address, if the firm wants it published on this page.]
If your matter involves a possible counter-complaint against you, or you are unsure how to frame the incident, a criminal lawyer in Lahore can help draft the written application before you submit it.
Evidence: what to preserve before you do anything else
What you do in the first hour after discovering a cybercrime often matters more than anything that happens after you file an FIA cybercrime complaint. Evidence in these cases is digital, which means it is easy to lose and easy to damage without meaning to.
Take screenshots that show the full context, not just the offending message. A screenshot of a threatening message means little on its own; include the sender's username or profile, the date and time stamp, and, where relevant, the URL of the page or conversation. Screenshots taken from a phone's native screenshot function, rather than a photo of a screen, hold up better.
Deleting a threatening chat feels like the natural response when it's hard to look at, but doing so also erases the record you need. Archive it or mute the sender instead of deleting the conversation.
Save transaction IDs and bank references for financial fraud. If money moved, the transaction ID, the account or wallet number it went to, and the exact time of the transfer are the details that let a bank or investigator trace the funds. Report the fraud to your bank in parallel with filing the FIA cybercrime complaint, not after.
Where a device was used to commit the offence against you, or your own device shows signs of compromise, hold off on a factory reset or a sale until you've taken advice. A forensic examination sometimes needs the original hardware.
Avoid editing or cropping evidence before you submit it. Cropping a screenshot to remove context, or editing an image to make a point more clearly, can make otherwise genuine evidence look tampered with. Submit evidence as close to its original form as you can, and keep an unedited copy even if you also prepare a summarised version for your own reference.
In our experience, the complaints that move fastest are the ones with clean, dated, unedited evidence attached from the start, not the ones that arrive with a strong story and nothing to back it up.
What happens after you file
Filing an FIA cybercrime complaint is only the first step. Knowing roughly what follows helps you avoid being caught off guard by the pace.
Inquiry stage. After you submit a complaint, the agency typically reviews it to decide whether it discloses a cognizable offence under PECA and whether there is enough to act on. This inquiry stage is where vague or unsupported complaints tend to stall, which is another reason detailed evidence matters from the outset.
FIR registration. Where the inquiry finds grounds, a formal First Information Report (FIR) is registered and a proper investigation begins. The general concept of an FIR, and what to do if a formal complaint is not being registered promptly, is the same across Pakistani criminal law; our guide on how to file an FIR in Pakistan covers the underlying process in more detail.
Investigation. Once an FIR is registered, investigators can request records from platforms, banks, or telecom providers, examine devices, and gather further evidence. Digital investigations depend heavily on cooperation from third parties, a platform or a bank, that are often based outside Pakistan, which is one reason timelines are hard to predict from case to case.
We won't guess at a specific timeline here, and we deliberately avoid quoting a fixed number of days or weeks for how long a cybercrime investigation takes. It depends on the offence, the platforms involved, and the agency's caseload at the time, so treat any timeline you read elsewhere with caution unless it comes from the official portal or your own case officer.
If your complaint has gone quiet for longer than feels reasonable, if you're asked to attend without being told why, or if the matter feels like it's being treated less seriously than it should be, that's a reasonable point to bring in a lawyer. A lawyer can follow up formally and, where appropriate, push the matter through the right channels.
Special situations
FIA cybercrime complaints are not all the same, and a few situations deserve their own note.
Blackmail and intimate images
If someone is threatening to share intimate images or private messages unless you pay them or comply with a demand, treat this as urgent. This typically falls under section 21 of PECA (offences against the modesty of a natural person). Do not pay the person making the threat; paying rarely ends the demands and can encourage further extortion. Preserve every message and screenshot, and file the complaint as soon as you can rather than waiting to see if the threat is genuine.
Harassment of women online
Persistent unwanted contact, threats, or the circulation of a woman's photos without consent are treated seriously under PECA and related law. For a fuller look at the legal protections available and how they interact with cybercrime reporting, see our guide on harassment laws in Pakistan.
Financial fraud and mobile wallet scams
If you have lost money through a fake investment scheme, a fraudulent online seller, or an unauthorised mobile wallet transaction, report the fraud to your bank or wallet provider at the same time as filing the FIA cybercrime complaint, not after. Banks have their own fraud teams and internal timelines, and a parallel report gives you the best chance of a hold or reversal where one is possible. Keep the transaction ID, the destination account details, and any communication with the person responsible.
Defamation online
Where the harm is to your reputation rather than your finances or safety, a false and damaging post or a fabricated story shared widely, you may have both a PECA route (section 20) and a separate civil or criminal defamation route. Our guide on defamation law in Pakistan explains the civil suit and criminal complaint options that run alongside, or instead of, an FIA cybercrime complaint.
When to involve a criminal lawyer
You do not need a lawyer to file an FIA cybercrime complaint. The portal is designed for a member of the public to use directly, and most people who file a straightforward complaint, a hacked account or a scam with clear evidence, manage it without one.
A lawyer earns their fee at a few specific points. First, at the drafting stage: a complaint that names the correct PECA section and lays out the facts precisely is more likely to be treated as a genuine, actionable report than one that describes the harm in general terms. Second, if the matter stalls: a lawyer can follow up formally on your behalf and, where the law allows, press for the complaint to be progressed. Third, if you end up on the receiving end of a counter-complaint, which happens more often than people expect in disputes that started online (an ex-partner, a former business associate, a neighbour), a criminal lawyer protects you from being drawn into a defensive case while your own complaint is still pending.
A criminal lawyer in Lahore who works regularly with PECA matters understands how FIA cybercrime complaints are treated differently from a standard FIR, including the digital-evidence chain of custody issues that come up once a matter reaches investigation or trial. If your situation involves blackmail, a serious financial loss, or the risk of a counter-complaint, get advice before you file rather than after.
Frequently asked questions
How do I file an FIA cybercrime complaint online?
File through the official NCCIA complaint portal, which now handles the intake that used to run through the FIA Cyber Crime Wing. Gather your evidence first (screenshots, URLs, transaction IDs), then complete the form with your CNIC, contact details, and a specific description of the incident. Attach your evidence, submit, and save the complaint or tracking number you receive so you can follow up later.
Where can I report cybercrime in Pakistan?
You can report cybercrime through the official NCCIA complaint portal online, by calling the helpline on 1799, or in person at a cybercrime reporting centre such as the one in Lahore. Confirm the current portal address and any office location through the official site rather than an older bookmark, since the responsible agency and its contact details have changed in recent years.
Is there a cybercrime helpline number?
Yes. The helpline published on the official cybercrime complaint portal is 1799. Call this number if you need to report an incident by phone, are unsure how to use the online form, or your matter feels urgent, such as an active blackmail threat. We do not publish additional office numbers here because they change; use the number listed on the current official portal.
Can the authorities trace a WhatsApp number?
Tracing is possible in some cases through a formal legal process that requires the platform's cooperation, but it is not guaranteed and is not instant. WhatsApp and similar platforms are based outside Pakistan and respond to requests through their own legal channels, which takes time and depends on the facts of the case. Do not assume a number will be traced quickly, or at all, when deciding whether to file.
What evidence do I need for an FIA cybercrime complaint?
Screenshots that show the sender's username, the date and time, and the full message or post, not just the offending line. For financial fraud, keep the transaction ID and destination account details. Do not delete conversations, and avoid cropping or editing images before you submit them, since altered evidence is harder to rely on later. A short written timeline of events also helps.
How do I check my FIA cybercrime complaint status?
Use the complaint or tracking number you were given when you submitted your report. The official portal typically provides a way to check status using this number and your CNIC. If you filed in person, ask the reporting centre how to follow up. Keep your reference number somewhere safe from the day you file, since it is the fastest way to get an update.
Is blackmailing a crime in Pakistan?
Yes. Threatening to share intimate images, private messages, or other material unless someone pays or complies with a demand falls under PECA 2016, most often as an offence against the modesty of a natural person under section 21, alongside general extortion law. Do not pay the person making the threat. Preserve every message and screenshot, and treat this type of complaint as urgent.
Can I withdraw an FIA cybercrime complaint?
Once a formal FIR is registered, a complaint becomes a state matter and cannot simply be withdrawn the way you might cancel a request, similar to how FIRs work under general criminal law. If you and the other party settle the underlying dispute, you can tell the investigating officer, who may factor that into how the matter proceeds. A lawyer can advise on your specific case.
Speak to a criminal lawyer in Lahore
If you are dealing with a hacked account, online blackmail, harassment, or an FIA cybercrime complaint that has stalled, Saeed Law Firm has practised criminal law in Lahore since 1975 and offers a free initial consultation. We help draft complaints that name the right PECA offence, follow up where a matter has gone quiet, and represent clients facing counter-complaints. Contact us or call +92-319-4959420.
Saeed Law Firm, Y Block Main Market, Sector Y, DHA Phase 3, Lahore 54793. Phone: +92-319-4959420.