Key points:
- The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued an alert about a counterfeit notice circulating on social media that imitates its official logo.
- The fraudulent message claims that answering calls from the number 051‑7080507 will automatically credit the caller’s Easypaisa or other mobile‑wallet account.
- Scammers use this ruse to lure victims into disclosing personal and banking details, after which they siphon the money.
- PTA emphasizes that it never requests financial information or transaction confirmations via unsolicited phone calls; any such request should be reported immediately.
The regulator’s warning comes after a surge in deceptive posts that mimic PTA’s branding and promise instant deposits into popular digital‑payment platforms such as Easypaisa, JazzCash and UPI‑linked wallets. By portraying the message as an official alert, fraudsters exploit the trust that Pakistanis place in the authority, especially in a market where mobile wallets handle a growing share of everyday transactions—from utility bills to grocery purchases.
Authorities clarified that the phone number 051‑7080507 is not linked to PTA or any licensed service provider. The fake notification urges recipients to answer the call, provide their CNIC, bank account or Easypaisa credentials, and then confirm a “deposit” that never materialises. In many reported cases, victims have suffered loss of funds after the scammers used the supplied data to initiate unauthorized transfers.
PTA’s communication team has urged the public to verify any PTA‑related announcement through the agency’s verified website, official Twitter handle (@PTAPakistan), or the 1212 hotline. Consumers are advised to refrain from sharing personal identifiers over the phone and to block suspicious numbers. The regulator also announced that it will collaborate with law‑enforcement agencies and mobile‑wallet operators to trace the perpetrators and curb similar scams in the future.