How to Report an Investment or Forex Scam in Pakistan

Act quickly, but in order

If you think you have been scammed, the money may still be moving through accounts and wallets. Fast action improves the chance that a bank or the authorities can do something. It does not guarantee it.

Take these steps in this order:

• Stop paying. Do not send any more money for "taxes", "unlocking fees", "verification" or "withdrawal charges". These are common ways scammers take a second payment.
• Preserve evidence before anything is deleted.
• Contact your bank or wallet provider.
• File a cybercrime complaint with the police authority that handles online fraud.
• Report the platform to the regulator.

Preserve the evidence

Scammers often delete chats, close websites and block numbers. Save everything now and keep copies in more than one place.

• Screenshots of the website or app, including the full web address.
• Chats on WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook or Instagram, with the profile names and phone numbers visible. Use the export-chat option where the app has one.
• Bank transfer receipts, wallet transaction IDs, card statements and the account titles you paid.
• Emails, contracts, "account statements" and any trading dashboard screenshots.
• Names, numbers and usernames of everyone who contacted you.

Write a short timeline: when you were first contacted, each payment, and when you could no longer withdraw. Investigators find a written timeline easier to follow than a folder of screenshots.

Contact your bank or wallet provider

Call your bank, card issuer or mobile wallet using the number on your card or in the official app. Do not use a number the scammer gave you. Tell them the transaction was fraudulent and ask:

• whether the payment can be stopped, reversed or disputed;
• whether the receiving account can be flagged;
• what written complaint or form they need from you.

Change your online banking password and PIN if you shared any codes. Turn on two-factor authentication on your email and banking. If you typed details into a fake site, read Phishing and Fake Logins.

File a cybercrime complaint (FIA)

Online fraud in Pakistan is reported to the federal cybercrime authority. This has been the FIA Cyber Crime Wing. Responsibility for cybercrime cases can be reassigned, so check the official government website for the agency that currently takes complaints and for its online complaint portal. Do not search social media for "FIA helpers" or agents. Scammers pose as officials too.

When you file:

• give your CNIC and contact details;
• attach your timeline and evidence;
• list every account, number and wallet the money went to;
• keep the complaint reference number.

You can also report to your local police station, especially if you met someone in person.

Report the platform to the SECP

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan is the regulator for brokers: Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), with trading in listed securities and commodities only via SECP-licensed securities and futures brokers. Its official site is secp.gov.pk. Type the address yourself rather than following a link from a message. Use the complaint or contact channels listed there to report an unlicensed platform, a fake broker or someone posing as a licensed firm.

These facts from official sources are useful when you write a complaint:

• Under Pakistani law, under the Futures Market Act 2016, s.47(1), no one may carry on a regulated activity (futures broker, adviser, representative) without an SECP licence. The penalty: under the Futures Market Act 2016, s.104(3), operating without a licence carries, for an individual, a fine of up to PKR 250 million or up to 3 years' imprisonment, or both.
• Platform status: per the SECP, offshore forex/CFD platforms operate without regulatory approval in Pakistan.
• Investor protection: per the SECP, offshore platforms have no Pakistani licence or oversight and offer no legal protection or recourse.
• SECP warnings by press release naming platforms (Quotex 09.04.2025; IBKR look-alikes, IGIL Securities, BMA Capital No.108 etc. 22.05.2025; Hillhouse Capital, S-169 Wharton 13.01.2026), none of which names Exness.

To check whether a broker is licensed: per the SECP, lists of licensed brokers are on the PSX and PMEX websites. Our guide Verify a Broker explains how to read a register entry. Our Broker Checklist covers the other checks.

Do not publicly accuse a named company or person unless an official source supports it. Give the facts to the authorities and let them decide.

If the money went to an offshore platform

State Bank of Pakistan rules matter here. Per the SBP, remitting foreign exchange to overseas forex/margin/CFD platforms is not allowed through any payment channel (FERA s.5(1)). Also, per the SBP, the purchase of offshore forex/margin/CFD products by Pakistani residents violates section 4(1) of FERA 1947.

This can make victims hesitate to report. Be truthful in every complaint. Hiding facts weakens your case. If you are unsure about your own legal position, speak to a qualified lawyer before you file. Law and regulators gives more background.

Watch for recovery scams

After a loss, many victims are contacted by "recovery agents", "lawyers" or "hackers" who promise to get the money back for an upfront fee. Genuine authorities do not charge you to investigate. Read Recovery Scams before replying to anyone who offers help.

Learn the patterns

Most cases follow known scripts:

• fake signal groups
• romance investment scams
• clone sites and fake apps
• guaranteed profit claims
• Ponzi and pyramid schemes

Compare your case with Scam Warning Signs. If your problem is a dispute with a real broker rather than fraud, see File a Broker Complaint.

Even with a genuine, regulated broker, leveraged forex and CFD trading can lose money fast. That is a trading risk, not a scam. A regulator's complaint process does not cover trading losses.

Frequent questions

How do I report an online scam in Pakistan?

Save your evidence, call your bank or wallet provider, and file a complaint with the federal cybercrime authority. If an investment or trading platform was involved, also report it to the SECP.

Where do I file an FIA cybercrime complaint?

Use the official complaint portal shown on the government website of the agency that currently handles cybercrime. Do not use links or agents found on social media.

Can I file an SECP complaint about a scam?

Yes. The SECP supervises brokers and publishes warnings about illegal platforms. Use the channels listed on secp.gov.pk.

Will I get my money back?

There is no guarantee. Acting quickly through your bank gives the best chance. Ignore anyone who promises recovery for a fee.

How do I report a forex scam if the platform is abroad?

Report it to your bank, the cybercrime authority and the SECP. Per the SECP, offshore platforms offer no Pakistani legal protection or recourse, so recovery may be limited.