News · eGov
Pakistan's telecom regulator has issued advisories urging mobile users to share fingerprint data only at authorised outlets and never disclose one-time passwords to unknown callers.
✦ AI SUMMARY 30-second read
- PTA instructs citizens to provide biometric data only at authorised customer service centres, franchises and approved sales outlets.
- Citizens are advised to verify the purpose of fingerprint collection before undergoing biometric verification.
- A separate advisory warns against fraudsters posing as courier representatives to extract OTPs and other confidential information.
Why it matters: Biometric and OTP fraud can enable identity theft at scale, making regulator-led public awareness critical to protecting mobile users.
This summary was generated by AI. Editors may review and update it.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued a public advisory cautioning citizens to safeguard their biometric data when obtaining SIM cards or using other telecommunications services.
The regulator directed consumers to submit fingerprint information exclusively at authorised customer service centres, franchises and approved sales outlets of mobile network operators, warning against sharing such data with unauthorised individuals or retailers.
The advisory is intended to curb the misuse of biometric information and reduce the risk of personal data fraud.
What was announced
The PTA instructed citizens to confirm the stated purpose of any fingerprint collection before undergoing biometric verification.
The authority emphasised that consumers should not share sensitive personal information with any party that has not been officially authorised by a mobile network operator.
OTP scam warning
The biometric advisory follows an earlier PTA warning about a separate fraud scheme in which scammers impersonate courier company representatives to obtain one-time passwords.
According to the authority, these fraudsters contact individuals under the pretence of facilitating parcel or shipment deliveries and request OTPs or other confidential details to complete the supposed delivery process.
The PTA has urged citizens never to disclose OTPs, verification codes or any other confidential information to unknown callers, regardless of the organisation they claim to represent.
What it means for users
The PTA has advised consumers to verify the identity of anyone requesting personal information before complying, as a defence against digital fraud and identity theft.
Together, the two advisories reflect the regulator's concern that telecommunications channels are increasingly being exploited to compromise personal data, whether through physical biometric collection or remote social-engineering calls.