LAHORE: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested Faheem Akram, the main suspect in an alleged Rs35 billion scheme involving the online sale of counterfeit US postage stamps, The News reported.
A US federal grand jury had charged Akram with defrauding the US Postal Service of more than $100 million through the alleged sale of counterfeit postage online.
According to US court records, Akram, a resident of Khanewal district in Punjab, allegedly operated a website that sold counterfeit US postage labels at a fixed price, regardless of a package’s weight, size or destination.
“The indictment alleges more than 5.1 million counterfeit labels and more than $126 million in losses,” US Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida said last month.
US Charges Against the Suspect
US authorities charged Akram with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and manufacture and sell counterfeit postage stamps. He also faces five counts of making and selling counterfeit postage stamp labels and four counts of wire fraud.
According to investigators, Akram allegedly operated the website LabelsBank.com from August 2023 to September 2026. The platform reportedly sold more than five million counterfeit US postage labels at $2 each.
Investigation Spans Multiple Cities
The investigation is being supervised by Atif Aamir, Additional Director of the NCCIA Lahore Zone.
Investigators identified 16 bank accounts allegedly used to process the transactions. Seven accounts reportedly belonged to Akram, five to his brother, two to his wife, and one each to his sister and maternal aunt.
Authorities have registered a case under No. 246/2026, and further investigation is underway. Eight special teams have been formed to investigate the case across Punjab, Islamabad and Sindh.
The teams conducted 35 raids at different locations and questioned 47 people. Investigators also analysed 122 call data records, 50 IMEI tracking reports, and audio and video footage from 120 cameras.
Officials used modern technology and artificial intelligence to examine the evidence. After a 10-day search operation to locate the suspect, the NCCIA arrested Akram.
The investigation is ongoing.
