Fake NADRA Officer Calls: The Verification Fee Scam

A fake NADRA officer call usually starts with a threat: your CNIC has been blocked, or it has been used for illegal activity, and you must pay a “verification fee” right now to fix it. The caller sounds official, may know your name, and pressures you to act before you can think.

NADRA does not work this way. It does not call citizens to demand a verification fee, and it does not ask you to share your CNIC details or OTP over the phone. Anyone who does is a scammer.

How the scam works

The fraud usually follows a simple script:

1. The official-sounding call. You get a call from a private mobile number. The caller claims to be a NADRA officer, or an officer from another government department, and says there is a problem with your CNIC record.
2. The threat. He says your CNIC has been blocked, compromised, or linked to criminal activity. Sometimes he adds that your SIM or bank account will be blocked next.
3. The fee demand. To “reactivate” your CNIC or “clear” your record, he asks you to send a verification fee through Easypaisa or JazzCash, or to share your CNIC number, OTP, or bank details for “verification”.
4. The pressure to stay quiet. He may tell you not to hang up, not to tell anyone, or to make the payment immediately while still on the call. That urgency is deliberate — it stops you from checking whether the call is real.

A related version of the same trick does not use a phone call at all. In October 2026, Pakistan’s National Cyber Emergency Response Team (National CERT) flagged phishing websites impersonating NADRA and other government institutions, including a fake “secure login” domain using NADRA’s name. These cloned sites copy official logos and colours to trick visitors into typing in their CNIC, login credentials, or other personal details.

What NADRA itself says

NADRA has publicly warned citizens to protect their CNIC information and to stay alert against fake calls, messages, and social media scams that try to collect personal details. Its advice is clear:

• Be cautious before sharing any personal information in response to an unsolicited call or message.
• Verify the authenticity of any request that claims to come from NADRA or another official body before acting on it.
• Citizens who need guidance or want to report suspicious activity can contact the NADRA helpline on 1777.

NADRA has also clarified that it has no authorised consultants, agents, or dealers who process identity documents or submit applications on its behalf. Its online services are offered only through the Pak ID mobile app and official websites ending in gov.pk. Anyone charging you an extra “verification fee” as a middleman is not acting for NADRA.

Red flags that expose the call

Any one of these signs means you should hang up:

• A fee demanded on a phone call. Real government verification does not happen by sending money to a stranger’s mobile wallet because a caller told you to.
• A threat of instant blocking or arrest. “Your CNIC will be blocked today” and “police will come to your house” are pressure tactics, not official procedure.
• A request for your OTP, PIN, or password. No genuine official asks for these on a call. Ever.
• A call from a private mobile number. An officer handling a real case does not run the process from a personal 03xx number and a mobile wallet account.
• Instructions to stay on the line while you pay. A real process never requires you to keep the caller on the phone during a payment.
• A link to a “verification” website. Check the address carefully: NADRA’s official online services are on gov.pk domains and the Pak ID app, not lookalike domains with words like “secure-login” added to the name.

What to do if you already paid or shared details

Act quickly, and keep every piece of evidence — the caller’s number, payment receipts, screenshots of messages, and the website address if one was involved.

1. Call NADRA’s helpline on 1777 and explain what happened, so the attempt is on record.
2. Call your bank or wallet provider immediately if you shared banking details or an OTP, and ask them to freeze the transaction.
3. Report to the NCCIA (National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency) cybercrime helpline 1799, or online — the agency handles online financial fraud.
4. Report the number to PTA (helpline 0800-55055 or the PTA CMS app) so the SIM used by the fraudster can be blocked.
5. If money was taken from your bank account, you can also approach the Banking Mohtasib, the independent ombudsman for banking complaints, alongside your bank’s own complaint process.

How to protect yourself

• Never pay a “verification fee” to a caller. If your CNIC genuinely needs attention, visit a NADRA Registration Centre in person or use the official Pak ID app.
• Never share your CNIC copy, OTP, PIN, or password with an unsolicited caller — even if he already knows your name. Leaked personal details are commonly used to make scams sound convincing.
• Hang up and verify yourself. End the call, then contact NADRA on 1777 or visit a registration centre. Never use a phone number or website link given to you by the suspicious caller.
• Check website addresses before typing anything. Only use gov.pk domains and the official Pak ID app for NADRA services, and be suspicious of any site that adds words like “secure-login” to a government name.
• Do not act under pressure. Any call that demands an instant payment or threatens arrest is a scam signal. Hang up, breathe, verify.
• Report scam numbers to PTA and the NCCIA even if you did not lose money — every report helps block the fraudster’s SIM.

Related guides: Fake Bank Helpline Calls: The “Your Account Is Blocked” Scam, The BISP 8171 SMS Scam, Fake PTA DIRBS Tax SMS Scam, and How SIM Swap Fraud Takes Over Your Number.