Report a Scam Number in Pakistan: Operator First, Then PTA on 0800-55055

Short answer: Report a scam number to your mobile operator first, so it can block the SIM. If the operator does not act, report it to PTA on 0800-55055 or at complaint.pta.gov.pk. PTA's own page says it can then block the number and the phone's IMEI, and block the offender's CNIC from getting new SIMs.

The call comes at lunch time. A voice says your ATM card is blocked and gives a number to ring back. Or a text says you won a TV show prize. PTA lists exactly these tricks on its own awareness pages.

We read two PTA scam pages on 14 October 2026, and the scam and enforcement section of PTA's Annual Report 2025. We did not make a test report. The steps below follow PTA's wording.

PTA lists five scam types to watch for

PTA names five types: attempts to steal personal information, fake banks or aid programmes, threats and extortion, "send me the code" cash transfer tricks, and prize or lottery scams. Scammers may also bring a second person, such as a fake banker or official, to sound real.

• Fake banks and aid programmes. PTA says scammers pose as banks or as BISP and Ehsaas. A common line is that your ATM is blocked and you must call a number in the message.
• Fake PTA staff. Some callers pretend to be from PTA and ask for money to "register" your phone. PTA's page lists this by name.
• Threats. Callers threaten you, sometimes in the name of the Pakistan Army, to get money or your identity.
• The "code" trick. A caller says money reached your wallet by mistake and asks you to send back a code or message.
• Prize scams. You are told you won a lottery or TV show, and must pay or share details to claim it.

If a call fits one of these, stop talking. A real bank will not ask for your PIN or a code. We covered how to check a fake PTA, NCCIA or bank call with a spoofed number, which shows how the caller's number can be faked.

Report to your operator first, then to PTA

PTA's page sets a clear order. First report the number to your operator (Jazz, Zong, Telenor, Ufone or PTCL) so it can be blocked. If the operator does not respond, call PTA on 0800-55055 or file at complaint.pta.gov.pk.

1. Write down the number, the time and what the caller or text asked for. Keep the SMS.
2. Do not send money or codes. If you already did, call your bank and the police at once.
3. Report the number to your operator. The verified telecom helpline numbers are in one place.
4. If nothing happens, call PTA on 0800-55055 or file at complaint.pta.gov.pk.

For banking fraud, PTA's page also lists the State Bank of Pakistan (cpd.helpdesk@sbp.org.pk) and an FIA helpline, 051 9106384. For cyber cases, see whether PKCERT or NCCIA takes your case.

PTA can block the SIM, the phone and the CNIC

PTA's page says it can block the scam number and the IMEI of the phone used. Repeat offenders who keep switching numbers can have their CNIC blacklisted from getting new SIMs or connections. That is the step that stops the cycle.

The IMEI is the phone's own serial number, so a new SIM in the same phone does not escape the block. Read how PTA blocks a fraudulent SIM and the phones tied to it at once for the rule behind this.

PTA's Annual Report 2025 says the Fraud Management Module works under the Protection from Spam, Unsolicited, Fraudulent and Obnoxious Communication Regulations, 2020. For July 2024 to June 2025, its table reports 69 CNICs blacklisted and 6,014 warnings to subscribers. The same table lists 1,875 and 1,604 for blocked numbers and IMEIs, but the text we could read does not show which figure is which, so we do not split them.

Check your own side too

Scammers often use SIMs issued on other people's CNICs. Check how many SIMs are on yours, and block any you did not buy. PTA also says to warn friends and family, and to ignore links and attachments in suspicious SMS.

See how to check the SIMs on your CNIC and block any you did not buy. If your parents get such calls, show them the five types above. The list of five checks to protect elderly parents can help.

For marketing calls from real companies, a different tool works. Use the steps to stop spam SMS and marketing calls with 3627. A scammer does not obey that list.

Common questions

Who do I report a scam number to first?

Report it to your mobile operator first. PTA's page says the operator can block the number, and PTA steps in if the operator does not respond.

What is PTA's helpline number?

It is 0800-55055, shown on PTA's pages. Online complaints go to complaint.pta.gov.pk.

Can PTA block the scammer's phone?

PTA's page says it can block the number and the device's IMEI. That stops the same handset from working on Pakistani networks.

What happens to scammers who keep changing numbers?

PTA's page says their CNIC can be blacklisted from getting new SIMs or connections. Its annual report counts 69 such CNICs for July 2024 to June 2025.

I already sent money. What now?

PTA says to contact your bank and the police at once. They may be able to halt a payment or close a compromised account.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 14 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read PTA's Recognise Scams and Protect Yourself from Scams pages, and PTA's Annual Report 2025. We did not file a test report, so we cannot say how fast an operator acts. The enforcement table in the report had a missing label, so some figures are left out on purpose.