India and Pakistan may be separated by borders, with relations between the two countries often marked by tensions. However, when it comes to business, those tensions appear to take a back seat. According to Pakistan’s cybercrime agency, three Pakistani nationals allegedly worked with four Indians based in Canada to create fake identities using artificial intelligence, open bank accounts remotely, and fraudulently obtain credit cards.
A cross-border fraud investigation has uncovered an alleged scheme involving AI-generated passports, fake identities and fraudulent credit card transactions targeting Canadian banks. Pakistani investigators claim that three men in Pakistan collaborated with four Indian nationals living in Canada to execute the operation.
A cross-border fraud investigation has uncovered an alleged scheme involving AI-generated passports, fake identities and fraudulent credit card transactions targeting Canadian banks. Pakistani investigators claim that three men in Pakistan collaborated with four Indian nationals living in Canada to execute the operation.
According to Pakistan's National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), the alleged network used artificial intelligence to generate fake passport images and photographs, enabling the suspects to create synthetic identities and open bank accounts online. The agency announced arrests in Lahore on Monday, describing the case as an example of how emerging technology can be exploited to bypass digital banking security systems.
How the alleged AI-powered fraud worked
According to investigators, the four Canada-based suspects prepared AI-generated passport images and photographs and sent them to their alleged accomplices in Pakistan. The three Pakistan-based suspects then allegedly used the fabricated documents, combined with genuine personal information such as identity numbers and dates of birth, to create synthetic identities and open accounts with major Canadian banks.
According to the NCCIA, the suspects also used a tool called Dolphin Anty, an anti-detect browser designed to mask browser and device information. Investigators allege that the software helped them get past certain digital identity verification checks during the account-opening process.
Once the accounts were established, credit cards were reportedly issued and delivered to the alleged accomplices in Canada.
The investigators claim that the Canada-based suspects then used up the cards' available credit limits before discarding them. The suspected fraud came to light after banks investigated financial losses and identified inconsistencies in the account holders' identities.
Who are the seven suspects?
According to information released by Pakistani investigators, the three suspects based in Pakistan were identified as Subhan Butt, Gulrez Butt and Muhammad Noman. The four alleged accomplices living in Canada were identified as Deep Singh, Parjeet Singh, Harpreet Singh and Gurleen Singh. The NCCIA alleges that the group divided responsibilities across the two countries, with the Canada-based members preparing fraudulent identity documents and their Pakistan-based counterparts using those documents to establish bank accounts.
The allegations have not been independently established in court. Pakistani authorities have also not publicly identified the Canadian banks allegedly targeted by the network.
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