Scam in PakistanFake officials
Police corruption and unofficial payments in Pakistan
How it works
Some officers may be corrupt or unhelpful. Traffic-rule encounters can involve bribery. There is no specific fake-officer trick described.
Warning signs
- An officer asks for an unofficial payment.
- A payment request comes without a clear explanation or receipt.
How to avoid it
- Stay calm and ask what rule or offence is involved.
- Ask for the official payment process and a receipt.
- Do not offer a bribe.
- Keep your embassy or consulate contact details available.
If it happens to you
Avoid confrontation. Record the time, location, and officer details when safe. Seek help from a police station or your embassy or consulate.
- Get to a safe, staffed public place. Do not chase a thief or continue a confrontation.
- Check what is missing. Freeze stolen cards, contact your card issuer, and secure or remotely lock a stolen phone.
- Save receipts, booking details, messages, and photos. Write down the time, place, amount, and a description of what happened.
- Report theft, threats, or fraud to the police. Ask for a report or reference number and keep a copy.
- Contact your embassy or consulate if your passport is missing or you need urgent assistance. Tell your insurer and any booking or payment provider involved.
What travellers report
Posts about this scam on other sites, summarised in our words. Open one to read the original.
- Redditr/pakistan2023How to deal with corrupt police?An overseas Pakistani on holiday reports that police released their companions and returned their vapes after receiving a bribe.Read on Reddit
- Redditr/pakistan2023Any overseas pakistani here? Have you ever been in a situation where you had to call/threaten to call a european embassy due to police corruption?The poster says police searched their brother and his friends for drugs, found nothing and detained them until a bribe was paid.Read on Reddit
Questions
What is the police corruption and unofficial payments scam in Pakistan?
Some officers may be corrupt or unhelpful. Traffic-rule encounters can involve bribery. There is no specific fake-officer trick described.
How can I spot it early?
An officer asks for an unofficial payment. A payment request comes without a clear explanation or receipt.
How do I avoid police corruption and unofficial payments in Pakistan?
Stay calm and ask what rule or offence is involved. Ask for the official payment process and a receipt. Do not offer a bribe. Keep your embassy or consulate contact details available.
What should I do if it happens to me?
Avoid confrontation. Record the time, location, and officer details when safe. Seek help from a police station or your embassy or consulate.
Where in Pakistan does this happen?
Encounters with police in Karachi. It has been reported in Karachi.
How common is this scam in Pakistan?
Occasional. The main tourist traps in Pakistan are inflated taxi and rickshaw fares, higher shopping prices for foreigners, and pressure from airport touts. Other risks include poor-quality goods sold at high prices, refilled water bottles, pickpockets in crowded parts of Lahore, and bag snatching in Karachi. Agree prices early, check what you buy, and keep your cash and phone secure.
Who can I report it to?
Police: report theft, threats, or fraud at a police station. Ask for a written report or reference number. For emergencies, police helpline 15 is listed; the country-wide instructions specify calling from a landline. Airport staff: for a porter dispute or pressure from touts, seek help at a staffed airport desk. Give the location and explain what was agreed or paid. Card issuer or bank: use your bank's app or official contact number to freeze missing cards and report disputed payments. Embassy or consulate: use its official emergency contact details for passport loss, serious threats, or difficulty obtaining help. Keep these details available before travelling. Insurer or booking provider: contact the provider through its official support channel. Keep receipts, evidence, and any police report for a claim or payment dispute.
What number do I call in an emergency in Pakistan?
Police; country-wide instructions specify a landline: 15, Ambulance; landline or mobile: 115, Ambulance and emergency rescue; Rescue 1122: 1122, Police rescue from a cellphone in Faisalabad only: 911.
Reviewed by @snuck