Lahore: The alleged fraud did not require stealing parcels or breaking into a post office. According to US prosecutors, it relied on selling a digital label for around USD two and leaving the United States Postal Service to bear the cost of delivery.
Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested Faheem Akram, a 33 year old Khanewal resident accused of operating LabelsBank.com, an unauthorised website allegedly used to sell counterfeit American shipping labels.
US authorities allege that more than 5200 customers bought over 5.1 million labels, causing postal service losses exceeding USD 126 million. The website was seized and shut down under a court order.
The alleged operation exploited the difference between the price of a counterfeit label and the actual cost of sending a parcel. Labels were reportedly sold at a fixed rate regardless of a package’s weight, size or destination.
The USD 126 million figure therefore represents the postal service’s alleged losses, not an established amount personally earned by Akram.
For scale, selling 5.1 million labels at USD two each would generate USD 10.2 million. That illustrative calculation is not an estimate of his proven earnings: prosecutors describe USD two as a typical price, and the investigation must establish the actual transactions.
According to the NCCIA, the alleged business operated from August 2023 to September 2026. Investigators identified 16 bank accounts linked to the inquiry, including accounts held by Akram and relatives. Account ownership alone does not establish that every holder knowingly participated.
The case connects an online storefront and financial trail in Pakistan with alleged losses in an overseas delivery system. Its central issue is counterfeit proof of payment, rather than a reported breach of customers’ bank accounts.
Akram’s arrest on October 20 followed a search involving raids across Pakistan.
A US indictment announced in September includes conspiracy, counterfeit postage and wire fraud charges. These remain allegations to be tested in court; the arrest is not a conviction or confirmation of extradition.
