# Pakistani National Arrested in $126 Million Counterfeit Postage Scheme

> Faheem Akram, 33, was apprehended in Pakistan for allegedly operating a website that defrauded the U.S. Postal Service of over $126 million through fake shipping labels.

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-24T13:51:44.964220Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/pakistani-national-arrested-in-126-million-counterfeit-postage-scheme-21b4de32

Faheem Akram, a 33-year-old Pakistani national from Khanewal in eastern Punjab province, was arrested on October 20, 2026, by Pakistan's National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in connection with an online counterfeit postage fraud scheme [1][2][5]. U.S. prosecutors allege the operation caused over $126 million in losses to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) [1][3][5].

This arrest marks a significant international collaboration in tackling cybercrime, impacting American consumers and the integrity of a vital U.S. federal service, the U.S. Postal Service.

## What the records show
U.S. prosecutors accuse Akram of operating LabelsBank.com, an unauthorized website that allegedly sold more than 5.1 million counterfeit shipping labels to over 5,200 customers in the United States from August 2023 through September 2026 [1][3][5]. These labels were typically sold for a fixed price of $2 each, regardless of the package's weight, size, or destination, allowing customers to ship items at significantly lower rates than legitimate USPS prices [1][3][5]. The estimated $126 million figure represents the alleged losses incurred by the USPS, not the proceeds generated by LabelsBank.com [5][8].

A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned an indictment against Akram on September 28, 2026 [1][3]. He faces one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make and sell counterfeit postage stamps, five counts of making and selling counterfeit postage stamp labels, and four counts of wire fraud [1][3]. If convicted, Akram could face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy and counterfeit postage counts, and up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count [1][3]. U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida described the alleged scheme as "simple but massive," highlighting the sale of counterfeit postage online at fixed, cut-rate prices [2][3].

## The investigation and arrest
The investigation into Akram's activities was led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Miami Division, which had offered a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to his apprehension [1][3][4]. Pakistani authorities, specifically the NCCIA, executed a "specialized locator operation" lasting ten days to track down Akram [4][11]. This operation involved questioning 47 individuals and analyzing 122 call records [4][11]. NCCIA Lahore Zone Additional Director Atif Aamir confirmed Akram's arrest after a weeks-long search that included raids across various parts of the country [1][5].

Pakistani investigators discovered that 16 bank accounts, including some belonging to Akram's brother, wife, sister, and aunt, were used to facilitate the fraudulent operation [9][10]. Following his arrest, a Lahore court on October 21, 2026, granted the NCCIA a five-day physical remand of Faheem Akram [2]. Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the USPIS Miami Division emphasized the agency's global reach, stating, "Transnational criminal organizations defrauding the Postal Service and targeting U.S consumers by pushing phony postage, will be found and brought to justice" [3]. The LabelsBank.com website has since been seized and shut down by authorities [3][4].

## What we could not confirm
Pakistani authorities have not publicly established that Faheem Akram's relatives, whose bank accounts were used, were aware of or participated in the illicit business [16]. It also remains unclear whether Akram will face trial in Pakistan or be extradited to the United States [8][9].

## Evidence cited
1. Pakistan arrests man wanted in US over $126m postage fraud - Latest News from Saudi Arabia and the World. (saudigazette.com.sa) — https://saudigazette.com.sa/
2. A Lahore court grants NCCIA five-day physical remand of Faheem Akram, accused of selling counterfeit US postage stamps through an online scheme. (dunyanews.tv) — https://dunyanews.tv/
3. Pakistani National Charged With Defrauding US Postal Service of Over $100 Million By Selling Counterfeit Postage Online (justice.gov) — https://www.justice.gov/
4. Pakistan arrests man accused in $126 million US postal fraud (arabnews.pk) — https://arabnews.pk/
5. Pakistani authorities arrest man accused in $126 million US postage fraud scheme - Newsday (newsday.com) — https://www.newsday.com/
6. Pakistani authorities arrest man accused in $126 million US postage fraud scheme (ktvb.com) — https://www.ktvb.com/
7. Pakistan arrests suspect in alleged $126 million U.S. postage fraud (diyatvusa.com) — https://diyatvusa.com/
8. Pakistani authorities arrest man accused in $126m US postage fraud (aljazeera.com) — https://www.aljazeera.com/
9. Pakistani authorities arrest man accused in $126 million US postage fraud scheme (bozemandailychronicle.com) — https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/
10. Pakistani authorities arrest man accused in $126 million US postage fraud scheme (kare11.com) — https://www.kare11.com/
11. NCCIA spokesperson details 10-day operation (timesofkarachi.pk) — https://timesofkarachi.pk/
12. Operation to trace suspect, teams formed (minutemirror.com.pk) — https://minutemirror.com.pk/
13. Operation to locate Akram details (thetruthinternational.com) — https://thetruthinternational.com/
14. 10-day surveillance and investigation details (newztodays.com) — https://newztodays.com/
15. Special teams investigate case across Pakistan (geo.tv) — https://geo.tv/
16. Pakistani authorities on family involvement (khaama.com) — https://khaama.com/
17. Family relationships and criminal responsibility (thedailyscrumnews.com) — https://thedailyscrumnews.com/
18. Pakistani investigators uncover bank accounts (hindustantimes.com) — https://hindustantimes.com/
19. Pakistani investigators trace bank accounts (yahoo.com) — https://yahoo.com/
20. Pakistan arrests Faheem Akram for counterfeit postage (newsmobile.in) — https://newsmobile.in/
21. Pakistani authorities arrest man in postage fraud case (apnews.com) — https://apnews.com/
22. Pakistani authorities arrest man in postage fraud case (mynorthwest.com) — https://mynorthwest.com/
23. Pakistan arrests man in $126m postage fraud (bozemandailychronicle.com) — https://bozemandailychronicle.com/
24. Lahore court grants NCCIA remand of fraud suspect (dawn.com) — https://dawn.com/
25. Investigation reveals 16 bank accounts linked to fraud (tribune.com.pk) — https://www.tribune.com.pk/
26. Pakistani investigators link bank accounts to Akram (washingtonpost.com) — https://washingtonpost.com/