June 11, 2024 at 11:18AM
UK authorities have arrested two suspects in Manchester and London for their involvement in a smishing campaign, using a homemade mobile antenna to send phishing SMS messages. The messages were designed to mimic those from official organizations and bypass network protections. The investigation involved collaboration with telecoms operators and authorities urge the public to report suspicious messages.
Based on the meeting notes, here are the key takeaways:
1. Two arrests were made in the UK related to a smishing campaign involving an illegal phone mast.
2. Perpetrators used a homemade mobile antenna to send thousands of phishing SMS messages impersonating banks and official organizations.
3. The illegal SMS blaster bypassed protections on mobile networks to block suspicious text messages.
4. SMS blasting is legal with user consent but becomes abusive and illegal if used to deliver unsolicited texts for malicious purposes.
5. One suspect, Huayong Xu, 32, remains in custody, while the other was released on bail.
6. The investigation was conducted by the UK Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU) in collaboration with telecoms operators, Ofcom, and the National Cyber Security Centre.
7. Consumers in the UK are advised to report suspicious text messages by forwarding them to 7726 for investigation and potential sender blocking.
Additional related articles include Spain arresting hackers, employees at Twilio targeted in separate smishing attacks, and the ‘Roaming Mantis’ smishing campaign in France.