British law enforcement officers have uncovered an unprecedented Internet scam in which attackers utilized a homemade telephone tower to conduct a large-scale phishing operation. The authorities have already apprehended two suspects in connection to the scheme.
City of London police reported that the confiscated tower was a homemade mobile antenna referred to as “SMS-The Gun.” This device, the first of its kind in the UK, was specifically designed for disseminating large volumes of malicious content. The perpetrators managed to circumvent operators’ security measures against SMS phishing or smishing.
The criminals masqueraded as banks, government agencies, and other official institutions to deceive recipients into divulging their personal information, passwords, and payment details under the guise of legitimacy.
“Cybercriminals are constantly devising more sophisticated tactics, utilizing elaborate ruses to defraud individuals and steal assets,” stated David Screw, the acting head of the cybercrime division. “It is crucial to collaborate with partners to prevent future instances of fraud.”