Thai police have detained a van used to send mass phishing SMS messages and have arrested the driver involved in the scheme. The device used for the illegal activity was located in Bangkok and was capable of sending over 100 thousand messages per hour within a three-kilometer radius.
Over a span of three days, scammers managed to send nearly a million SMS messages with the content: “Your 9,268 points will expire soon! Hurry up to exchange them for a gift now.” Each message included a link to a phishing site designed to look like the official website of Thailand’s largest mobile operator, Advanced Info Service (AIS).
Those who clicked on the link were redirected to a webpage where they were prompted to enter their bank card details. The stolen information was then used for unauthorized transactions overseas.
An investigation revealed that the scammers were coordinating their operations through closed channels on Telegram, where they discussed the content of the messages. The driver of the van, a 35-year-old citizen of China, has been apprehended, while authorities are currently searching for at least two more individuals involved in the criminal group.
While AIS companies collaborated with the authorities to locate the source of the phishing messages, specific details of this cooperation have not been disclosed to prevent the perpetrators from adjusting their tactics.
Despite increased awareness among the public about phishing scams, such large-scale phishing campaigns remain lucrative, particularly in densely populated areas.