The UK authorities have apprehended two individuals suspected of employing a homemade mobile antenna to distribute thousands of smishing messages posing as UK banks and other official organizations.
The duo, using a device referred to as a “text message blaster,” managed to circumvent telecommunications security systems designed to intercept and block SMS spam.
This marks the first known instance in the UK of an illicit telephone mast being utilized as an SMS blaster to send fraudulent messages, bypassing network defenses.
The first suspect was detained on May 9, 2024, in Manchester, and a subsequent arrest was made on May 23 in London.
Cyber Law and Cybercrime Investigation Blog: Immuniweb