A teenager targets thousands of people by using a phony mobile tower to obtain personal information

News Mania / Piyal Chatterjee / 5th October 2024

Authorities in New Zealand have put an end to a significant “smishing” scheme run by a teenager who obtained personal information from thousands of cell phones by sending phony text messages. Smishing, a type of phishing that sends texts rather than emails, is becoming a bigger problem in the digital world.Smishing is the practice of sending false text messages, as opposed to traditional phishing, which involves con artists tricking victims into revealing important information via email. In one instance, the con artist employed an SMS Blaster, a gadget that impersonates a fake mobile tower and fools surrounding phones into joining its network. Police in New Zealand said they had never seen anything like the device in the nation.

Authorities claim that the teenager sent hundreds of phony texts, sending almost 700 of them in a single night. The messages stated that there was a breach in the recipients’ bank accounts and asked them to click on a link to fix the problem. Although the police reported no money losses, about 120 persons were victims, and their personal information was compromised.

Globally, smishing frauds have increased, and in the US, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has noted that most smishing attempts include con artists posing as representatives of reputable banks. “A typical smishing scam message may seem like it’s from a bank – maybe your bank – and include a link or phone number to bait you into clicking or calling,” the Federal Trade Commission cautioned. The FBI has also released alerts, noting widespread smishing efforts that imitate organizations such as the IRS and send out hundreds of thousands of fraudulent SMS in a matter of hours.

Authorities emphasize that while the New Zealand teen’s operation was put on hold, scammers are increasingly using text messaging to obtain personal information, so using devices like SMS Blasters and other similar ones presents a new concern.The New Zealand instance did not result in any recorded financial losses, but authorities emphasized that the public should be caution. If victims of smishing divulge private information that is subsequently utilized in fraud or identity theft operations, it could have a serious negative impact.