Latest news with #SMSBlaster
The Independent
11 hours ago
- The Independent
The device sparking surge in scam text messages
Police are warning about the SMS Blaster, a new device used by criminals to commit fraud by sending fake text messages. The device functions as an illegitimate phone mast, tricking nearby mobile phones into connecting to it instead of legitimate networks. Once connected, the SMS Blaster sends fraudulent messages designed to appear genuine, often from government bodies or other trusted organizations. These scam texts prompt victims to click on malicious links, leading to websites that harvest their personal and financial details. The Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU) has arrested seven people and seized seven SMS blasters, urging the public to report suspicious texts and contact their banks if scammed.
The Independent
14 hours ago
- The Independent
Police issue warning over ‘blasters' used to send scam texts to nearby phones
Police have issued a warning over portable phone masts, which can fire off scam text messages that appear genuine to any mobile phones that are nearby. The SMS Blaster is the latest device being used by criminals to commit fraud, according to the Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU). The equipment acts as an illegitimate phone mast to send messages. It works by tricking mobile phones into moving away from legitimate networks by appearing to have a stronger signal. The offender is then able to sent fraudulent SMS messages to any phones that are near the device. The texts are designed to look like trustworthy messages from genuine organisations, such as government bodies. Victims are encouraged to clink on links in the messages, which would take them to a malicious site, where their personal details can be harvested. The DCPCU have arrested seven people and seized seven SMS blasters, according to UK Finance. Paul Curtis, Detective Chief Inspector of the DCPCU, said: 'Criminals are sophisticated and will continuously make attempts to bypass fraud prevention measures designed to protect consumers. They'll make every attempt to steal personal and financial information, so it's important that customers are alert to potential threats of fraud, particularly text messages. 'It's important to stay alert to potential fraudulent messages, looking for personal and financial information. If consumers think they've been scammed, it's important to contact their bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud.' An Ofcom spokesperson described how scammers can cause 'huge distress and financial harm' to their victims. They added: 'Criminals are becoming more sophisticated, and a coordinated approach from a range of bodies is the only solution to bring fraudsters to justice and keep people safe.' People can report suspicious text messages by forwarding them to 7726, or by using the report function within their messaging app. People should also contact their bank immediately if they have fallen victim to fraud, and report the incident to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
Do Not Connect Your Phone To These Networks, Warns Google
Doi not make these dangerous connections. A timely caution for smartphone users this week, with the police warning criminals can push malicious SMS texts directly onto their phones, bypassing mobile networks. This is why Google warns all smartphone users to change their networks settings. The threat comes from so-called SMS blasters, which trick phones into making a direct connection with an attacker's radio device, thinking it's a real network access point. The texts themselves are no different to the ones coming via normal networks — but for an attacker there's no need to have a list of target numbers, they can select a target location instead. This means they can prioritize areas with richer pickings. Police in the U.K, when one SMS-blasting cyber criminal was jailed this week, warn that criminals will try "to bypass fraud prevention measures designed to protect consumers [to] Google warns that 'this method to inject messages entirely bypasses the carrier network, thus bypassing all the sophisticated network-based anti-spam and anti-fraud filters.' The company has now seen this 'SMS Blaster fraud' in multiple countries. Disable 2G on your phone Google also says that increasing evidence 'of the exploitation of weaknesses in cellular communication standards leveraging cell-site simulators' means users need to act. The solution is to disable 2G networks on your phone. This is still dependent on manufacturer and model, but you can search for 2G or phone or cellular settings to check if it's available. 2G is woefully insecure compared to more recent networks, particularly 5G but also 4G (LTE) and even 3G. This is why Google and Samsung are upgrading devices to prevent Android phones connecting to these less secure networks. 2G is also disabled by default if Android 16's new Advanced Protection Mode is enabled. The police advice is to disable 2G. Remember, even in locations where 2G has been sunsetted, the phone will still connect to a fake cell access point it it has 2G enabled. This is a device level problem. As a rarity, this is one security area where Androids beat iPhones. You cannot currently disable 2G on an Apple device unless you use Apple's Lockdown Mode sledgehammer. But you can filter texts from unknown numbers and treat them all with suspicion. And the advice not to click links is the same however a text was sent to your phone.
