Risk, Fraud & Security
SMS Blaster and IMSI-catcher News from Lebanon, Cambodia, Switzerland and the Philippines
Rogue radio communications devices are seemingly everywhere these days.
Huge Surge in Korean Kidnappings Linked to Cambodian Scam Compounds
The number of Koreans kidnapped in Cambodia has risen by a factor of 20 in less than two years.
Same Chinese Boss Gave Orders to Two Separate Manila SMS Blaster Drivers
The drivers were unknown to each other. Police said they worked for a gang which had 'compartmentalized' its operations.
1,200 Simboxes Seized in Latvia; Sold Phone Numbers from over 70 Nations to Criminals Online
Multiple European police forces contributed to the investigation. They described crimes committed using these simboxes in a matter-of-fact style that contrasted with melodramatic guff spread after a big simbox bust in New York.
SMS Blaster Scammer Targeted Subway Passengers
A place with many people but no network coverage is an ideal location to transmit fraudulent messages. Kong Ji Chen was arrested because he behaved suspiciously in one of London's busiest underground stations.
14 Defendants Face Paris Trial for $23mn SMS Blaster Smishing Scams
A suspected bomb in a car driven by a woman named Zoé led to a Chinese arms dealer with a Peruvian driving license, and then to much more.
Death Penalty for 16 Chinese Gangsters Who Ran Scam Compounds in Myanmar
China is aggressively tackling the root source of heinous scam crimes while most other countries only talk about it.
Leading Anti-Fraud Expert Says Blocking Millions of Scam Calls Is Unsustainable
Italian, Irish and Spanish authorities have recently mentioned the blocking of many scam calls. However, Endre Syvertsen of Telenor Linx warned that blocking is not enough.
4 Rogue Base Stations Linked to KT Micropayments Fraud; 2 Chinese Nationals Arrested
There is also news about Brazil training teams to locate SMS blasters and research for China's Supreme Court revealed a loophole in their laws.
T‑Mobile US Has Known Since 2005 That SIM Swap Fraudsters Use Social Engineering to Steal Employee Credentials
The MNO continued to fight victims of SIM swap crime in court despite 27,000 unauthorized SIM swaps between 2016 and February 2020.
Switzerland and South Korea Investigate Suspected Fake Base Station Frauds
The Swiss NCSC believes a fake base station is being used for a typical SMS blaster scam while South Korea's government believes a base station was used to intercept 2FA SMS messages meant for the victims of a recent fraud.
The Commsrisk Global Fraud Dashboard
Our Global Fraud Dashboard uses AI-powered search to collate, update and visualize data about scams and other network abuses from around the world. New charts are added each month. See it here.
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