"Zhijia Fan, 48, and Daoyan Shang, 20, both of no fixed abode, deny conspiracy to defraud and possessing an article for use in fraud between January and March 2025. Prosecutor Alex Davidson told the court the text messages invited recipients to 'input their personal details' so that the information could be used to 'access and take money from the bank accounts of ordinary members of the public'."
"He said the scam relied on using 'a rather sophisticated device, which is adapted for the sole purpose of defrauding'. Davidson said the device, known as an SMS blaster, worked by 'masquerading as a legitimate cell tower, tricking nearby phones into connecting to it instead of their normal network' and, once connected, sending fraudulent messages containing links to fake websites. The prosecution claims Fan led the gang and directed others to operate the devices on the London Underground, with Shang acting as his 'right-hand man'."
Passengers on the London Underground received texts claiming a parcel delivery had failed, with links prompting recipients to resolve the issue. The messages were designed to harvest personal and banking details so fraudsters could access and drain victims' bank accounts. The practice, known as smishing, used suitcase‑concealed SMS blasters that masqueraded as cell towers to force nearby phones to connect and receive fraudulent links to fake websites. Two men, Zhijia Fan and Daoyan Shang, deny conspiracy to defraud and possession of an article for use in fraud between January and March 2025. Suitcases reportedly had reinforced metal bases with ventilation for bulky base stations.
Read at www.bbc.com
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