Home / Crime and Justice / Hidden SMS Blasters Unleash Mass Mobile Fraud
Hidden SMS Blasters Unleash Mass Mobile Fraud
26 Nov, 2025
Summary
- Portable 'SMS blasters' in vehicles enable mass fraud targeting commuters.
- Criminals exploit stronger signals to trick phones into receiving scam texts.
- Sophisticated mobile scams pose a rising threat to national security.
A new report highlights the growing threat of 'smishing,' a sophisticated mobile phone scam using portable 'SMS blasters.' These devices, typically operated from vehicles in populated urban areas, enable criminals to send mass fraudulent text messages without knowing recipients' phone numbers. The technology works by creating a stronger signal than legitimate masts, tricking nearby phones into connecting and receiving the malicious texts.
Two recent cases exemplify this escalating crime wave. One offender was jailed after being caught with an SMS blaster in his car in London, sending tens of thousands of scam texts purportedly from HMRC offering fake tax refunds. In another incident, a man used an SMS blaster during a rush hour Tube journey, sending fake parcel delivery notices.
Experts warn that these increasingly sophisticated mobile scams pose a rising threat to national security. The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) report recommends that policymakers integrate cybersecurity considerations into regulatory decisions and enhance app store security to combat this evolving criminal landscape.
