Using fake radio stations to send scam messages

On September 1st, the Investigation Police Department of Vung Tau City (Ba Ria - Vung Tau province) announced that they have initiated legal proceedings and temporarily detained ZZ (born in 1980, Chinese national, currently residing in Thang Tam ward, Vung Tau City) for investigation into the act of "illegally accessing the computer network, telecommunications network or electronic devices of others".

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oldl3N8QD-k[/embed]

Earlier, in early August 2024, after receiving information about suspected activities involving the use of fake BTS mobile base stations to disseminate messages in Vung Tau City, the Ba Ria - Vung Tau Provincial Police, in coordination with the Professional Department of the Ministry of Public Security, quickly deployed professional measures and modern technical equipment, mobilizing relevant forces to monitor, supervise, and trace the activity.

On August 8th, in the Thuy Van street area of ​​Thang Tam ward, Vung Tau city, the forces coordinated to apprehend suspect ZZ red-handed while he was using a fake BTS device, placed on a 7-seater car and continuously moving, to illegally infiltrate telecommunications networks and disseminate advertising and fraudulent messages.

A fake BTS (Base Transceiver Station) setup placed on a car.

Through investigation, authorities have initially determined that, exploiting the weak security mechanisms of the 2G (GSM) network and the fact that mobile devices always connect to the strongest signal base station, the perpetrators used fake BTS (Base Transceiver Station) equipment with control software capable of covering a range of about 2km, interfering with 3G and 4G signals around the BTS stations of mobile network operators. From there, they used high-power signals to spread spam and phishing messages to users for malicious purposes. When phones are within the affected area, users may receive impersonating messages, leading them to access malicious links to steal personal information or trick them into installing dangerous software.



Spam and scam messages originating from a fake BTS (Bitcoin) set. Photo: Ba Ria - Vung Tau Provincial Police.

According to the police, the fake BTS base station devices used by the suspects were a new, high-tech, compact type, easy to install and cleverly disguised in cars. Furthermore, the suspects set up the fake BTS stations to operate in an intermittent on-off mode, frequently moving them erratically across various routes to avoid detection and arrest by law enforcement.

TRUNG AN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/dung-tram-phat-song-gia-de-gui-tin-nhan-lua-dao-post756736.html