Technology described as sophisticated device that mimics cellular tower to send fraudulent text messages
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Toronto Police say they have arrested and charged three men with 44 offences after alleging a cybercrime tool that had not been detected anywhere in the country was used in the city to spam cellphones.
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Deputy Chief Robert Johnson said the investigation is a first in Canada during a Thursday morning press conference at police headquarters.
Johnson alleged that the trio used a mobile SMS blaster, “a sophisticated device that is designed to mimic a cellular tower, intercept connections, and send fraudulent text messages directly to people’s phones.”
The investigation, dubbed Project Lighthouse, also involved the RCMP and its National Cybercrime Coordination Centre, York Regional Police, Hamilton Police, major financial institutions, and telecommunications companies.
“What makes this particularly concerning is the scale and impact,” Johnson said. “This wasn’t targeting a single individual or a business. It had the ability to reach thousands of devices at once. And beyond the financial risk, there are real public safety implications.”
Police explained that the technology causes nearby cellphones to connect to it instead of a real network. Once a connection is made, text messages sent by fraudsters are made to appear from trusted organizations like banks or service providers.
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Arrests Made in Project Lighthouse, First-of-its-Kind SMS Blaster Investigation in Canada
News release: https://t.co/kDAgK2NTnx pic.twitter.com/1dO2K1DQDb
According to investigators, these messages often contain links that direct users to fake websites designed to steal personal, financial, or login information — a tactic commonly known as “smishing.”
Johnson said the technology can also disrupt a caller’s ability to contact police, firefighters and paramedics in an emergency.
“This is a clear example of how cyber-enabled crime is becoming more advanced, more mobile, and more difficult to detect, and why policing must continue to evolve alongside it,” he said.
Police say the investigation began last November after a cybersecurity partner alerted cops to a mobile SMS blaster that was traced to downtown Toronto. The device was later detected moving throughout various locations across the Greater Toronto Area over several months.
During the investigation, police counted thousands of mobile devices connected to the blaster and more than 13 million network disruptions were recorded.
Police say, on March 31, two men were arrested after investigators executed search warrants at residences in Markham and Hamilton. Police said a significant amount of electronic evidence was seized, including several mobile SMS blasters.
A third man turned himself in on Tuesday, police said.
Dafeng Lin, 27, of Hamilton, was charged with three counts of mischief, mischief endangering life, three counts of mischief – obstructs, interrupts or interferes with the lawful use, enjoyment or operation of property, four counts of personation with intent to gain advantage, two counts of use of a computer system with intent to commit an offence, possession of a device to obtain computer service, false information, five counts of fraud under $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime, and possession of instruments to be used to commit forgery.
Junmin Shi, 25, of Markham, was charged with three counts mischief to data, mischief endangering life, three counts of mischief – obstructs, interrupts or interferes with the lawful use, enjoyment, or operation of property, three counts of personation with intent to gain advantage, fraudulently intercept a function of a computer system, use of a computer system with intent to commit an offence, false Information, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, and possession of instruments to be used to commit forgery.
Weitong Hu, 21, of Markham, was charged with conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, intercept private communication, trafficking identity information, possess identity document, possession of instruments to be used to commit forgery, unauthorized possession of credit card data, and personation with intent to gain advantage.
“While this technology is new in Canada, the goal of the crime is not — and that’s to gain access to your personal and financial information, Johnson said.
Police say the public should always be vigilant when receiving unsolicited messages and not click links or share personal information.
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