Philippine authorities have arrested a Malaysian national suspected of supplying IMSI catchers — electronic devices used to intercept mobile phone communications and target victims with text scams.
A joint operation conducted by the Philippine National Police-Anticybercrime Group (PNP-ACG), the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), the Bureau of Immigration (BI), and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) led to the arrest.
The suspect was identified as Thiang Choon Wee, who is believed to be the head of a syndicate that has been supplying IMSI catchers used in text scams.
IMSI catchers, also known as stingrays, rogue cell towers, or fake cell towers, work by mimicking legitimate cell towers. When nearby mobile phones detect the IMSI catcher, they are tricked into connecting to it. This grants the device access to collect a phone’s International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number, enabling location tracking, call interception, and text message reading.
The CICC has identified IMSI catchers as a common tool used by scammers.
Smart Communications has commended the law enforcement agencies involved in the operation. They emphasized the dangers posed by IMSI catchers, particularly their capability to bypass network security measures and deliver scam texts directly to mobile users.
Smart encourages customers to report suspicious messages via its HuliScam portal at https://smart.com.ph/HuliScam. Fraudulent SIM numbers are promptly blocked following verification.
Subscribers can also report scams to Smart’s verified social media channels on Facebook and X, or by calling hotline *888.
Featured image from Unsplash
