Mobile SMS blasters in vehicles prowled Canadian streets, causing 13 million network disruptions and infiltrating tens of thousands of devices — blaster blocked 911 calls, stole cellphone data

Toronto police arrested three individuals running a mobile SMS blaster scheme in downtown Toronto, which caused 13 million network disruptions and infiltrated tens of thousands of devices. The SMS blasters blocked 911 calls and stole cellphone data by impersonating cell towers and sending fraudulent texts. The operation was the first of its kind in Canada and has since been dismantled, but authorities warn of continued vigilance against fraudulent texts. The devices used in the scheme were uniquely built and not publicly shared for safety reasons, and similar operations have been reported in other countries like the Philippines.