Greek police have dismantled a sophisticated cyber-fraud ring operating near Athens International Airport, arresting two foreign nationals accused of using “SMS blaster” technology to hijack mobile signals and harvest banking credentials from unsuspecting travelers. The suspects, aged 29 and 31, were detained on Jan. 9 in Spata by the Northeast Attica Crime Investigation Subdirectorate. Prosecutors have charged the pair with felony fraud, forgery, and illegal interference with information systems. The arrests followed a routine stop by the Spata–Artemida crime prevention unit, where the men presented forged identity cards. A subsequent search of their vehicle uncovered a modified trunk housing a high-tech “IMSI catcher” system , connected to a transmitter disguised as a shark-fin antenna on the roof. High-Tech Trap for Travelers According to police, the suspects drove through high-traffic areas, using the equipment to impersonate legitimate mobile towers. The device forced nearby phones to downgrade from secure 4G/5G networks to the vulnerable 2G protocol, allowing the attackers to capture unique device identifiers and phone numbers. Once connected, the “blaster” sent thousands of phishing texts (smishing) to the victims, posing as banks or courier services. The messages urged users to click a link to resolve a pending delivery or account issue, redirecting them to a fraudulent site designed to steal credit card details and passwords. Investigation Expanding Authorities have so far linked the duo to three confirmed fraud cases in Maroussi, Spata, and central Athens, though the scale of the operation suggests the victim count could be much higher. Police seized the transmitter, the mobile computing unit, and five smartphones from the vehicle. The case highlights a growing trend of proximity-based cyberattacks in Europe, where criminals exploit legacy telecom vulnerabilities to bypass network filters. The two suspects remain in custody pending trial. Διαβάστε περισσότερα στο iefimerida.gr