Tuesday, February 18, 2025

PH gov’t nabs Malaysian supplier of device used for text scams

A joint operation conducted by Philippine law enforcement agencies on Tuesday, Jan. 21, has resulted in the arrest the supplier of International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catcher.

The suspect, a Malaysian national identified as Thiang Choon Wee, is believed to be the head of a syndicate that has been supplying IMSI catchers used in text scams.

The operation was conducted by the Anti-Cybercrime Group of the Philippine National Police, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), the Bureau of Immigration (BI), and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

Hindi papayag ang gobyernong ito lalong lalo na ang sambayanang Pilipino na paglaruan tayo ng mga dayuhang scammer. Lalabanan natin ito,” CICC executive director Alexander K. Ramos said in a statement.

The CICC said it started monitoring the company of the IMSI supplier in October last year.

“We patiently waited for the big fish to surface before we conducted the operation,” Ramos said.

The IMSI catcher seized from the suspect (Photo from CICC)

An IMSI catcher is an electronic device that tracks and intercepts mobile phone communications. It is also referred to as “Stingray”, rogue cell tower, fake cell tower, cell site simulator or drop boxes.

IMSI catchers work by mimicking an official cell tower and convincing nearby phones that the IMSI catcher should connect them.

Once connected, this allows it to collect their IMSI number which enables it to track location and activity as well as intercept text messages, calls, and data traffic of target phones.

The CICC said it has discovered that IMSI catchers have been used in text scams before.

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