Greek authorities arrested two Chinese nationals in Athens on Friday for allegedly using a vehicle-mounted system to send mass SMS messages and steal banking data from mobile phones, local media reported.
According to state broadcaster ERT, the suspects employed a method known as “SMS Blaster Attacks,” sending messages that appeared to come from legitimate banks or courier services. Investigators said the men used a specially modified car equipped with a computer system, internet connection, roof-mounted antenna, and software capable of creating fake mobile base stations.
The setup reportedly tricked nearby mobile devices into connecting to the fake antenna rather than official telecommunications networks, allowing the suspects to intercept and send messages without raising suspicion.
Authorities said Greece is the fifth European country to report incidents of this type of cybercrime.
No further details on the suspects’ identities or potential victims were immediately available.