A crafty gang using sneaky ‘SMS blasters’ to rip off London Tube commuters have been locked up thanks to quick thinking from an off-duty British Transport Police (BTP) detective.
How the Scam Worked – And Was Stopped
The plot unravelled when the detective spotted a man on the Northern line platform at King’s Cross last year carrying a suspicious suitcase glowing with a green flash. BTP officers swooped and seized the suitcase, discovering a high-tech device known as an SMS blaster inside.
This gadget tricks nearby phones into connecting to a fake cell tower, sending mass text messages posing as Royal Mail or Evri updates. The texts warned passengers of failed package deliveries and linked them to fake sites designed to steal personal and bank details.
Two weeks later, officers caught another gang member at Baker Street with a similar blaster.
Gang Leaders and Their Sentences
- Zhijia Fan, 48, the ringleader from Acton, was jailed for 4 years 8 months.
- Daoyan Shang, 20, Fan’s right-hand man from Shepherd’s Bush, got 2 years 10 months.
- Wan Mohd Hafiz, 41, caught at Baker Street, sentenced to 1 year 2 months.
- Gatis Lauks, 25, a key player who bought £80,000+ in gift cards using stolen bank info, received 2 years suspended sentence.
All pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud and possession of fraudulent equipment, following charges by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Massive Haul of Fraud Evidence Found
Police raided the suspects’ London homes, uncovering parts to build SMS blasters like antennas and power packs. They also seized 10,832 gift cards with over £80,000 in ill-got gains.
The gang’s scam could have cost thousands of innocent Tube commuters their hard-earned cash. Thanks to sharp eyes and quick action, these scammers are now behind bars.
