Greek police bust car‑trunk cell tower scamming phones across Athens

Greek police have arrested two scammers who drove around with a makeshift cell tower in the trunk of their car. The gear allowed cybercrooks to crack user devices and send convincing phishing messages.

Two foreign nationals were arrested last year after authorities cracked down on a criminal group suspected of large-scale fraud, the Hellenic Police announced. Interestingly, the scam involved sophisticated real-world engineering.

The trunk of the suspects’ car was fitted with a mobile computer system with internet access, connected to a transmitter placed on the roof. Gear inside the suspects’ car trunk functioned as a clone of a mobile phone antenna, mimicking a mobile phone base station.

According to authorities, the scammers used the inventory to operate an SMS blaster. It allowed them to pose as legitimate telecom infrastructure – since mobile devices are always looking for a radio tower to connect to, the fake antenna was the first one that devices in close proximity would connect to.

Once a target device was connected to the dummy antenna, the attackers downgraded devices from 4G to 2G. That, in turn, allowed cybercriminals to exploit a legacy 2G vulnerability, which exposed ID data, such as device phone numbers.

With phone numbers at their disposal, attackers started sending phishing messages, which usually impersonated banks or carriers. Once victims were hooked, they would be redirected to a fake website that required them to enter banking details. Stolen details were later used to carry out unauthorized transactions.

Attackers utilize SMS blasting as it allows them to harvest real phone numbers in a specific location. That way, attackers can craft area-specific phishing messages that feel more legitimate.

According to local media reports, the arrested individuals are Chinese nationals, aged 29 and 31. Reportedly, authorities registered several cases in which scammers used stolen details to make purchases exceeding €1,500 at well-known perfume and accessories stores.

Both suspects were arrested in April 2025 in Spata, a town bordering the country's capital, Athens. So far, authorities have uncovered at least three fraud cases in Spata, Athens, and Maroussi, another town close to the Greek capital.

However, some victims might not be aware that they had money stolen, as suspects likely syphoned relatively small amounts to remain under the radar.

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