Toronto police say three men have been charged following what investigators describe as Canada’s first case involving mobile “SMS blasters” — rogue devices that imitate cell towers and send mass fraudulent text messages. Police allege the devices were used across the GTA to deliver smishing texts, disrupt legitimate networks, and place thousands of mobile users at risk.

oronto police say a first-of-its-kind investigation has uncovered a disturbing new fraud tactic in Canada involving mobile “SMS blasters” — devices that mimic legitimate cell towers and send mass scam text messages to nearby phones.

The investigation, known as Project Lighthouse, began in November 2025 after a cybersecurity partner detected a suspicious SMS blaster operating in downtown Toronto. Police say the device was then tracked moving throughout the Greater Toronto Area over the following months, affecting tens of thousands of phones.

According to investigators, an SMS blaster functions as a fake cellular tower. When nearby mobile devices connect to it, users can be forced off their legitimate network and onto the rogue device. Once connected, fraudsters can send “smishing” messages that appear to come from trusted organizations such as financial institutions or delivery services.

Those messages typically contain links to fraudulent websites designed to steal sensitive information, including login credentials, banking details, and other personal data.

Police say the risk went beyond fraud alone. Investigators recorded more than 13 million network disruptions linked to the operation. Authorities warned that these disruptions could temporarily prevent affected devices from connecting to legitimate cellular networks, including limiting access to emergency services such as 911.

Toronto police described the technology as a serious and emerging threat. Unlike traditional phishing or smishing campaigns that rely on broad digital distribution, SMS blasters allegedly allow fraudsters to reach a large number of nearby devices at once by exploiting the physical mobile network environment.

Following search warrants executed in Markham and Hamilton on March 31, 2026, police say they seized several SMS blasters along with a significant quantity of electronic evidence. The investigation resulted in 44 combined charges.

The charges were laid against Dafeng Lin, 27, of Hamilton, Junmin Shi, 25, of Markham, and Weitong Hu, 21, of Markham. Police say Hu turned himself in on April 21. Among the offences alleged are fraud and mischief endangering life.

The case highlights how fraud schemes continue to evolve as criminal actors adopt more advanced tools. By imitating trusted infrastructure rather than simply sending ordinary texts or emails, this method adds a technical layer that can make the fraud harder for the public to recognize in real time.

Police are urging the public to be cautious with unexpected text messages, especially those requesting payment or asking users to click a link. Authorities say people should avoid clicking links in unsolicited messages, independently verify requests through official websites or apps, and be especially suspicious of messages claiming to be from organizations such as Canada Post or 407 ETR.

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Originally published on Canadian Fraud News.