SMS phishing charges for three Sydney men

NSW Police have charged three men following an investigation into an SMS phishing scam operation.

Officers from Strike Force Kanbi raided two units in Burwood on February 15, and NSW Police said they found three large SIM boxes – devices used to send bulk texts from multiple accounts – along with SIM cards, cannabis, eight mobile phones, and “a large amount of identity information”, police alleged.

Announcing the charges, NSW Police said they were able to locate the SIM boxes with help from a telecommunications carrier.

The most prolific SIM box was responsible for sending more than 80 million messages in five months, NSW Police alleged.

The scam messages are presented as if they came from a legitimate institution, but linked the victim to an illegitimate website “for the purposes of financial gain”, the police announcement said.

A 43-year-old man and a 37-year-old man have been charged with using the SIM boxes to commit a serious office, and with dealing with identity information to commit an indictable offence.

A 35-year-old man received the same charges, as well as possessing a prohibited drug.

The three appeared in Burwood Local Court on February 16, and were formally refused bail. They will next appear in court on March 1.