Sydney suspect floods phones with scams

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Cybercrime investigators apprehended Xuan Su, a 39-year-old individual, at a residence in Moorebank, located in the south-west of Sydney. This arrest was made by cybercrime investigators who had been conducting an enquiry into a suspected SMS phishing scam. During their investigation, the detectives confiscated SIM cards and electronic devices.

After conducting a thorough search of the residence, law enforcement discovered two operational SIM boxes, as well as SIM cards and electronic devices that investigators claim were indicative of involvement in the deceptive scheme. These devices can store over 250 active SIM cards and are capable of sending up to 150,000 messages per day.

Su faces accusations of sending over 17 million messages while posing as well-known businesses like Australia Post and Linkt. The individual in question is facing charges related to the use of network-connected equipment for the purpose of committing a significant offence, as well as the handling of identification information.

If found guilty, he could face up to 10 years in prison. Su was present at Campbelltown Local Court when a Commonwealth prosecutor informed them that they had partially served a brief on Friday.

“The matter is highly complex; there is a large volume of evidence,” she said.

Su quietly watched the proceedings from the back of the courtroom, giving his lawyers more time to gather all the evidence against him. An investigation was launched by the State Crime Command’s cybercrime squad, forming Strike Force Kanbi. This was in response to the discovery of bulk text messages that reportedly contained deceptive links.

According to court documents, Su has been accused of engaging in fraudulent activities involving Australian drivers licences, passports, and personal identification information during the period from September 2022 to December 2023. He allegedly used associated subscriber identity module cards to link equipment to mobile devices. The court hearing for Su has been scheduled for July.