Aitkenvale man arrested and charged after allegedly using a SIM Box to steal money and personal information from victims

A 30yo North Queensland man has been arrested for running a text message phishing scam, allegedly tricking victims into clicking on fake websites and stealing their money and personal information. WATCH THE VIDEO

A 30-year-old Aitkenvale man has been arrested for running a text message phishing scam, after allegedly tricking victims into clicking on fake websites and stealing their money and personal information.

The man was arrested on September 24 and charged with one count of possessing equipment for the purpose of committing/facilitating the commission of an offence against s 408D(1) of the Queensland Criminal Code.

It is alleged that between March and June this year a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Box was being used in Townsville, which is capable of sending thousands of scam text messages in a short time across the Australian telecommunications network.

Following an investigation by Queensland Police’s Crime and Intelligence Command Financial and Cyber Crime Group, police did a search of an Aitkenvale address on September 24, where they allegedly found a SIM Box which was storing more than 1200 SIM cards.

The man was present at the time of the search and taken into police custody. He appeared in Townsville Magistrates Court on September 26.

Urging people to remain vigilant towards text scams, Detective Chief Inspector Vince Byrnes called on any victims of cyber crime to contact police.

“The Queensland Police Service is committed to keeping the community safe from online criminals seeking to steal personal information and money,” he said.

“Offenders who facilitate sending these types of text messages and emails will remain a focus of our investigations, and we will continue to do everything we can to ensure they face serious criminal charges.

“We urge anyone who has information which could assist us to come forward.”

Police are reminding Queenslanders to use caution when paying online or entering personal details. Tips to avoid being scammed include:

• If you do not know the sender of an email or text message then delete the message.
• Never click on links in a text message or email.
• If you were not expecting the email or text message, check with the company via your own internet search.
• Never send money to a web page or company that originated from a text message.
• Research the website by using a search engine, look at the URL, see what else is being marketed, don’t be pressured into making a rash decision through fear of missing out.
• Make sure that the payment details are encrypted – look for the prefix “https” in the URL and a padlock icon in the URL bar and use a secure payment method. Pay by PayPal or your credit/debit card.
• Use strong passwords.
• Stop and think before committing to a trade or purchase.
• If it is too good to be true be then it probably is.

To learn more about scams, visit scamwatch.gov.au.

If you have been the victim of a cybercrime, you can report online at ReportCyber.

If you have lost money, notify your bank or financial institution immediately.

For support and advice, visit IDCARE.

Originally published as Aitkenvale man arrested and charged after allegedly using a SIM Box to steal money and personal information from victims