Your phone is on high alert, and scammers are watching your basic habits. So, in case you have elderly people at home who prefer to stick to their handsets and prefer to click on almost everything due to curiosity, then it’s high time you need to educate them. They might be exposed to a new kind of scam, which could cost them a fortune. Not only the elderly, but anyone who is using a smartphone and operating multiple things needs to be alert, as hackers are taking a new SMS mode to steal your details and rob you.
SMS scam rising
A new way of scamming the innocent has just been noticed by many, and if you ever click on the SMS with links, then you could be in grave danger. You need to be cautious about the sudden buzz with urgent SMS alerts about:
- Power cuts
- Bank KYC updates
- Courier problems
- Expiring reward points
- Tempting part-time jobs
Cybersecurity experts in India have said that these kinds of SMS are alarming, as scammers are using advanced tricks to fool smartphone users. They are hijacking mobile networks, and they are aiming straight for the phones in your neighbourhood with SMS blasters.
What’s an SMS blaster or a fake mobile tower?
- These scammers set up a gadget called an SMS blaster, also known as an IMSI catcher.
- It is small and portable and pretends to be a real mobile tower.
- Normally, your smartphone connects to the closest legit tower. But when a scammer fires up an SMS blaster nearby, this fake tower overpowers the real network and lures in every smartphone which is around the range of 500 meters.
You might not notice, but suddenly, your device will get hooked onto their network without you even noticing.
Once you are connected, your smartphone will start getting a flood of scammy SMS messages. You do not have to click on anything or do anything- they will simply show up.
Scammers using network drop and fake bank SMS
To pull this fraud attempt smoothly, scammers will push your handset off the secure 5G or 4G networks to an outdated 2G network. This is because 2G is way less secure, and it is much easier to fake the sender’s identity.
With this, scam messages will manage to look like they are coming from legit sources, like:
- SBI-SEC
- HDFC-BANK
- INCOME-TAX
They may look official, so it will be easy to fall for them.
What kind of messages do these fake towers send to smartphone users?
Usually, the texts may try to freak you out or get you excited. You might see:
- Warnings about your bank account or KYC expiring
- Threats about your electricity or gas being cut off
- Messages claiming your courier parcel is stuck
- Alerts that your reward points worth thousands are about to vanish
- Offers for easy part-time work with daily pay
Clicking on links in these texts is bad news.
You risk handing over your banking details, getting your OTPs stolen, or even losing all your money.
This scam is not just some rare thing, but it is exploding across the country.
- In December 2025, the CBI raided locations in Delhi, Noida and Chandigarh, taking down a massive gang that was spamming lakhs of fake messages every day.
- In January 2026, police in Cyberabad arrested 25 people tied to foreign scam networks using SMS blasters in crowded places.
- The numbers are grim: government data shows telecom-related cyber fraud shot up by almost 300 per cent between 2024 and 2025.
- Indians lost over Rs 30,000 crore in 2025 alone.
How to stay safe?
Experts have smartly stated to be alert and never be in a rush when it comes to your smartphone and unknown sources. Here’s what you must do:
Turn off 2G connectivity in your phone’s settings.
Do not click on links in SMS messages that claim to be from your bank or the government.
Only use official apps or websites.
Pay attention if your phone suddenly drops from 5G or 4G to 2G. That’s a big red flag.
Stay alert. These scams are sneaky, but a little caution goes a long way.
