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Japan busts fake cell tower used in phishing scheme targeting Chinese tourists

Scmp • November 10, 2026

Police arrested a Chinese man in Ginza for running the device that reportedly disrupted mobile services and sent suspicious text messages

A Chinese man was referred to prosecutors on Monday for allegedly disrupting a major mobile carrier’s services in Tokyo’s Ginza shopping district with a rogue cell tower device, with police investigating possible links to a phishing scheme using illegal radio signals.

Police believe he used an IMSI catcher, a device that collects mobile phones’ identifying numbers. They suspect it emitted strong radio signals to force nearby handsets onto an older 2G network before sending them text messages.

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Chinese Man Arrested for Mobile Phishing Scheme in Tokyo On November 7, 2026, Tokyo police arrested Yu Hai, a 31-year-old Chinese national, for operating an unlicensed mobile base station in Ginza, suspected of disrupting mobile services and sending phishing messages targeting Chinese tourists. The device, believed to be an IMSI catcher, forced nearby phones onto an older 2G network, allowing the perpetrator to send fraudulent texts impersonating banks and credit card companies. This operation reportedly affected around 10,000 mobile phones, causing service disruptions for one to two hours. The suspect has denied the allegations, claiming ignorance of the equipment. Police began investigating after disruptions were reported in January 2025, leading to public warnings about suspicious messages. This incident marks the first arrest in Japan related to mobile communication interference. 4 sources 40

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Japan busts fake cell tower used in phishing scheme targeting Chinese tourists

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