Scammers Hijack Phone Networks, Downgrade 5G to 2G for SMS Fraud

• Cybercriminals use 'SMS blasters' or 'IMSI catchers' to mimic mobile towers, forcing phones to connect to their network within a 500-meter radius.
• These devices downgrade phone connections from secure 4G/5G to vulnerable 2G, allowing attackers to spoof sender names like "HDFC-BANK" or "INCOME-TAX".
• Fraudulent messages often include urgent warnings about KYC, expiring reward points, power cuts, or courier parcels, prompting users to click malicious links.
• Clicking these links can lead to banking detail theft, personal data compromise, and interference with OTP-based verification.
• Authorities have conducted raids and made arrests, but telecom-related fraud cases increased by nearly 300% between 2024 and 2025, with over Rs 30,000 crore lost in 2025.