A UK man has been sentenced to three years and eight months in prison for operating a rogue mobile antenna, which was then used to bypass network security protocols and send out fraudulent text messages.

The City of London Police said Mohammed Faiyaz Iqbal, 43, of Preston, Lancashire, was sentenced last month following a “complex investigation” into the use of the technology.

Iqbal had been arrested on May 24, 2024, while sitting in a van at the Trafford Shopping Centre car park in Manchester.

The police said he was arrested after officers had identified the vehicle as being in the same vicinity as a large number of fraudulent SMS messages being transmitted to members of the public.

According to the police, a search uncovered multiple mobile phones in the front of the vehicle, while in the back of the van, officers found an SMS “blaster” system concealed within purpose-built wooden compartments.

An SMS blaster is a device that is often portable and disguised as a mini cell tower. These are often used by scammers to pose as legitimate telecom infrastructure.

The equipment found in the back of the van included power sources, WiFi components, and aerials installed into the roof of the vehicle. “The devices were turned on and actively being used in conjunction with applications on mobile phones,” noted the police.

By bypassing telecoms network security protocols, the equipment was able to broadcast SMS messages directly to nearby devices. At the time of the incident, the authorities said it was “the first known instance of UK law enforcement encountering an SMS blaster.”

“The seizure of this equipment is a significant step in disrupting emerging threats that seek to bypass established telecommunications safeguards,” said Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Little, of the Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU).

“We will continue to work closely with partners across banking and telecommunications to identify, pursue and bring to justice those responsible for committing fraud.”

Iqbal sent messages that impersonated legitimate organizations, such as Royal Mail, with the intention to trick recipients into providing payment and personal details, commonly referred to as “smishing.” Smishing is a phishing cybersecurity attack carried out over mobile text messaging. It’s also known as SMS phishing.

An examination of Iqbal’s seized mobile phones found 7,859 compromised payment card details, while a further search at his home address revealed additional compromised banking material and three counterfeit UK driving licences, which were being used to set up impersonation bank accounts to launder criminal proceeds.

Iqbal was charged with one count of fraud by false representation, one count of possession of articles for use in fraud, one count of acquiring and possessing criminal property, one count of possession of false identity documents, and one count of unauthorized use of wireless telegraphy apparatus.

He pleaded guilty during his first hearing on March 9, 2026, before he was sentenced last month (August 28) to three years and eight months’ imprisonment. His sentence was reduced by one third because of his guilty plea.

In order to bring the conviction, officers from the DCPCU worked with mobile network operators including BT, Virgin Media O2, VodafoneThree, plus Sky, the National Cyber Security Centre, and Ofcom.

It’s not the first time the police have arrested people for creating illegal telecoms equipment to deceive the public. Back in 2024, City of London Police arrested two men for a similar scheme.