Hello followers! Today, let’s dive into the shady world of SMS scams and how they’ve evolved from a cute fluffy cat to high-tech fraud operations. You won’t believe how these scams are taking millions of dollars!

In recent months, a prolific scam operation has targeted countless cellphone users worldwide with fake messages about unpaid tolls, undelivered mail, and other alerts. These messages look genuine but are designed to trick victims into clicking malicious links. Once clicked, victims enter their credit card info on phishing pages, which are then used for fraud.

Between March and October 2024, this scam managed to steal at least 884,000 credit card details, with some victims losing thousands of dollars. The software behind these scams, called Magic Cat, was developed by a 24-year-old Chinese developer known as Darcula. His profile online is marked by an adorable cat picture, hiding a serious fraud operation.

Research from the Oslo-based security firm Mnemonic uncovered Darcula’s identity, revealing his real name, Yucheng C. The authorities believe he created Magic Cat for a broad customer base, enabling them to launch their own SMS scam campaigns. After being exposed earlier this year, Darcula disappeared, but his scam network didn’t end there.

In the aftermath, a new operation emerged called Magic Mouse, which is far more extensive and dangerous. This newer scam has already stolen over 650,000 credit cards monthly, with scammers using racks of phones and card terminals to automate their fraud. The success of Magic Mouse partly relies on phishing kits stolen from Darcula’s operation, mimicking websites of big tech companies and delivery services.

While law enforcement has yet to fully crack down, tech and financial firms hold much responsibility for enabling these scams through insufficient security measures. If you get a suspicious text, the safest move is simply to ignore it. Stay safe and watch out for scams hiding behind cute cat profiles!