Mobile SMS blasters in vehicles prowled Canadian streets, causing 13 million network disruptions and infiltrating tens of thousands of devices — blaster blocked 911 calls, stole cellphone data

Toronto police say they dismantled the first known vehicle-based SMS blaster scheme in Canada, arresting three suspects in downtown Toronto.

The devices were hidden in cars and impersonated cell towers to send fake bank and government texts to nearby phones.

Investigators say the operation disrupted service for tens of thousands of devices and may have interfered with emergency calling, including 911.

The scheme also raised concerns about large-scale credential theft through smishing and other fraudulent messages.