Authorities arrested 10 people in the United Kingdom and other countries in connection with an alleged phone-hijacking scheme targeting celebrities and influencers.
The U.S. celebrities targeted included internet influencers, sports stars and musicians, according to an article published Wednesday by the Associated Press (AP). The European Union police agency Europol claimed the gang had stolen over roughly $100 million in cryptocurrency by stealing the phones, the outlet reported.
The European Union police agency Europol said Wednesday that the gang is believed to have stolen more than $100 million in cryptocurrencies by using so-called SIM swap attacks. https://t.co/9lk2XdmAvo
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The gang used SIM swap attacks to steal money from the celebrities, according to the AP. The SIM swap attack works by deactivating the SIM card and transferring it to another phone. This can be done by tricking the phone provider or using a corrupt insider, the outlet reported. (RELATED: The Thief Accused Of Robbing Kim Kardashian Is Reportedly Coming Out With A Tell-All Book)
After the alleged gang members accessed the phone numbers, they could access apps or accounts, investigators said. After the passwords had been reset, the gang members could steal cryptocurrency and money, the AP reported.
The 10 arrests were made thanks to an investigation involving police from the U.K., U.S., Canada, Belgium and Malta police, according to the AP. The U.K.’s National Crime Agency told the outlet that eight men were arrested in the U.K. and Scotland. The other two were reportedly arrested in Malta and Belgium.
It is unclear which celebrities were victims, the AP reported.