Three men are facing 44 charges in what Toronto police are calling Canada's first investigation into cybercrime involving mobile "SMS blasters". These devices mimic legitimate cellular towers, intercepting signals and sending fraudulent text messages to nearby phones. The texts often contain links to fake websites designed to steal personal and financial information, a tactic known as "smishing".
The investigation, dubbed Project Lighthouse, began in November 2025 after a cybersecurity partner alerted law enforcement to a suspicious SMS blaster operating in downtown Toronto. Police determined the device was mobile and operating from vehicles across the Greater Toronto Area. According to Detective Sergeant Lindsay Riddell, "We believe tens of thousands of devices were connected to the blaster over several months". Police also identified over 13 million network disruptions, where devices couldn't properly connect to legitimate cell towers, potentially impacting access to 9-1-1.
Deputy Chief Robert Johnson emphasized the public safety implications, stating that diverting devices from legitimate networks, "interferes with a person's ability to connect to emergency services". The investigation involved collaboration between the Toronto Police Service, the RCMP's National Cybercrime Coordination Centre, York Regional Police, Hamilton Police Service, financial institutions, and telecommunications providers.
On March 31, 2026, police executed search warrants in Markham and Hamilton, arresting two men and seizing electronic evidence, including SMS blasters. A third man turned himself in on April 21, 2026. Police are advising Canadians to be cautious of unexpected texts and to avoid sharing personal information via text message.
