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Articles for Category Tag - Crime

Misguided 5G Vandals Wreck Broadband Service in Rural Somerset

11th May, 2021 (0 Comments)

Rural homes and businesses around the Norwood Park area of Somerset (England), specifically those connected to the local network run by UK ISP Voneus, lost their internet connection over the weekend after a group of “misguided 5G protestors” damaged broadband equipment while mistaking it for a mobile mast.

Mobile Operators and Ofcom Warn of Scam DHL and FedEx Text

30th April, 2021 (8 Comments)

We’ve had several of these and there’s a good chance you have too. This week has seen Ofcom and all the major mobile operators – EE, Vodafone, Three UK and O2 – issue warns to customers about a surprisingly prevalent piece of malware called FluBot, which sends fake DHL or FedEx delivery messages that can infect your phone.

ICO and Ofcom See Recent UK Surge in Nuisance and Scam Calls

23rd March, 2021 (22 Comments)

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and Ofcom have today published an update to their joint plan for tackling nuisance and scam calls, which comes after they both reported a surge in complaints from September/October to December 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.

Arsonists Attack Openreach Broadband Cabinets in Essex UK

1st February, 2021 (41 Comments)

Three of Openreach’s street cabinets, and an unrelated mobile phone mast in Chelmsford (Essex), have been seriously damaged after arsonists attacked them this morning, which has sadly left almost 3,000 premises (homes and businesses) without access to either broadband or phone connectivity during a pandemic!

Mobile Operators Reject Call to Stop 5G Rollout Over Health Fears UPDATE

19th January, 2021 (0 Comments)

The trade association for UK mobile operators, Mobile UK, has warned that calls for the 5G rollout to be delayed on health grounds are “without merit“. The commentary comes after Professor John William Frank (University of Edinburgh) alleged that the transmitter density required for 5G may be “potentially harmful to health.”

copper vs fibre optic openreach engineer

9 Attacks on Openreach Cables in London Prompt £20k Reward

1st October, 2020 (11 Comments)

Back in August we reported on a spate of copper telecoms cable thefts (Metal Theft) in East London, which had disrupted broadband ISP and phone connectivity on Openreach’s (BT) UK network for those living nearby (here). After a ninth attack the reward for information has now been raised from £1k to £20k.

Three UK and EE Protect 5G Mobile Masts with SmartWater

18th August, 2020 (0 Comments)

The Mobile Broadband Network Limited (MBNL) organisation, which runs the joint network sharing venture between mobile operators EE (BT) and Three UK, has moved to protect 4G and 5G based mobile masts by deploying SmartWater technology to forensically tag vandals who attack their infrastructure.

5G Conspiracy Theorists Hire Lawyer to Sue UK Gov Over Health Fears

15th August, 2020 (0 Comments)

The Action Against 5G mobile group, which holds to a widely debunked conspiracy theory that “radio-frequency radiation from masts and wireless devices puts health and life at risk“, has crowd-funded £105K to hire barrister Michael Mansfield QC in order to take legal action against the UK Government to stop the roll-out.

Wave of Copper Cable Thefts Hit Broadband in East London

12th August, 2020 (4 Comments)

Over the past few weeks criminal gangs have conducted a series of thefts (Metal Thefts) of copper telecoms cable in East London, which has disrupted broadband ISP and phone connectivity on Openreach’s (BT) UK network for those living closest to the incidents. As usual a reward of £1,000 is being offered to help catch the thieves.

Fake Engineers Steal Batteries from Openreach Street Cabinets

9th July, 2020 (21 Comments)

The Worcester Crown Court (WCC) has this week convicted three men after they dressed up as fake engineers in order to steal vital backup batteries from Openreach’s (BT) street cabinets, which supply broadband and phone connectivity to homes and businesses. The thefts took place across the UK.

wireless microwave radio tower (123RF - 13813875)

COVID-19 5G Conspiracy Arsonist Gets 3 Years for Burning Mast

9th June, 2020 (0 Comments)

The Liverpool Crown Court has sentenced Michael Whitty (47) to three years in prison after he set fire to one of Vodafone UK’s 4G masts in Kirkby on 5th April 2020, which caused damage estimated to be worth up to £15,000. Whitty’s action was fuelled by a bonkers conspiracy theory that links the spread of COVID-19 to 5G.

Trading Standards to Halt Sales of £300 SCAM Anti-5G USB Stick

29th May, 2020 (0 Comments)

The City of London Police (Action Fraud Squad) and UK Trading Standards are to target sales of the bizarre £300 5GBioShield, which was recommended by a member of Glastonbury Town Council’s much criticised 5G Advisory Committee and falsely promised to create a shield against 5G mobile radiation. Except it’s just a USB stick.

Ofcom Records Drop in UK Nuisance Calls, But Problems Remain

4th May, 2020 (6 Comments)

A few years ago Ofcom nudged UK broadband ISPs and mobile operators to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Nuisance Calls, which committed them to develop technical measures for “reducing the impact of unlawful nuisance calls on consumers.” The latest data shows an improvement, but not as much as we’d like.

500 Glasgow Premises Without Broadband After Arson Attack UPDATE

25th April, 2020 (26 Comments)

“Stupid is as stupid does,” said the great philosopher Forest Gump. In keeping with that somebody, most likely one of the “mindless” COVID-19 conspiracy theorists, has decided to burn key fixed line broadband ISP and phone cables in part of Glasgow during a pandemic, thus leaving 500 people without connectivity.

Error message concept. Alert, attention notification. Important reminder

Smishing – UK Mobile Firms Unite to Stop COVID-19 Text SCAMS

22nd April, 2020 (3 Comments)

A rise in COVID-19 (Coronavirus) related text message scams (e.g. Smishing), which often attempt to trick UK mobile users into parting with their money or other sensitive personal details, has prompted mobile operators to join with other industries in order to update a trial of the new SMS SenderID Protection Registry.

39 BT Engineers Assaulted by “Mindless Idiot” 5G Conspiracy Theorists UPDATE

14th April, 2020 (0 Comments)

The CEO of broadband and mobile giant BT, Philip Jansen, has revealed that 39 engineers have been verbally or physically assaulted – including threats to kill – over the completely bonkers conspiracy theory that links the spread of COVID-19 to 5G (11 mobile masts have also been destroyed or damaged by arson – 33 from all UK operators).

Copper Thieves Shun Lockdown, Cut Broadband in West Cumbria

7th April, 2020 (29 Comments)

Police have launched an investigation after hundreds of homes in Maryport, West Cumbria (England), were left without access to vital broadband connections following the theft of copper telecoms cables from Openreach’s (BT) local network during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) crisis.