USPS text scammers duped his wife, so he hacked their operation (blog.smithsecurity.biz)

Article summary

A person's wife fell victim to a scam text message claiming to be from the USPS, prompting someone to hack the scammers' operation. The hacker, known as s1n, used various techniques such as nmap scans, Burp Suite, and SQL injection to gain access to the scammers' database. The database contained information on the scammers, including their Telegram channel and IP addresses. The hacker's actions may lead to the scammers being brought to justice.

Main themes

• Scam text messages
• Hacking and cybersecurity
• USPS scam
• Cybercrime investigation
• Law enforcement and regulation

What commenters say

• The US needs a more effective way to handle cybercrime, possibly through a specialized law enforcement agency or a Blue Team version of the NSA.
• Some argue that an exemption in the CFAA is needed to allow for hacking back against scammers, while others believe this could lead to innocent people being framed and attacked.
• Network operators may not be incentivized to stop scam texts because they make money from the scammers, and some believe that a solution could be to hold them accountable.
• There is a need for better spam filtering for SMS, and some argue that secure messaging services are the only way to ensure privacy and security.
• The comparison between scam texts and junk mail is seen as absurd by some, as scam texts are a more serious issue that can cause financial harm to victims.
• Some believe that China may be willing to stop scammers operating from within its borders if presented with evidence, while others argue that China will not extradite its citizens or prosecute them for crimes committed outside its borders.
• The use of end-to-end encryption in messaging services is seen as a marketing gimmick by some, and it is argued that even with encryption, messages can still be read by carriers or other parties.
• There is a need for a more effective solution to stop scam texts, and some propose that a combination of law enforcement, regulation, and technological solutions is needed to address the issue.