A Chinese couple has been arrested in Japan for using Wi-Fi to attack 2.4 million victims. The criminals hid a computer in their room, turning it into a standalone hub for phishing emails.
A Chinese couple has been arrested in Japan for using Wi-Fi to attack 2.4 million victims. The criminals hid a computer in their room, turning it into a standalone hub for phishing emails.
The computer, which was remotely controlled by the scammers, was discreetly placed behind a mini-fridge in May 2025 and connected to the hotel's free Wi-Fi. By the time it was discovered, the device had sent about 480,000 phishing emails and had another 2.4 million email addresses in its database, prepared for future mailings, Tom's Hardware reports .
Fraudsters sent potential victims letters on behalf of well-known credit and financial institutions with links to fake websites to steal bank card data.
The scheme failed due to the vigilance of one of the recipients of the phishing email. After analyzing the message's metadata, he discovered the hotel's IP address and contacted the hotel management directly. The hotel staff inspected the room, found the hidden equipment, and called the police.
The investigation showed that phishing was only part of the attackers' activities. During a search of the couple's home, law enforcement officers seized 74 smartphones. It turned out that since 2024, the couple had been actively purchasing goods using stolen bank card data, causing losses in the amount of more than 10 million yen (about $63,000).
Japanese police are currently investigating whether the couple acted on their own initiative or were merely agents in a larger international criminal organization.
