Redazione RHC : 19 August 2025 08:58
Scammers in Southeast Asia have found a new way to launder money using stolen credit cards. Researchers have reported a system they call “ghost-tapping,” in which stolen card data is uploaded to a phone called a “burner” and then used to make purchases in stores.
First, criminals obtain credit card data through phishing, social engineering, or mobile viruses. To bypass the protection, they intercept the one-time codes that the bank sends to the customer. The stolen information is then linked to the phone under the fraudsters’ control. Sometimes special software is used that allows data to be sent to multiple devices simultaneously.
These phones are then sold on closed Telegram channels. The buyers are criminal organizations that hire front men to do shopping. Most often, the purchases are luxury goods, which are then resold, even through the same Telegram channels.
Singapore police have already recorded an increase in such attacks. In the last three months of 2024 alone, 656 cases were recorded in which stolen card data was used to connect mobile wallets. The total damage amounted to approximately 1.2 million dollars. Authorities are warning residents not to enter credit card information on dubious websites, and especially not to confirm transactions with one-time passwords.
Last November, Singapore police arrested four Chinese nationals attempting to purchase expensive goods on behalf of criminal groups. This spring, two Taiwanese nationals were arrested for similar activities. This is part of a broader trend: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has previously noted a rapid increase in fraudulent operations in the region and the creation of an entire “industry” of services supporting such schemes.
According to researchers, a significant portion of ghost-tapping sales occur through Telegram channels associated with the Huione Guarantee platform. Despite the announcement of its closure in May, its infrastructure continues to operate and is used by criminals. Furthermore, alternative platforms Xinbi Guarantee and Tudou Guarantee are active and offer similar services to cash out stolen funds.
Experts warn that the combination of professionalism and reach of such programs beyond national borders makes them a serious challenge for law enforcement in Asia and elsewhere.
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