Kazakhstan Announces Crackdown on Counterfeit Cellular Base Station Scheme

Kazakhstan’s Financial Monitoring Agency (AFM) has reported the dismantling of a cyber fraud scheme involving counterfeit cellular base stations. According to the agency, this is the first such case identified in the post-Soviet region. Authorities say the criminal group used the equipment to intercept data on a large scale and send phishing messages. According to the AFM, the attackers used a special device, a so-called SMS blaster that imitated the operation of mobile operator base stations. The device generated a strong signal within a radius of up to 300 meters, causing mobile phones to connect to it automatically and switch to a less secure network. This allowed the attackers to bypass operators' security mechanisms. After connecting, subscribers received fake SMS messages purportedly sent on behalf of well-known companies, offering the chance to redeem accumulated bonuses. Clicking the link led to phishing websites, where users were prompted to select products and then enter personal information, including phone number, full name, bank details, CVV code, and SMS confirmation codes. This enabled the attackers to access confidential information and funds. According to the agency, the equipment was placed in vehicles and used while in motion to expand coverage and avoid detection. The messages were sent primarily in crowded areas, such as markets and near shopping and entertainment centers. The devices’ technical capabilities allowed them to send up to 100,000 messages per hour, significantly increasing the potential scale of the fraud. The operation to disrupt the group’s activities was carried out by the AFM under the coordination of the Prosecutor General’s Office, with the participation of cybersecurity specialists from a mobile operator. The uncovered scheme comes amid a broader rise in telephone and internet fraud in Kazakhstan. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, nearly 85 million fraudulent calls were blocked in the country in 2025. At the same time, authorities are introducing additional regulatory measures, including mandatory biometric identification for mobile subscribers, aimed at strengthening efforts to combat digital crime.

Kazakhstan Plans to Introduce Social Media Monitoring

Kazakhstan plans to introduce a system for monitoring the information space in order to identify illegal online content. This was reported by the country’s Financial Monitoring Agency (FMA). The agency has drafted rules on monitoring the information space aimed at detecting unlawful content, including on the internet, and enabling subsequent measures to restrict access to it. The draft document has been published on the Open Regulatory Acts portal. According to the proposal, monitoring would cover information published in open sources, including websites, social networks, messaging platforms, mass media outlets, and other information and communication channels. The Financial Monitoring Agency would be responsible for carrying out the monitoring. If unlawful content is identified, the agency would be able to initiate further response measures. “If the posting of illegal content is established, the authorized financial monitoring body, within the limits of its competence and in the presence of signs of a criminal offense, shall take the measures provided for by the country’s criminal procedure legislation,” the document states. If no signs of a criminal offense are found, the materials would be forwarded to other authorized bodies in order to hold the authors administratively liable. In both cases, if criminal or administrative violations are identified and the materials fall under restrictions established by Kazakhstan’s legislation or by court decisions that have entered into force, the agency would notify the authorized body responsible for mass media regulation. Following such notification, a decision could be made to block the relevant content. These notifications would be transmitted through the state information system. The draft rules were prepared on the basis of subparagraph 15 of Article 16 of the Law “On the Prevention of Offenses,” adopted on December 30, 2025. The new regulations are expected to take effect once the relevant normative legal act enters into force. According to the Financial Monitoring Agency, the introduction of the monitoring system is intended to improve the effectiveness of crime prevention in the digital environment. The rules are also expected to establish a clearer mechanism for interagency cooperation in identifying and restricting illegal online content. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that Kazakhstan outperformed several post-Soviet countries in the 2026 global internet freedom ranking published by the research agency Cloudwards, although within Central Asia it ranked behind Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.