A man has admitted his role in a scheme that targeted passengers on the London Underground with fraudulent text messages about failed parcel deliveries.
Daoyan Shang, 20, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud between January and March 2025 on the fifth day of his trial at Inner London Crown Court. He had previously denied the charge.
Prosecutors said Tube passengers were deceived by a criminal gang using homemade “SMS blasters” concealed inside suitcases. The devices allegedly mimicked legitimate mobile phone towers, tricking nearby phones into connecting and receiving fraudulent messages.
The texts, which appeared to come from well-known parcel delivery firms such as Evri, claimed a delivery had failed and included links to fake websites designed to steal victims’ personal and banking details.
Shang’s guilty plea followed a similar move by Zhijia Fan, 48, who prosecutors described during the trial as the “top boss” of the operation, with Shang acting as his “right-hand man.”
Recorder Alex Stein told jurors that defendants sometimes reassess their position once the strength of the prosecution’s case becomes clear.
Prosecutor Alex Davidson said the so-called SMS blasters were “crude” devices that masqueraded as legitimate cell towers, enabling the gang to send fraudulent messages with links to fake websites.
Prosecutors confirmed they would not proceed with an additional charge of possessing articles for use in fraud against Shang and Fan.
Both men, who are of no fixed address, are due to be sentenced Tuesday alongside two other defendants. Wan Hafiz, 41, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud and possession of articles for use in fraud. Gatis Lauks, 25, of Ealing, west London, admitted fraud by false representation.
A fifth suspect, Jinhua Zhang, 58, remains at large after allegedly fleeing while on bail, the court heard.
