Showcase

Investigating a Multi-State Smishing Campaign: Technical Findings and Takedown

Case Study: Multi-State Smishing | Role: Technical Investigator

Threat Intelligence
QR/Quishing Analysis
User-Agent Forensics
AI Asset Analysis
Infrastructure Mapping
IC3 Reporting

On April 27, 2026, a polished SMS-based phishing campaign targeted residents across Nevada, New Jersey, and Illinois using fraudulent legal pressure, QR-driven mobile flows, and highly convincing AI-generated assets. After tracing the attack path and documenting its evasive infrastructure, I submitted a full report to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center on April 30. The primary domains associated with the operation were taken down on May 7, 2026.

Campaign Snapshot

  • Target profile: residents whose location could be locally verified before the SMS lure was delivered.
  • Primary deception: a fraudulent Notice of Default requesting immediate fine payment.
  • Key outcome: the technical submission connected the campaign's front-end lure, rotating payload delivery, and cloaking logic into one actionable incident report.