How ICE Is Using Fake Cell Towers To Spy On People’s Phones
The Wiretap
By Thomas Brewster,Forbes Staff. Senior writer at Forbes covering cybercrime, privacy and surveillance. for The Wiretap Sep 09, 2025, 11:53am EDT
This is the online edition of The Wiretap newsletter, your weekly digest of cybersecurity, internet privacy and surveillance news.
It’s been some time since Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been seen using a tool known as a Stingray, or a cell-site simulator, in its attempts to find and remove undocumented immigrants. The tool tricks a phone into thinking it’s a cell tower, and when a suspect’s device connects, the cops can trace its location. Its use is controversial because anyone in the same area as the target is at risk of having their information exposed.
In a recently-unsealed search warrant reviewed by Forbes, ICE used such a cell-site simulator in an attempt to track down an individual in Orem, Utah. The suspect had been ordered to leave the U.S. in 2023, but is believed to still be in the country. Investigators learned last month that before going to Utah, he’d escaped prison in Venezuela where he was serving a sentence for murder, according to the warrant. He’s also suspected of being linked to gang activity in the country, investigators said.
When the government got the target’s number, they first got a warrant to get its location. However, the trace wasn’t precise–it only told law enforcement that the target was somewhere in an area covering about 30 blocks. That led them to asking a court for a Stingray-type device to get an accurate location.
The warrant was issued at the end of last month and it’s not yet known if the fugitive was found.
But the case shows that, despite having been criticized by civil rights groups for using Stingrays during the last Trump administration, ICE continues to use the technology. Earlier this year, new media publication Straight Arrow News said it had analysed “mobile network anomalies” around a Washington state protest against ICE raids that were consistent with Stingray use.
Forbes found contract records showing ICE purchased nearly $1 million worth of “cell site simulator vehicles” in May this year, indicating it’s taking the surveillance tool fully mobile. That was part of a contract first signed under the Biden administration in 2024.
ICE also has an active contract worth up to $4.4 million with the original Stingray manufacturer, Harris Corporation, for unspecified “equipment to determine the location of targeted mobile handsets.” That deal was also signed during the Biden years.
‐‐‐---------
Sia: This is freakin' UNACCEPTABLE!! I didn't know anything about this before!
I get more and more spam every day. Where do these people get my number? I don't give it out to anyone I don't know.
Then I saw a pattern. When I use my phone, soon thereafter spam, scam or some other abuse begins. I suspect they get my number from it actively pinging from a tower. It identifies that as an available, active number, and whiz bang, unsolicited spam calls.
Those range from the unknown to car insurance offers for vehicles I don't have and never had, offers to sell my home, alleged debt collectors... I owe no debt to anybody. All of it unwanted and unsolicited.
Tmy there is no do not call list or law for mod phones. Don't look for this Congress to pass a law either.
I do not answer or respond to calls or texts from numbers and people I don't know.
The greed of corporate America is beyond description. In the face of total government shut down, and most of the felon's policies that explode the debt and deficit, US Stocks contioue to perform well.
BECAUSE
the wealthy are profiteering off it.
Perhaps we should remplace baseball bats with spiked bludgeons and play with the ownership rather than teams of our peers. You can look away from a painting, but you can't listen away from a symphony
There are many ways to get your number. Many apps have access to phone numbers, contact info, and more without you ever knowing it has been accessed. But robocalls can just 'say and spray' a swing and a miss is nothing to a robocall. Many use IP phone numbers to call or text.
Google and Chrome have access by default on an android phone. (and probably the biggest culprits of sharing)
Androids tend be more permissive by default.
iOS tends to be less permissive by default but not foolproof.
Check through your permissions on every app. Usually found through the main settings on the phone.
Some features per app may need to enable them for certain things but they can be toggled on/off per use.
Report calls and texts as junk or spam to your carrier before blocking. Carriers can analyze patterns and warn or block automatically.
Or my phone for anything but communication. I take great pains to keep my identity private, hidden and footprint small, with all kinds of dead ends. I do no banking on line ever. Pay no bills on line.
When I use my phone, spam follows, and I am almost certain a ping from a tower is intercepted by a third party who does that. You can look away from a painting, but you can't listen away from a symphony
Re: I don't use apps
Posted by jacque on October 3, 2025, 1:42 am, in reply to "I don't use apps"
Any modern cell phone has built-in apps. Things like messaging and contacts are built-in 'apps'. Even the dialer is software controlled. (albeit custom/proprietary per device and carrier)
Many have carrier based 'apps' that are default as well.
Built-in Google might still be loading and running even though you don't use it.
If it is android based check your main settings and the permissions allowed. live long and prosper as best you can Jacque
on October 2, 2025, 10:04 am
