Three teenage boys have been arrested for fraudulently subscribing to Rakuten Mobile’s services through a self-developed AI program. They are suspected of obtaining approximately 2,500 subscriptions and profiting around ¥7.5 million in cryptocurrency. The police investigation also revealed additional potential misuse of stolen credit card information by the suspects.
Tokyo police have apprehended three teenage boys under suspicion of unlawfully subscribing to Rakuten Mobile’s services through a self-developed software utilizing artificial intelligence. The Metropolitan Police Department’s cybercrime unit suspects that these individuals amassed approximately 2,500 mobile phone subscriptions within six months, reportedly generating around ¥7.5 million in cryptocurrency sales.
The suspects were charged with acquiring 105 subscriptions from May to August of the previous year by accessing the Rakuten Mobile system with stolen IDs and passwords. The teens involved include a 14-year-old junior high student from Tokyo, a 16-year-old high school student from Gifu Prefecture, and a 15-year-old junior high student from Shiga Prefecture, all of whom have reportedly confessed to the charges.
One of the arrested individuals expressed a motive of gaining social media notoriety through the implementation of a complex criminal operation. Furthermore, the high school student is said to have led the programming efforts that allowed automated login and subscription processes to Rakuten Mobile’s services using ChatGPT, an interactive generative AI tool.
The students allegedly procured IDs and passwords through an acquaintance they met on the encrypted messaging platform Telegram. During a search of their personal computers, law enforcement uncovered approximately 3.3 billion sets of such credentials. The boys purportedly sold the subscriptions for cryptocurrencies, for use in online gambling and the purchase of gaming consoles.
Additionally, police discovered around 10,000 sets of credit card information stored on the students’ devices and are currently investigating the potential misuse of this data.
In summary, three teenagers in Tokyo have been arrested for fraudulent activities involving the unauthorized subscription to Rakuten Mobile using an AI-based program. This scheme led to significant financial gain through cryptocurrency, and further investigations are underway regarding the handling of stolen credit card information. The case underscores the growing concerns over cybercrime and the illicit use of technology to execute sophisticated schemes.
Original Source: www.japantimes.co.jp
