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A group of teenage hackers aged 14 to 16 has been arrested in Japan for illegally accessing Rakuten Mobile’s system, stealing over 1,000 SIM lines, and selling them for profit.
The three suspects, aged 14 to 16, reportedly used ChatGPT to refine their hacking process, making their cybercrime more efficient.
The teens, from Shiga, Gifu, and Tokyo, purchased a database containing over 2 billion stolen login credentials via social media.
With this data, they developed an automated program that brute-forced Rakuten Mobile’s system, logging in with stolen credentials and obtaining SIM cards.
They then resold these SIMs through the encrypted messaging app Telegram.
Investigators revealed that the group had been running the operation since at least December 2023.
One of the arrested teens admitted to successfully securing more than 1,000 lines.
The police estimate they made around ¥7.5 million in cryptocurrency through their illegal sales.
Each of them played a specific role in the scheme.
The 16-year-old high schooler from Gifu led the development of the hacking tool, while the 15-year-old from Shiga assisted in its creation.
The 14-year-old, from Tokyo, helped manage the operation. They operated in secrecy, using private communication channels to exchange information and distribute the stolen SIMs.
Rakuten Mobile allows a single Rakuten ID to register up to 15 lines, and the teens exploited this feature to secure multiple SIMs under each hacked account.
The extent of their illegal access was confirmed when investigators examined one of their computers, uncovering evidence of repeated breaches.
The boys met through online gaming and connected further via Telegram, where they also purchased stolen credentials.
Despite their young age, their cybercrime methods were highly sophisticated, involving custom scripts and automated hacking techniques.
Police arrested the trio between 3rd and 25th February, linking them to at least 105 fraudulent SIM contracts using credentials from 11 different individuals.
One of the suspects admitted he enjoyed boasting about his crimes online, seeking recognition from peers.
This case highlights an alarming trend—minors using AI to enhance cybercrimes, raising concerns about how artificial intelligence can be misused in the digital age.