Secret Service dismantles large SIM farm near UN as leaders gather in New York

The U.S. Secret Service has found and quietly dismantled a sprawling network of SIM farms within 35 miles of the United Nations in New York, a discovery that surfaced as world leaders convened for meetings at the U.N. Agents described the sites as densely packed with servers and stacked SIM cards, with more than 100,000 cards already active. Matt McCool, the special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s New York field office, called the operation “a well-funded, highly organized enterprise and possibly run by nation-state actors — perpetrators from particular countries.” While the investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made, officials stressed the potential scale of the threat and the potential harm to communications networks if left unchecked.

SIM farms are hardware devices that hold dozens or hundreds of SIM cards from different mobile operators. They exploit voice over internet protocol (VoIP) technology to send and receive bulk messages or calls. Although the toolset was originally developed for legitimate purposes, such as low-cost international calling, it has become a cornerstone of organized fraud targeting mass audiences — phishing texts and scam calls. “Scams have become so sophisticated now. Phishing emails, texts, spoofing caller ID, all of this technology gives scammers that edge,” said Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center.

Officials said the devices were concentrated within the vicinity of the U.N. building, underscoring the sensitivity of the location. Forensic analysis currently believes the system could have been used to send encrypted messages to organized crime groups, cartels and terrorist organizations. The finding raises questions about how such a network could be leveraged to coordinate illicit activity in an era of interconnected communications and global security concerns.

Anthony J. Ferrante, the global head of the cybersecurity practice at FTI, an international consulting firm, said the photos show a very sophisticated and established SIM farm that could be used for any number of nefarious activities, including the potential to overwhelm cellular networks with millions of calls in just a few minutes. “So if you can imagine that type of magnitude on cellular networks, it would just overwhelm them and cause them to shut down,” Ferrante said in an interview. He also noted that given the facility’s proximity to the United Nations, the system could be used for surveillance purposes, potentially intercepting communications, eavesdropping, or even cloning devices. Ferrante, who previously served in key security positions at the White House and the FBI, said he is awaiting the full results of the investigation before drawing conclusions about the intent or origin of the operation, but emphasized that the scale demonstrates how simple tools can pose real risks to critical infrastructure. “The masterminds could have set this up a long time ago and be operating from thousands of miles away,” he added.

Experts caution that the case illustrates how quickly a technically simple setup can threaten national and global communications, especially in the weeks when major international discussions take place. Officials stressed that vigilance remains necessary as investigators continue to trace the network’s path, identify those involved, and determine the exact reach of the operation. The Secret Service said the investigation is ongoing and that no arrests have been announced at this stage. The timing—coinciding with high-profile diplomatic activity at the United Nations—has amplified concerns about the vulnerability of telecom ecosystems to highly organized, well-financed networks.