# Swatting **Domain:** Harassment / Emergency-service abuse **Doc Type:** Developed Harm Node **Maturity:** Developed **Collection:** [[collections/Gamification|Gamification Collection]] ## Definition **Swatting** is the deliberate false reporting of a serious emergency in order to provoke an armed or high-risk law-enforcement response at a target's location. Reports may allege shootings, hostages, bombs, or other imminent violence. ## Significance Swatting weaponizes institutional response. The attacker does not need physical proximity or direct force; false information causes legitimate emergency procedures to deliver danger, fear, disruption, and public exposure. Caller-ID spoofing, compromised accounts, doxxing, and networked crowds can increase reach and deniability. The practice can cause injury or death and consumes emergency resources. Documentation should prioritize safety and preserve report records, communications, account evidence, timestamps, and location data without publicly amplifying sensitive personal information. ## Sources - FBI, [Threat actors use swatting to target victims nationwide](https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/cyber/alerts/2025/threat-actors-use-swatting-to-target-victims-nationwide) - Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, [Swatting guidance](https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa23-320a) ## Routes [[wiki/Attack by Cutout|Attack by Cutout]] · [[wiki/Crowd-for-Hire|Crowd-for-Hire]] · [[wiki/Epistemic Injury|Epistemic Injury]]