SWAT-ting

SWAT-ting inside a new trend in cyber crime what is SWAT-ting? SWAT-ting is an attempt to trick an emergency service (such as a 9-1-1 dispatcher) into dispatching an emergency response team. The name is derived from SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics), one type of such team. Such action places law enforcement and citizens at risk and are criminal actions. In addition it reduces law how SWAT-ting works: enforcement officer coverage and costs taxpayer money. the methods Many SWAT-ters use a service like Spoofcard to disguise the origin of the prank call. These services also allow the user to disguise their voice and add background sound effects. the repercussions Depending on what resources are deployed, certain calls could cost law enforcement up to $10,000 Many times, law enforcement uses the majority of their resources to respond to these false calls creating longer response times for real emergencies Other methods that SWAT-ters use include Skype, pre-paid cell phones and paying an anonymous person to commit the "prank". Legislators are working on a law that will make SWAT-ting a four- year felony crime Lawmakers are also pushing for punishment to include reimbursement of all costs associated with the bogus call the Reasons in the news From the evidence collected in In February, an unidentified teen sent the SWAT team, along with a bomb-detecting robot, to a Sarasota, Florida residence claiming that he had killed his family, and had a C-4 bomb attached to his body, threatening to detonate. Upon arrival, the 26-year- old resident was handcuffed and his home was ransacked for each case, it appears that an act of SWAT-ting is committed as a vengeful act on the victim. evidence. Many teens who engage in online gaming, chat rooms or social media may be at risk of a SWAT threat. In 2011, a 16-year old from Boston called 911 claiming that his home was being raided by several men with guns. The boy directed the report to a Troy, Michigan residence. The police responded to the call, finding a woman and teen boy walking to a vehicle outside the home. When the officers approached the home, the teen began yelling. "SWATting! It's a prank!"The teen responsible had threatened to"SWAT" the Troy teen while the two played online video games. Currently, even politicians are being targeted for SWAT-ting attacks as retaliation for certain beliefs or principles they have openly expressed. tips to keep your kids safe: DO Educate yourself and your children about the dangers of SWAT-ting TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO PROTECT YOUR CHILD AGAINST Communicate with your child about the severity of SWAT-TING AND OTHER this so-called "prank CYBERCRIMES VISIT: Have rules and monitor your child's actions online www.uknowKids.com Report any suspicious activity DON'T Assume that blocking or filtering software will protect your child from SWAT-ting REFERENCES www.hacforums.net www.apootcand.com www.dalytribunecom www.theoaklandpeess.com Believe that there is nothing you can do to stop your child or family from being a victim of SWAT-ting