Hi Seal Beach,
You may have heard the term “swatting” used in the news or on social media. Although the name may sound almost harmless, swatting is a serious crime that can place victims, police officers, and entire neighborhoods in danger.
Swatting occurs when someone knowingly makes a false emergency report intended to send police officers, SWAT personnel, or other emergency responders to an unsuspecting person’s home, business, school, or another location. The caller may falsely report a shooting, hostage situation, bomb threat, or another immediate danger to life.
The person making the report is usually not at the location. Instead, the goal is to frighten, harass, intimidate, or retaliate against the victim by causing a large police response. The responding officers generally have no way of immediately knowing that the report is false. They must initially treat the information as credible and respond according to the seriousness of the reported emergency.
Although public officials and other high-profile individuals are frequently targeted, anyone can become a victim. Swatting incidents have also targeted schools, hospitals, businesses, places of worship, transportation facilities, online personalities, and private residences.
In many cases, the person responsible has gathered information about the victim from social media, online databases, public records, photographs, videos, or compromised online accounts. Even something that appears harmless, such as a photograph taken in front of a home, may reveal an address, street sign, vehicle license plate, school, workplace, or other identifying information.
Offenders may also use technology to disguise their phone number or make a call appear to come from the victim. In some cases, compromised email accounts, social media profiles, or smart home devices have been used to make the false report appear more believable.
There are several steps you can take to reduce your risk.
• Review the personal information available about you online. Search your name, telephone number, email address, and home address to see what information is publicly available. Check the privacy settings on your social media accounts and be cautious about posting photographs or videos that identify where you live, work, or regularly spend time.
• Use strong and unique passwords for your accounts and enable multifactor authentication whenever it is available. This is particularly important for email, social media, home security systems, cameras, doorbells, and other smart home devices. Using the same password for multiple accounts can allow someone who compromises one account to access several others.
• Families and businesses should also discuss what to do if police unexpectedly arrive because of a reported emergency. The most important thing is to remain calm, keep your hands visible, follow the officers’ instructions, and avoid making sudden movements. Remember that the responding officers may have been told that an armed person, injured victim, or other immediate threat is inside the location. They will need time to determine what has actually occurred.
• Once the situation is safe, explain that you believe you may have been the victim of a swatting incident. Preserve any related emails, usernames, social media messages, photographs, videos, telephone numbers, or other information. Do not delete messages or accounts that may contain evidence.
Swatting is not a prank. It diverts emergency personnel from legitimate calls for service, creates fear and confusion, and may result in injuries or deadly consequences. It can also lead to significant criminal penalties for the person responsible.
For an emergency or immediate threat to life, call 911. To report suspicious information or a possible swatting incident that is not currently occurring, contact the Seal Beach Police Department at (562) 594-7232. Information may also be reported to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.
As a friendly reminder, take a few minutes to review what personal information you and your family are sharing online. A photograph, location tag, username, or reused password may reveal more than you intended.
For more information, visit www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250429.
Keep your questions coming, Seal Beach! Email us at as*****@*********ca.gov today!