Swatting is a disturbing (and very illegal) prank where a fake threat is called in to police at an innocent target’s address. You may have seen it in a growing number of headlines over recent years. Swatting can be especially dangerous for unwary people at home, who have no idea police are surrounding their residence or what to do in response.
Swatting began in the gaming world as a particularly malicious joke after a bad game, related to doxxing people and making online threats. But it’s grown since then, with swatting becoming a consequence of political disagreements, neighborhood feuds and teenage dares. It’s also grown more sophisticated, with websites and apps springing up that let you spoof your phone number (or use a VoIP service) and also disguise your voice. Some swatters even hack into vulnerable security cameras when they do it.
Obviously, this is a huge source of distress for everyone, from gamers to public figures. I spoke with law enforcement and emergency response specialists to find out everything you should know about swatting, including tips if you’re worried.
First, the good news about swatting
Many police departments are now ready for swatting problems.
Swatting has been around long enough that law enforcement agencies and emergency communication centers are generally aware of it. The FBI continues to issue guidance alerts, including the latest public service announcement, from April 2025. That means swatting is a bit less likely to work, since responders are increasingly aware of the hallmarks of swatting, like spoofed or blocked numbers, a lack of background noises, a lack of nearby confirming calls and a caller who can’t confirm key details.
I reached out to the Portland Police Bureau to learn more. Public information officer Sgt. Kevin Allen had encouraging information. “Every time I have heard about it happening,” he said, “the initially responding patrol officers have done a phenomenal job of vetting the call and determining that it is not legitimate.” That’s helping to avoid the fear, money and time that’s wasted when people are swatted.
The FBI has worked to raise awareness of swatting, too. And despite the dangers, the number of deaths resulting from swatting is very, very low, confined to a handful of tragic cases, such as one in Kansas in 2017 and another in Tennessee in 2020. And now that a number of swatters have been sentenced to serious prison time, internet trolls know they can face real consequences.
However, the problem is that the allegation of swatting is so serious, as it is with crimes like murder, kidnapping or a bomb threat, that emergency services generally have to investigate. And police don’t always know if it’s a swatting case until they arrive at an address and check it out, which is why it can be so dangerous. But there are safety measures you and your friends and family can take.
What to do if you think you’ve been swatted
You can prepare for swatting if you believe you’ve been threatened.
If you’ve gotten threatening messages or other signs that make you think you’ve just been swatted or will be soon, there are a few important things you can do right away to stay safe.
Contact law enforcement
Reach out to your local police and explain the problem. “If someone thinks they might be targeted, it’s a good idea to file an informational police report about it,” Allen said. “Responding officers would have access to that, typically, and that would help.”
Law enforcement responses can vary, but sometimes it helps to report that you’re worried you’ve been swatted. “Here in Portland, officers may set up a perimeter around a residence and try to make phone contact,” Allen said, “So having an accurate and current name and phone number in the system is really helpful.”
Also contact your local emergency communications center and explain the issue to them. Often, they’ll also be able to put in a note for your address that says you’re worried you’ve been swatted.
Get loved ones to a safe place
If possible, relocate pets and family until the swatting danger appears to have passed. You may not have a lot of time, but do what you can to make sure arriving police officers won’t be running into your pets or scaring any children.
Stay aware and alert
If you get threatening messages in a game or online forum, take them seriously and start paying attention for signs of swatting. “It’s smart to maintain some awareness about what’s happening in your home,” Allen said. “Sometimes we find people are home alone, playing video games with their sound-blocking headphones and can’t hear us calling, knocking or ‘loud hailing’ — that’s when we use a loudspeaker to call into a home.”
Prep your home for a visit
Remember, law enforcement officers are often required to investigate swatting claims. That means you may still get a visit even if you do everything right. Store any weapons you have and prepare to greet police.
When I talked with John Chiaramonte, president of consulting services at 911 facilitator Mission Critical Partners, he said, “Stay calm, follow police commands and avoid sudden movements. … Comply with commands and clarify when it’s safe. Afterward, file a report and preserve any threatening messages.”
Chiaramonte said he thinks additional federal legislation should address swatting, but for now, he said, remember that police officers often believe it’s a real emergency. “Awareness, preparation and communication can help ensure a safe outcome,” he said.
How to avoid being swatted
You can help lower the risk of swatting if you think you may be a target.
“It’s difficult to ‘prevent’ swatting,” Allen told me. Swatting is frightening because it’s uncontrollable, and you usually don’t know when or even why it’s happening. But there are several practical steps that can reduce your risk, especially when it comes to the internet hordes.
- Turn off location services. If your gaming platform or communication hub uses location-based services, turn them off when possible. They make it much easier to find your real address online. You can usually find these settings in your profile or the data-sharing sections of the apps you use.
- Wipe your address from the internet. “Review your online presence for sensitive personal information that could enable malicious actors to conduct a swatting attack,” the FBI suggests. I have a full guide on how to do this here. You can’t usually scrub your address everywhere, but you can make it a lot harder to find. Steps like using a P.O. Box and sending requests to take down personal contact info can make a big difference. Plus, you may get less junk mail.
- Don’t share your address on social media or other sites. From your profile info to other ID data, don’t include information on your address or the city you live in on any social media you use. If you use a payment service, create a separate one for your online activities that doesn’t have your real name attached. “Exercise care when posting content (including photos and videos) or sharing it with individuals online,” the FBI says. That includes platforms like Reddit, Discord and Twitch.
- Use a VPN if worried. A VPN can make it much harder to track your IP address and similar info that could be used by a more determined swatter to identify your location. If you’re concerned and you aren’t already using a VPN, this is an excellent opportunity to get one.
- Remember, swatting thrives on conflict. Unless you’re a celebrity, swatting usually has some purpose or some triggering event behind it. The more you avoid open conflict online and, well, generally avoid being a jerk, the less likely it is someone will swat you.
Do you need to worry about accidentally swatting someone?
Not really. If you’re dialing 911 in an emergency and you’re as honest as possible with emergency services, they should be able to help you out, even if you accidentally get an address wrong or lose your train of thought. But it’s a good idea to take a deep breath and try not to flub any details.
For more helpful info from our experts, check out the best home security systems, how to update your smart home passwords and whether you need to worry about any kinds of smart home hacking.
