(TLP:CLEAR) FBI PSA – Threat Actors Use “Swatting” to Target Victims Nationwide

Summary: This week, the FBI published a Public Service Announcement (PSA) that is intended to provide the public with information about what swatting is, how to take protective steps against swatting, and how to report potential incidents. 

Analyst Note: The FBI is aware of multiple recent “swatting” incidents impacting individuals across the country. According to the PSA, “Swatting is the malicious tactic of making hoax calls or reports to emergency services, typically feigning an immediate threat to life. Swatting is intended to draw a large response from SWAT teams or other law enforcement resources to an unsuspecting victim’s location, causing chaos and the potential for injury or violence.”

Swatting may be conducted to harass, intimidate, or retaliate against intended targets. Notably, threat actors often compile sensitive information from a wide range of publicly available sources, including online accounts, to develop invasive profiles of their targets. Water and wastewater utilites have experienced similar incidents that caused operational disruptions. For example, last year, a previously terminated employee allegedly called in a bomb threat to the utility he used to work at. The bomb threats were a hoax, and the former employee was arrested.

Original Source: https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250429  

Additional Reading:

• Rising Trend of Swatting Incidents Could Portend a Growing Risk of Political Violence, Experts Warn

Mitigation Recommendations:

• Federal Government Guide to Address Swatting Threats Targeting Local Officials
• FBI Report: Hoax Bomb Threats Targeting U.S. Critical Infrastructure and other Institutions

Related WaterISAC PIRs: 1 & 4