What Is 'Swatting'? Donald Trump's Cabinet Nominees Targeted With Dangerous Hoaxes

Several of President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet and administration nominees were targeted this week with actions including bomb threats and "swatting," a spokesperson for the transition team said on Wednesday.

The threats were made Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, and law enforcement acted quickly to ensure the safety of those targeted, spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. While bomb threats are a common occurrence, "swatting" is a less known phenomenon.

An FBI spokesperson said the bureau is aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees and is working with its law enforcement partners.

What is Swatting?

Swatting is the filing of false reports to police to induce a potentially heavy, armed response by officers at someone's home. Law enforcement experts see it as a form of intimidation or harassment that is increasingly being used to target prominent figures.

This is often creating a situation where a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team arrives ready for a possible violent encounter.

"The individuals who engage in this activity use technology to make it appear that the emergency call is coming from the victim's phone," said one FBI public announcement in 2013, titled, "The Crime of 'Swatting': Fake 9-1-1 Calls Have Real Consequences - FBI.

"Sometimes swatting is done for revenge, sometimes as a prank. Either way, it is a serious crime, and one that has potentially dangerous consequences."

Most who engage in swatting are serial offenders also involved in other cyber crimes such as identity theft and credit card fraud, Kolbye said. They either want to brag about their swatting exploits or exact revenge on someone who angered them online.

Kevin Kolbye, an assistant special agent in charge in our Dallas Division suggests making a police report about any swatting threats you receive online. Such threats typically come from the online gaming community, where competitors can play and interact anonymously. With a report on file, if a 9-1-1 incident does occur at your home, the police will be aware that it could be a hoax.

"The FBI takes swatting very seriously," Kolbye said. "Working closely with industry and law enforcement partners, we continue to refine our technological capabilities and our investigative techniques to stop the thoughtless individuals who commit these crimes. The bottom line," he added, "is that swatting puts innocent people at risk."

(With inputs from Reuters)