Swatting
Swat may refer to any of the following:
1. Swatting is a form of harassment carried out by an individual looking for retaliation against someone else. Swatting is when a person retaliates against another person by calling in a false report of a bomb threat, homicide, or other serious crime at the person's address. The false report then results in a S.W.A.T. team being dispatched to that location. If this is carried out when the victim is live streaming a game or other events, the swatting is watched by everyone viewing the event online.
Computer Hope does not condone using swatting, and urges people not to use this tactic, as it is illegal.
The term comes from the S.W.A.T. (Special Weapons and Tactics) team, a particular unit of the police trained to use force to access a home, business, or other dwellings. The caller using this tactic is betting on the police calling in S.W.A.T to breach the house, causing destruction and possibly death to the victim.
The act of swatting started as prank calls for the police to go to someone's home. It has gained momentum in recent years with callers phoning in more elaborate hoaxes to get the S.W.A.T. team dispatched, causing more of a disturbance.
This act is taken very seriously by local police and the FBI. Swatting violates several laws, including federal laws, has resulted in deaths, and is punishable by up to several years in prison if prosecuted.
2. SWAT is the name of computer games from Sierra. See our SWAT game page for further information.