The Washington Post: Marjorie Taylor Greene isn’t the only politician to be a swatting target
UC cybersecurity expert: It is difficult to tell which 911 calls are real and which are fake
According to an article in The Washington Post, the number of swatting episodes went from about 400 in 2011 to more than 1,000 in 2019, with an estimated total of 20,000 over the past two decades.
“Swatting” is the act of calling law enforcement on an innocent person with a false claim of criminal activity.
University of Cincinnati security expert Gregory Winger told the publication that these fake calls take resources away from law enforcement assisting in true criminal activity and “weaponize” the police against the innocent victims.
The calls are usually placed from a cloaked phone number and relay that the criminal activity includes a life-threatening situation such as someone being held with a lethal weapon, thus requiring a high level of police response.
The victims of swatting are usually high-profile people such as celebrities and politicians. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has been swatted almost a dozen times; the last time on Christmas Eve, 2023.
“People learn of those threats, and it spreads,” says Winger, an assistant professor at UC’s School of International and Public Affairs, adding that both real and fake calls are treated the same because, as yet, it’s very difficult to tell a real call from a fake call.
Featured image at top of SWAT team outside a threat location. Photo/iStock/Zeferli
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
Mistakes to avoid when shopping for a product dupe
August 13, 2026
The University of Cincinnati’s Kelly Dobos was featured in an AARP article discussing ways to determine if “dupe” cosmetic products really are comparable to the more expensive name brand.
Ancient warming event hints at potential climate tipping point
August 12, 2026
Researchers say a spike in temperatures during an ice age 304 million years ago could inform what climate scientists are learning about rapidly changing conditions today.
What is a trademark?
August 11, 2026
Sean Owens, an adjunct professor in the Donald P. Klekamp College of Law, discussed trademark law with the Dayton Daily News. Owens is also a partner at intellectual property law firm Wood Herron & Evans in Cincinnati.