swatting

A health care company’s board meeting was disrupted after board members were targeted in “swatting” attacks that wrongly sent law enforcement officers to their homes.

The bomb threat was first reported by TMZ, which characterized it as a “swatting” incident, in which perpetrators initiate an emergency law enforcement response against a victim under false pretenses.

The F.B.I. said in a statement it was aware of “numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees.”

It said it was aware of "numerous bomb threats" as well as "swatting incidents", in which prank calls are made to attract a police response to the target's home.

Among other incidents, elections officials have been sent white powder in the post, and have been subjected to “swatting” – anonymous emergency calls about fictional crimes, designed to draw armed police into people’s homes.