Police were dispatched toward Smith's residence but were called off when they learned it was a false alarm and that everyone inside the home was safe.

Police were dispatched toward Smith’s residence but were called off when they learned it was a false alarm and that everyone inside the home was safe.

Special counsel Jack Smith, who is overseeing the prosecution of former President Donald Trump in two federal cases, was the target of an attempted swatting at his Maryland residence on Christmas Day.

According to two law enforcement sources, someone called 911 and said that Smith had shot his wife at the address where Smith lives.

Montgomery County Police dispatched units toward the home but were called off when the Deputy U.S. Marshals protecting Smith and his family told police that it was a false alarm and that everyone inside the home was safe.

No arrests have been made in connection with the incident.

    • cogman@lemmy.world
      322·
      10 months ago

      VPNs, virtual numbers, voip, and tor are somewhat new and fairly unregulated. It’s dead simple to setup to make a very hard to trace phone call.

      • Pips@lemmy.sdf.org
        1·
        10 months ago

        None of those are traditional phone services, they’re all internet based so regulated differently. I agree they should be regulated as telephone utilities but right now they’re not.

        • cogman@lemmy.world
          151·
          10 months ago

          it’s a minor inconvenience for the US Government

          Citation needed.

          Even if I granted the US gov as being all seeing, a major problem is that it requires local PD/prosecutors to get the feds involved.

          I’m not actually on board with attacking this via phone system regulations, but It is fairly easy to make anonymous phone calls using the techniques I pointed out. To actually fix something like this, you’d need every phone number to be registered in person with a star card and to completely outlaw virtual numbers providers with stiff penalties. But even then, there’s the issue of international numbers and illegally spoofing a number. Those can’t be fixed without revamping the telcos which is really hard with the amount of ossified tech in place.

          This probably won’t happen in my lifetime, but the two things that need to happen are reducing gun ownership and demilitarization of the police. Cops are way too trigger happy, actual consequences when cops murder or harm individuals would go a long way in stopping them from perceiving everyone as an enemy combatant. Pulling guns off the streets would reduce the justifications of busting down doors with a dozen cops ready to shoot anything that moves.

            • cogman@lemmy.world
              121·
              10 months ago

              To actually fix something like this, you’d need every phone number to be registered in person with a star card and to completely outlaw virtual numbers providers with stiff penalties. But even then, there’s the issue of international numbers and illegally spoofing a number. Those can’t be fixed without revamping the telcos which is really hard with the amount of ossified tech in place.

              This is exactly what you ask for (I’m guessing you didn’t read the full post).

                • cogman@lemmy.world
                  91·
                  10 months ago

                  They aren’t required to verify who signs up for the service, which is the crux of the problem. Records are useless if they can’t be associated with an individual.

                  Forcing in person sign ups with strong identifying requirements solves the swatting problem, because every number is directly associated with who is using it.

        • cogman@lemmy.world
          191·
          10 months ago

          Oh go on, come up with something instead of just downvoting me. I know it’s hard, actual work even, but you’re never gonna change minds otherwise.

          Dude, I just responded to you and did not downvote, calm down. Maybe take some of your own advice about anger?