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
    101·
    8 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).

    • voracitude@lemmy.world
      19·
      8 months ago

      I did and it’s not, phone providers and MVNOs are mandated to keep records already, see the PATRIOT Act and Bush’s retroactive immunity for wiretapping by the telcos prior to 9/11, and try again.

      • cogman@lemmy.world
        71·
        8 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.

        • voracitude@lemmy.world
          11·
          8 months ago

          So you think that activities on the internet (where everything has to pass through a computer and is logged by the aforementioned wiretapping legalised by the PATRIOT Act, and don’t even think of mentioning TOR like the government isn’t running exit nodes) don’t leave enough of a trail to locate and identify someone, but paper documents in meatspace solve the problem?

          Are you even reading what you write? You do realise that while there’s no law forcing telcos to run KYC on their customers, they still do it? They want to be able to find people who run up a huge bill, so they can get paid. They identify their customers already, as strongly as is reasonably possible. So, try again.