“Swatting” Scare in Ozark

“Swatting” Scare in Ozark

“Swatting” Scare in Ozark

“Swatting” is a form of cyber harassment where an individual falsely calls police and reports criminal activity at an address, leading to police bombarding someone else’s home.

Swatting has occurred throughout the America, and now it’s hit Southwest Missouri.

A family in Ozark has come forward stating they’re traumatized after police showed up at their house with guns drawn.

Richard Gaskill answered a call from a Maryland number and the person on the other end said they were from the Social Security Administration, calling in regards to warrants out for Mr. Gaskill’s arrest.

Gaskill told the caller he knew he was a scammer, and the exchange ended with a threat from the supposed SSA employee to call the police.

Minutes later, Ozark Police Department was at Gaskill’s door where his 16 year-old step-daughter was the only one home.

Once authorities realized the horrified teen home alone was not what they were dispatched for, things deescalated.

The family is thankful for the way the way the police department responded to the scene but is warning others of the scammer scare.

The family can’t be sure how the caller got their address, but he had Richard Gaskill’s name and if someone has that information it’s not hard to find out where you live.

Hang up.

Recommended Posts

Loading...