Internet Prankster Sends SWAT Team to Cyberbullying Expert's House

Internet Prankster Sends SWAT Team to Cyberbullying Expert's House

gawker.com

Among the many, many people who irk the anarchic message board 4chan, cyberbullying expert Parry Aftab is one of the most consistently despised. So it's not surprising that an anonymous internet denizen sent a SWAT team to her New Jersey home this weekend.

Some 30 police officers, including members of a SWAT team, surrounded Aftab's house this Saturday after receiving a call from an unknown man claiming that he had killed four people at the home and had another hostage, according to NJ.com. The guy demanded $10,000 and a police car. Police shot tear gas through the window, but when they e

(visit the link for the full news article)

I find this rather deplorable. I can empathize with people that dislike this woman, she never really seems to know what she is talking about and is all for restricting internet freedoms but SWAT team to her house is beyond a prank.

Send her spam e-mails, prank call her that I can understand and while I do not condone can see the humor in it. Having a SWAT team show up and shoot tear gas into her house is on a whole different level though. It wasted a ton of resources, kept cops from doing something productive and could have killed someone (maybe a stretch).

In the thread I started about the 8-3-11 website, a number of us have concluded that the people orchestrating are in their teens. It is so easy to find personal information online and I fear that something like this will happen to them.



gawker.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by Domo1


I'd actually argue that it is the greatest and funniest prank of all time. But I really like the idea of a free and uncensored internet.

Probably shouldn't have laughed at this really.

I guess she should stop harassing online users and trying to restrict online freedom.



Pfft, not sure whether to laugh or what, I mean she could have been hurt - but then again she is calling for censorship.

reply to post by mr-lizard


To be honest my righteous indignation is a bit of a front. I laughed a lot for a few minutes. If you really think about it though going from online pranks to real life stuff is taking it a bit far. Damn't I'm laughing again.

reply to post by Domo1


Maybe she should stop trying to restrict online freedom and anon won't bother her.

Herp derp.

War is war.

Frankly, I think its funny that they sent SWAT to her house. It would be different if people did not have the ability to censor everything that offends them, but they do, and a group like anonymous is actually fighting back.

More power to them.

reply to post by Domo1


I'm the same. At first I thought 'bloody hell she coulda been killed' - but then again, I value internet freedom and she wasn't killed and the demands are quite amusing.

A waste of police time - yes.

A lesson to her - yes.

Funny - yes and no.


P.s Domo you're not a b3tan are you?

The FBI estimates hundreds of these "swatting" incidents occur each year.

It's no laughing matter when a paramilitary force kicks in your door weapons drawn.

The fact that it happens at all means it could happen to anyone of us.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

This isn't new:
Swatting

There was a big story in 2009 surrounding Matt Weigman, a blind phone phreak, involved with swatting
src

Its a nasty business and definitely something you don't want to be on the receiving end of. In most cases it is extremely difficult to trace due to spoofing techniques and other methods to remain anonymous.

brill

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
The FBI estimates hundreds of these "swatting" incidents occur each year.

It's no laughing matter when a paramilitary force kicks in your door weapons drawn.

The fact that it happens at all means it could happen to anyone of us.

 

Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

 

Yes, it could happen to anyone of us. Our rights are being further restricted everyday. Fortunately, this time SWAT busted into the house of somebody who probably deserved it. So I'm gonna laugh

reply to post by mr-lizard


Funny? - Yes

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/7301df1e7010.png[/atsimg]

Someone photoshop a SWAT truck out the window PLEASE!

I think that necklace that she always wears is the source of her powers. She wears it EVERYWHERE We should destroy it.

Necklace reminds me of Saurons eye.

Police shot tear gas canisters into the home but found only Aftab's cat inside.

Only took 'em 3 hours.
It seems that she wasn't even there.
I'm surprised they didn't kill the cat. (not positive that it is still alive)

reply to post by Domo1


What the hell is that necklace anyway?

Probably correct, some ancient, godless artifact from some distant part of the universe.

My question is:

If she was on the other end of of the smackdown (providing it)... Would she care? Probably not.

Righteousness indignation has it's downsides.







However, I will not publically condone this behavior. But I will leave this post with this:

it's pretty funny that she was swatted and I'd laugh whole heartedly at her reaction every time it happened. She needs to get the message and become a productive part of society.

That's a lot heat for a prank.

When they used to prank call homes people and ask if "your refrigerator is running? you better catch it,it just ran past my house", you could just hang up. No trace.

Then kids were informed that 911 responce teams could trace your phone number,no more prank calls.

Now that almost everything is 100% tracebable in electronics, unless you intentionaly go off the radar.
Be careful.

I don't know if she deserved it or not.

But cops HATE flase alarms. Especially prank false alarms.

reply to post by Domo1


Yes, but nobody is to blame for this prank call fiascobut the cops. If they would have done due diligence rather than display a knee-jerk reaction, this could have been prevented from the very beginning.

One example: Did the call come from that house or some other location?

reply to post by mr-lizard


Not a b3tan. Actually had to google that one! I learn something new everyday. Are you a b3tan?

yeah keep laughing til someone gets killed.

this is totally inexcusable.

i don't agree with the victims apparent attitude about the web. but all the same this isn't something to laugh about. the huge pizza delivery thing is almost amusing except for the fact that the pizza place gets rather harshly screwed in the end.

one thing a case like this points to is that police should never be allowed to use anonymous phone calls or even "tips" from criminals as a basis to raid some place. too many people have killed over such things. not to mention ruined reputations.

i have nearly had my life ruined by a couple of people who said i had uttered death threats against them, when all they really wanted was to remove me from a situation due to a mutual dislike for each other. statements should never form a basis for any police type operation, only SOLID PROOF should be given ANY CONSIDERATION. i am sorry for victims of sexual misconduct and other abuses. but unfortunately to many lives have been ruined by totally unsubstantiated claims. and unfortunately someones word is worth NOTHING, in a day and age where telling tall tails to get even with someone is becoming a more normal practice.