A teenager in New South Wales has been charged after allegedly making hoax reports to US emergency services, falsely claiming mass shootings were taking place at major retail and educational institutions. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) charged the boy on 18 December, accusing him of being part of a decentralised online crime network that engages in 'swatting'—a practice of making fake emergency calls to trigger a large-scale response.
Officers seized electronic devices and a prohibited firearm from the juvenile as part of Taskforce Pompilid, established in October 2025. The AFP launched the investigation after receiving intelligence from the FBI.
Graeme Marshall, acting assistant commissioner of the AFP, warned that those who believe they can commit crimes online with encrypted identities are mistaken. 'Often young males aged from 11 to 25 are engaging in crime types such as swatting, doxing and hacking to achieve status and notoriety in their online groups,' he said.
FBI International Operations Division assistant director Jason Kaplan said the hoax calls endangered lives and drained emergency resources. 'This case demonstrates that anonymity online is an illusion,' he stated.
The teenager faces 12 counts of telecommunications offences and one count of unauthorised possession of a prohibited firearm, with a maximum penalty of 14 years in jail. He was scheduled to appear in a NSW children's court on Tuesday.
