A senior U.S. Secret Service official was the target of a swatting attempt at his home on July 4, according to agency officials, Axios reported.
The incident involved a false emergency call to 9-1-1 claiming that the official’s daughter was running through the home with a weapon. But the official has no daughter, and local law enforcement—who knew this—was able to prevent a major response.
Michael Centrella, assistant director of the Secret Service’s Office of Field Operations, disclosed the incident during remarks at the Deepfake Resilience Symposium in San Francisco on Thursday.
The caller reportedly attempted to imitate the official’s voice. Authorities are still investigating whether the impersonation was created using advanced deepfake technology or a basic voice synthesizer.
The Secret Service declined to identify the official, citing concerns over safety and the potential for further targeting.
“We were able to protect [the senior official] and not have a major incident,” Centrella said. “But you’ve seen these cases now across the country—they are very impactful.”
What is Swatting?
“Swatting” refers to a hoax call made to emergency services that falsely reports a critical or violent incident, often leading to heavily armed police or SWAT teams being dispatched to the address. It has become a growing threat nationwide.
Prominent victims of swatting incidents in recent years include members of Congress, Cabinet nominees, federal judges, and government agency officials.
AI Tools Raise Concerns
Authorities warn that new technology is making these attacks more difficult to trace. AI-driven voice cloning and caller ID spoofing make it easier for individuals to imitate targets and mask their identities.
In this case, the call indicated that the perpetrator had access to the official’s home address and personal details—despite the agent maintaining a low online profile.
Local law enforcement is continuing to investigate how the caller obtained this information and whether artificial intelligence was used to fabricate the voice.
No injuries or arrests were reported in connection with the incident.
