Talbot Green man caught by FBI encouraging hoax ‘swatting’ 999 calls jailed

When police arrested Dare, they seized his electronic devices and found files relating to a sophisticated phishing fraud.

They were designed to collect personal or payment details of dark web users for use by fraudsters.

The dark web is a hidden part of the internet that requires special software to access, masking user identities through encrypted networks.

He admitted being the administrator of a website and taking part in online chat groups encouraging or assisting malicious communications and bomb hoaxes.

The defendant also admitted having phishing software designed to obtain login credentials for dark websites and monitor cryptocurrency in users’ dark website accounts, knowing that it was designed or adapted for use in the course of – or in connection with – fraud.

Dare will serve 40% of his sentence in prison, the rest in the community on licence.

Judge Lloyd-Clarke told him she was satisfied that he intended others would carry out swatting offences in the US, a country where police and members of the public routinely carry firearms.

A spokesperson for Tarian, the regional organised crime unit for south Wales, said swatting could be “extremely serious”.

“False reports place innocent members of the public at risk, cause significant disruption to communities and divert emergency services away from genuine incidents,” they said.

The FBI Nashville Field Office added swatting was “not a victimless prank” but a “reckless and dangerous crime that can have deadly consequences”.

Louisa Robertson, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Callum Dare put people in danger by encouraging the triggering of armed police responses, for his own thrills.”