To Be Broadcast Nationally Tuesday, November 6th

New York, NY— November 6, 2012—INSIDE EDITION investigates the dangerous prank trend that could get you killed. It’s called “swatting,” and it’s the act of calling in an in-progress violent crime to 911, resulting in an armed SWAT team rushing to the scene. The only problem is, these calls are hoaxes.

Celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and Ashton Kutcher have been the victims of swatting, but they never came as close to the action as Mike Stack, a conservative blogger who was targeted by swatters after helping to expose former Congressman Anthony Weiner’s sexting scandal last year. INSIDE EDITION’S Lisa Guerrero talks to Stack about his frightening ordeal.

GUERRERO: “Were you afraid that you could have lost your life that night?”

STACK: “I believe I probably could have lost my life.”

So what kind of person would pull such a dangerous prank? Guerrero also spoke exclusively to Ashton Lundeby, a famous Swatter who, at 16, was arrested for calling in fake bomb threats to colleges across the country. Lundeby and other swatters also created a Pay-Per-View Swatting channel, where he earned thousands of dollars by charging viewers to listen to him and a team make those fake 911 calls, and watch as SWAT teams responded to their hoaxes. Lundeby has never given an interview before.

GUERRERO: “What’s the motive behind Swatting?”

LUNDEBY: “There could be some kind of rush or thrill out of it. There could be somebody that somebody doesn’t like…and they decide, ‘This is how I’m going to get back at them.’”

Lundeby was convicted for his crimes and spent two years in federal prison, which, he tells INSIDE EDITION, showed him the error of his ways.

LUNDEBY: “I’ll never do anything like this again.”

INSIDE EDITION is produced daily by Inside Edition Inc. and distributed by CBS Television Distribution. Check local listings for stations and times at www.insideedition.com.

###