Campus Alert Archive
UMaine

Six Campuses, One Monday: University of Maine Targeted in Purgatory Group's Coordinated Swatting Blitz

MEswattingemergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed HoaxDetermined to be a hoax. The institutional response is documented because it reveals how the alert system performed under a perceived real threat.

On August 25, 2025, the University of Maine in Orono was one of at least six universities targeted by false active shooter reports on the same day. The swatting calls, attributed to the cybercriminal group Purgatory, used Google Voice accounts and gunshot sound effects to make the reports sound realistic. No actual threat was found on campus.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
University of Maine
Public R1 · ME
~12,000 studentsUMaine Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTPush
Approximate reconstruction170 chars
UMAINE ALERT: Active shooter reported on campus. Avoid the area. Seek safe shelter immediately. Lock doors and barricade. Await further instructions from law enforcement.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from national media reporting on the August 2025 swatting wave
UMaine was targeted on the same day as the University of Arkansas, Iowa State, Kansas State, UNH, and CU Boulder
The Purgatory group used Google Voice accounts and played gunshot sound effects during the calls
ALL CLEARPush
Approximate reconstruction218 chars
UMAINE ALERT: All clear. The active shooter report has been determined to be a hoax. There is no threat to campus. This incident appears connected to a nationwide pattern of false reports. Normal operations may resume.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from national media reporting
Police determined there was no active threat after searching the campus
A juvenile member of the Purgatory group was later federally charged in connection with these swatting calls
Context

Background

On August 25, 2025, the University of Maine was one of at least six universities targeted by false active shooter reports on the same day, part of a broader campaign attributed to the cybercriminal group Purgatory. The group's members used Google Voice accounts to place the swatting calls, which featured gunshot sound effects to make the reports sound realistic. Other universities targeted that day included the University of Arkansas, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, the University of New Hampshire, and the University of Colorado Boulder. The calls were motivated by the desire for notoriety rather than financial gain. A juvenile member of the group was later federally charged in April 2026 in connection with these and other swatting incidents targeting universities nationwide.
Analysis

Key Findings

UMaine was one of six universities targeted on the same day, demonstrating the scale of coordinated swatting campaigns
The Purgatory group's use of Google Voice and gunshot sound effects represents an evolution in swatting tactics
The eventual federal charges against a juvenile perpetrator show that these crimes are being prosecuted at the federal level
Outcome
No shooter, weapons, or injuries were found. The campus was cleared after a police investigation. The incident was later linked to a juvenile member of the Purgatory cybercriminal group who was charged federally in April 2026.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Swatting group Purgatory linked to 10 university shooting hoaxes across the US (NBC)
    nbc24.com
  2. News
    Swatting group likely responsible for false active shooter calls (6ABC)
    6abc.com
  3. News
    Active Shooter Hoaxes Set Off Alarms on College Campuses (TIME)
    time.com
  4. News
    School shooting hoaxes: Experts underscore the seriousness of these crimes (ABC News)
    abcnews.go.com
Tags
swattinghoaxmainepurgatory-groupcoordinated-threatpublic-universitynew-englandHoax
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion