Wiltshire Police Warns About Spooky Zoom‑Bombs and Creepy Content
In a startling move, Wiltshire Police have issued a public heads‑up after a chilling string of Zoom meet‑ups were hijacked by people sharing disallowed images, including disturbing child‑abuse footage. The incidents, dubbed Zoombombing by the police, come at a time when many of us are still living a life of remote work and online learning.
What’s Happening?
- Uninvited guests break into video conferences.
- They trigger offensive images or profanity via screen‑sharing.
- Three reports in Wiltshire alone within the last week.
“These Zoom‑bombings have involved extremely unpleasant indecent child‑abuse video footage being shown via screen sharing by a meeting participant who was not known to the organisers of the video conferences,” explains Gemma Vinton, Detective Inspector from the digital investigations and intelligence unit.
Why It Matters
Zombombing was made easier by a flaw in Zoom’s security floor: anyone who gets the meeting ID or a link could slip in, no matter how tight the password seemed. The problem was especially devastating because many meetings were advertised on social media with minimal security hardening. As a result, it’s now vital for everyone—businesses, students, and families—to keep a keen eye on calls.
How to Stay Safe (and Stay Sane)
- Use a strong, unique password for every meeting.
- Enable waiting rooms and authentication before letting anyone join.
- Don’t just share links – lock them with a passcode.
- Always double‑check the host’s name before accepting.
- If you’re a teacher or kid, keep a grown‑up in the room or use a dedicated classroom mode.
The police urge people to remain vigilant, to share these tips with their friends and colleagues, and to lock down any public Zoom links they use. If you suspect a romping intruder, report it straight away.
By the Numbers
Wiltshire Police confirmed three incidents in the past week, and similar cases have been reported worldwide. That’s a stern reminder that the digital world is not always a safe space—so let’s tighten those settings before the next Zoom‑beyond‑prank happens.
