Hoax Threats Target University of Florida Departments

University police increase Gainesville campus patrols and urge vigilance after multiple departments receive non-credible email threats.

• By Jesse Jacobs
• February 24, 2026

The University of Florida Police Department is maintaining an elevated security posture this week following a series of hoax email threats that targeted multiple campus departments and satellite locations, including UF Health Jacksonville.

While investigators quickly determined the threats were not credible, the incident highlights a growing challenge for campus law enforcement: balancing the need for rapid emergency notification with the necessity of threat verification to prevent "swatting" from disrupting university operations.

The wave of messages began on Feb. 20, with several offices receiving similar, if not identical, emails threatening the safety of specific campus buildings. According to UFPD officials, the department immediately implemented its assessment protocols, working in coordination with local and federal law enforcement agencies to evaluate the legitimacy of the claims.

“Higher education institutions across the nation are often the target of hoax threats,” UFPD stated in a safety update. “Despite the pervasiveness of these incidents, we take all reports seriously.”

For campus security professionals, these "swatting" incidents—the use of false reports to trigger an armed police response—present a complex dilemma under the Clery Act. Federal guidelines distinguish between "Timely Warnings" for ongoing threats and "Emergency Notifications" for confirmed, immediate dangers. Current best practices in the sector emphasize a “confirm-then-notify” approach, where officials gather evidence to validate a report before triggering a mass alert that could cause undue panic or strain resources.

The UF incidents follow a national trend where attackers use increasingly sophisticated methods, including VoIP spoofing and AI-generated content, to make hoax threats appear more personalized. Law enforcement noted that the emails received by UF were consistent with patterns seen at other major universities earlier this year, where names of specific departments or administrators were swapped into a standard template to create a sense of urgency.

In response to the current threats, UFPD has increased patrols across the Gainesville campus. Officials have also remained in close contact with the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to monitor for any escalation.

University operations have remained on schedule, though administrators are encouraging the campus community to maintain a "see something, say something" mindset. UFPD noted that in the event of a verified threat, the UF Alert System would be used to provide immediate instructions to students and staff.

For now, the university is focusing on vigilance and education, reminding personnel that while the threats were determined to be a hoax, the protocol for reporting suspicious digital communication remains the first line of defense in maintaining campus safety.