A Gwinnett County Reverse 911 call intended to aid in the search for a missing 6-year-old boy on Dec. 12 reached unintended recipients, sparking questions about how these alerts work.
Just the Facts:
• The reverse 911 was an audio message sent to phones near the boy’s last known location.
• Due to an incorrect filter, the message reached people outside the intended area.
• The alert was sent as a phone call, not a text, and included a voicemail for unanswered calls.
• Phone service providers often transcribe voicemails into text messages, which can include grammatical errors or incorrect wording.
• Some phones flagged the automated calls as “scam likely” because of the high volume of calls sent in a short period.
What Residents Should Know: Gwinnett County Police advise residents to verify similar alerts by calling their nonemergency line if there are questions or concerns. While this call was legitimate, police are aware of the issues the alerts caused.
