People are lame

The U.S. Coast Guard is sounding the alarm over the rise of hoax distress calls that are making the agency divert rescue crews and resources to respond instead of directing them to actual emergencies.

Having received 187 false distress calls, including three confirmed hoaxes, since the beginning of the year within the Great Lakes District, the agency is now warning of possible fines and jail time for people making the calls and posting on social media.

The Coast Guard categorizes a hoax as knowingly and willfully communicating a false distress message to the agency, while a false distress alert can also result from misunderstanding, accidental transmissions, or outdated information. In both cases, the misleading information can be transmitted via radio, phone, and social media. – Full report