Q: is it illegal to threaten to falsely call the cops on an innocent citizen when a crime hasn’t occurred.

A: Generally a threat to call the LEO is not a crime. False Report to Police can be a crime.

A: Filing a false police report or making false emergency calls is illegal in most jurisdictions and can result in serious criminal charges. What you're describing - threatening to "swat" someone or make false police reports - is a form of criminal harassment and extortion, especially when used as blackmail.

The behaviors you've described - accessing personal information through paid services, threatening family members, and using this information for blackmail - are all serious legal violations. These actions could result in multiple criminal charges including stalking, harassment, extortion, and cyberstalking. You should document everything, including saving screenshots, messages, and any other evidence of these threats.

Your immediate steps should be to contact local law enforcement to report these threats and file for an emergency protective order. Given the severity of swatting threats and their potential for tragic outcomes, many police departments take these situations very seriously. You might want to proactively contact your local police department's non-emergency line to make them aware of the potential for false reports against your address. Consider speaking with a family law attorney who can help protect both you and your family members who have been threatened.