Police nationwide are asking teenagers to stop participating in a trending social media prank. The prank involves using AI to create fake images of a homeless person inside someone’s home, and it’s causing people to panic and call 911 for no real reason.
A new prank is circulating where kids use AI on Snapchat to generate believable photos of a messy-looking man seemingly inside their house – in places like the living room or kitchen. They then text their parents, saying they allowed him in to relax, use the restroom, or get a drink. Some kids are even claiming the man says he knows their parents from work or school.
Kids are filming their parents’ reactions as part of a prank and sharing the videos on TikTok and other social media. While some videos go viral with millions of views, the joke sometimes goes too far, leading frightened parents to call the police.
Police departments respond to viral prank
Round Rock Police Commander Andy McKinney explained to NBC that calls reporting these incidents are initially treated as serious home invasion emergencies, potentially triggering a SWAT team response. Police departments emphasize that such pranks misuse valuable resources and could create dangerous situations for everyone involved.
The Salem, Massachusetts Police Department strongly condemned a recent prank, explaining that it not only disrespects people experiencing homelessness, but also frightens them and needlessly uses up police time and resources.
The prank involves using AI to create a fake image showing a homeless person at someone’s door or inside their house. The prankster then pretends the person is refusing to leave and that they are afraid. While the house in the image is real, the homeless person is completely fabricated by the AI.
The fake image is texted to someone – a homeowner, family member, or friend – along with a story about an intruder being found in their house. Their reaction is then filmed and shared online for views and engagement.
The reports stated that in multiple instances, people genuinely thought someone was breaking into their home after seeing the AI-created images and descriptions, leading them to call 911 and require a police response.
The statement also explained that officers responding to these calls believe they are real burglaries, not pranks. This creates potentially dangerous situations for both the officers and the families who are targeted.
Police have warned against viral social media trends before. For example, the ‘TikTok door-knock challenge’ and the ‘Huggy Wuggy’ trend, which was popular in 2022, both prompted responses from multiple police departments.
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2025-10-13 18:49