Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images / Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Topics: Police, Social Media, TikTok
Joe Yates
Topics: Police, Social Media, TikTok
A disturbing trend dubbed the 'homeless man prank' has sparked a wave of police warnings after fake images of 'intruders' sent to unsuspecting people led to real emergency calls.
Starting on TikTok, the viral stunt involves people using AI to create hyper-realistic images of a homeless man placed inside their home or dorms - often in bedrooms and kitchens - before sending them to friends or family to freak them out.
Reactions are then shared online for clout, with pranksters laughing as their targets panic.
In one viral example, a woman texts her husband an image of a shirtless man in their kitchen, claiming he’s 'a plumber' fixing the dishwasher.
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The husband, convinced it’s real, furiously demands she 'get him out'. But while that ended harmlessly, in other versions, pranksters say that a homeless man had entered into their home in search for food.
Over in the UK, Dorset Police revealed they had to respond to an emergency call from a terrified parent who believed an intruder had broken into the home while their daughter was alone - officers rushed to the scene, only to discover it was all part of the prank.
The force said 'valuable deployable resources' were wasted on the incident, which could have been needed elsewhere.
“If you receive a message and pictures similar to the above antics from friends or family, please attempt to check it isn't a prank before dialling 999,” Dorset Police said in a statement issued online.
Meanwhile, in the US, Oak Harbor Police Department, of Washington, issued a statement after a fake social media post claimed a homeless man was spotted on a high school campus.
"This claim is not accurate," the department said. "There have been no incidents or safety concerns involving the homeless population at any Oak Harbor School District campus."
Police say the false report originated from students using the AI prank to create a convincing image of a man.
Adding: "In this case, students generated and circulated an image implying the presence of a homeless individual on school grounds, which led to unnecessary concern within the community."
Officers are now working with the school district to investigate and raise awareness.
Police on both sides of the Atlantic are urging parents to talk to their kids about the risks of spreading fake AI-generated content.
While the prank can garner hilarious reactions, it's probably best not to do it your family or school!