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Hoaxes & Pranks

OneWingedBird said:
Says a lot about human nature that the cruelest sones are some of the funniest.

The Braziallian coffin elevator prank is the nasties one I've seen, some of that really goes too far.

This one is a bit betterm if also disturbing:
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Have you been on the gin already? ;)
 
The baby one is the worst I've seen so far. Actually, I'm surprised at how well the victims took it. But then, I'm terrified of kids and babies even when they're not possessed.
 
Have you been on the gin already? Wink
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:lol: just tired and relaxed after Saturday lunchtime yoga. which can be a strange combination.

There's a nice bottle of ginger wine and a bath coming next.
 
The baby one is the worst I've seen so far. Actually, I'm surprised at how well the victims took it.
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That is actually quite nasty... if I was setting that up I'd be worried that someone would freak and jump into the road or something and then get hit by a car.
 
I think sadly, you might be right. :(

This prank is nasty and while the story doesn't mention social networking or Facefook, I'm going to hazard a guess that's where the oxygen thief behind it is getting their info from:

A string of hoax calls where families are called in the early hours of the morning and told relatives have died are being investigated.

Warwickshire Police said it was looking into six calls made in the early hours of Friday and Saturday morning.

All the victims, from the Nuneaton and Bedworth area, were told to go to George Eliot Hospital, the force said.

George Eliot Hospital said making calls in the early hours of the morning was not an approach it normally adopted.

One mother-of-two, who asked to be referred to as Bindi, was called at about 02:00 BST on Saturday and told she needed to go to A&E to identify her dead son.
'Hysterical'

"We were hysterical," said the 53-year-old.

"My husband is normally quite calm and I'm the hysterical one but even he totally lost it."

Unable to contact her son, she made her way to the hospital but was told by staff he was not there.
Bindi's family Bindi said her family was hysterically trying to contact her 27-year-old son

As she made her way out of the building she said another "hysterical" woman came into the hospital.

"It was obvious she had had the same call," she said.

Her 27-year-old son later arrived home safe and well, unaware of what had been going on.

Warwickshire Police confirmed they were investigating.

"If a member of the public receives a call of this nature they should always ensure they take the name of the person making the call and request a land line contact number for where they are calling from so they can check it is a genuine call," a spokesperson for the force said.

The chief executive of George Eliot Hospital, Kevin McGee, said: "This was extremely distressing for everyone concerned."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-co ... e-27832999
 
:D
What did she expect?
 
The ABC 7 news team learned that the hard way when a man claiming to be a public works spokesperson named Slungpue (pronounced slung poo — get it?)
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Well thanks, if you hadn't of pointed it out i may have missed it........fookwit!

someone in the studio could be heard saying "it's a prank call."
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These Jurnos and Sherlock Holmes, hard to tell 'em apart :lol:
 
The dogfight images that are too good to be true
Lord Ashcroft tells how dramatic pictures of First World War aerial battles were faked by a con man
By Michael Ashcroft
9:00PM BST 09 Aug 2014

They are iconic photographs of First World War aerial dogfights that have been used in books, magazines and newspapers all over the world to capture the daring exploits of the pilots.

In the astonishing images dating back nearly a century, at any one time up to 14 aircraft can be seen in combat. One of the photographs was used just weeks ago to illustrate an article I had written about a courageous pilot that appeared in The Telegraph’s supplements on the Great War.

The photographs are stunning in their clarity, even as the biplanes carry out daring acrobatics – which is perhaps not surprising, given that all of them are carefully manufactured fakes.

The images are the work of an ingenious fraudster, who created them in his photographic studio using models of aircraft suspended by thin “invisible” string and wires. Furthermore, it seems negatives of different model aircraft were superimposed and retouched to form a composite scene.
The motive for the scam was entirely straightforward: to make thousands of pounds for the fraudster and his wife.

The full story of the con pulled off by Wesley D Archer, an American who served in the RAF, can be told because – after my article on Major Mick Mannock appeared in this newspaper’s supplement – I was contacted by a former reconnaissance pilot, Jimmy Taylor, who thought it was time that the scam was brought to the attention of a global audience.

As a teenager, Mr Taylor, now 91, a retired university lecturer who served in the RAF during the Second World War, bought one of the early copies of Death in the Air: The War Diary and Photographs of a Flying Corps Pilot, a book written by Mr Archer and first published in 1933. The book displayed the photographs – the first ever clear images of aerial battles of the Great War – that had first been shown two years earlier as “the Cockburn-Lange Collection”.

The book, which was widely acclaimed in the Thirties and became a bestseller, purported to tell the story of an anonymous British pilot whose identity and that of the squadrons he flew in was supposedly kept secret because he broke the rules by taking a camera with him into aerial battle with his German counterparts.

The photographs were supposedly taken by a camera attached to the machinegun of the aircraft, and the first shot of the machine gun was said to have activated the camera. Although it was said that many images were blurred, the camera also apparently caught Allied Sopwith Camels and Nieuport fighters in combat with German Albatros and Fokker planes.

The foreword to the book, which is illustrated by 44 photographs, begins: “The following is printed from a typewritten manuscript of the diary of a pilot, who took most of the accompanying aerial combat photographs during the War.”
It adds: “Naturally, any entries which would reveal the identity of the squadrons are not contained in this typewritten journal. It is with regret that these have been deleted, but that was the only condition on which permission could be obtained for its publication.”

The dedication also appeared genuine and deeply moving, stating: “In tribute to those men, both friend and foe, who swept the skies on the wings of death, through storm of wind and rain, snow and hail, ever open to attack, constantly flayed by enemy fire from below and the prey of enemy eagles in the sky.”
The dedication ends: “To all pilots who gave their lives for an ideal, and to all those who survived years of conflict and struggle over enemy lines, we offer this tribute – the work of these pilots, who through their ingenuity, left behind in photographs a tangible remembrance.”

In fact, every word of the diary – like the photographs with it – was made up, again to make money for the con man and his wife. Mr Archer had served as a pilot during the 1914-18 war, and was therefore able to create a diary that appeared genuine.

Mr Taylor, who lives in Leeds, West Yorkshire, wrote to me, saying: “As a schoolboy devoted to Biggles, I bought a copy of the 2nd edition [of Death in the Air] in 1936 and was absolutely fascinated by most of the photographs, horrified by two showing an aircraft being hit by AA [Anti Aircraft] fire, appalled by the sight of two other aircraft colliding, and aghast by an awful picture of a German pilot falling out of the cockpit of a blazing Albatros with a parachute, of course.”

Even after becoming something of an expert in both aircraft and photography as a result of being a reconnaissance pilot, Mr Taylor had no idea that the photographs and the diary were fake. Only occasionally did some people raise concerns over their authenticity.

However, in 1985, the 1,000-plus members of a group of aviation enthusiasts, called the Society of World War 1 Aero Historians, were informed of the hoax in their quarterly magazine, Cross & Cockade. Yet because of its tiny circulation, word did not spread.

Only now can the con, thanks to both Mr Taylor and his friend, Paul Leaman, the then editor of the little-known magazine, be brought to a wider audience, in the hope that the photographs will never again be used as if they were genuine.

etc...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/worl ... -true.html
 
HE WAS LION

USA: Officers spent hours looking for a mountain lion on the loose from a pet shop, but later said the threat was based on a false report.

Police in South Carolina said 55-year-old Bill Lunsford reported a burglar breaking into the store and letting the animal loose.

Police told residents the domesticated, declawed mountain lion, was wearing a dog harness.

About a dozen officers looked for the cat for up to 18 hours but officers later said the report was a hoax and a mountain lion was never at the store.

Lunsford has been charged with filing a false police report.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/world/quir ... 79461.html
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New Milton in Hampshire gets "craft bombed"

Residents in a Hampshire market town have had their street "craft bombed" with knitted covers, bunting and soft toys.
Station Road in New Milton had been decorated in secret by a "nutty crafters" group who "wanted to spread a little bit of handmade love".
One of the craft bombers told the BBC decorations included patchwork trees and "a town mouse on the clock".

The craft bombing follows spates of yarn bombing around the country.
The group, from a local craft shop, said there were "comfy benches, a town mouse on the clock, bees and butterflies, lighthouses, bikes, fish and things for kids and grown-ups to find and keep".

BBC reporter Roz Tappenden said: "All the lampposts, bus stops, bins and signs are covered in bunting, soft toys and knitted covers.
"Even the post box has a pom-pom hat." :D

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-28818654
 
Fortunately no one was shot.

Swatting of Colorado gamer’s office livestreamed on the internet (VIDEO)

An internet prank on Wednesday this week ended with the storming of an office building in Littleton, Colorado by heavily-armed SWAT police while computer gamers watched the raid unfold live on the internet.

Jordan Mathewson, co-founder of The Creatures online gaming company, told a local ABC News affiliate that around 3,000 people were watching online early Wednesday as he broadcasted the gameplay of a popular first-person shooter along with a live feed taken from his computer’s webcam. Things nearly took a turn for the tragic, however, when around two hours in he heard what turned out to be a barrage of tactical officers racing through his building.

A recording of the live feed that was being streamed over the web shows Mathewson cautiously removing his headphones and saying “I think we're getting swatted” moments before a team of cops clad with rifles burst into his office with guns drawn and order him to the ground.


Indeed, Mathewson was being “swatting,” a growing trend in which a person anonymously files a false crime report, like a murder, in hopes of provoking the type of police response with the potential to ruin just about anybody’s day.

"I knew almost right away what exactly was happening," he told Denver’s 7News. "But I was still frightened, you know? Having some guns pointed at you isn't exactly the most common thing."

Shortly after the incident occurred, the Littleton Police Department confirmed in a statement that they were responding to an emergency situation at The Creatures office which turned out to be untrue.

“The caller claimed to have shot two co-workers, held others hostage, and threatened to shoot them. He stated that if the officers entered he would shoot them as well," the statement read in part. "There were no victims or any evidence that a shooting had taken place," police said. "If the investigation determines that today’s incident was a hoax, those involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." ...

http://rt.com/usa/183488-swatting-colorado-kootra-game/
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#BBCtrending: The Louisville 'Purge' hoax

A poster advertising the so-called 'purge'

This image was circulated on Twitter, and similar posters reportedly appeared around Louisville

A teenager who posted a provocative tweet based on an idea from a new film has triggered a deluge of activity on Twitter, and prompted a response from the FBI and local police.

The film, called Purge: Anarchy, depicts a fictional society in which any crime committed within an annual 12 hour window goes unpunished. The premise is that an anarchic splurge will have a calming effect on the populace for the rest of the year.

Early last week, an unidentified teenager borrowed the concept and took to Twitter calling for a real life "purge" in his home town. "Whos [sic] trying to get a Louisville Purge Started With Me?" he posted. Other students, also from the US city, began circulating the message on both Twitter and Facebook. Some included an image of a mocked-up flyer resembling the film's promotional artwork, and slated the event for the night of Friday 15 August. One tweeter even claimed to have seen the image transposed onto posters, and "hung up all over Louisville".

The messages came to the attention of the FBI and local police departments, who said they were taking the threats seriously. High school football games were reportedly cancelled. Many listened live to police radio communication - available online - and the hashtag #louisvillepolicescanner was mentioned more than 100,000 times on Twitter. "I wonder if the #LouisvillePoliceScanner operators know how famous they are tonight. This is their 'rock-star' moment," said one user.

But did the much-hyped event actually lead to a spike in recorded crime? Thankfully, the weekend passed without major incident. There were two fatal shootings on Friday night, but neither could be connected to the hoax. Dwight Mitchell, a Public Information Officer with the Louisville Metro Police Department told BBC Trending: "Luckily nothing was reported that had anything to do with a 'purge'." The police have now tracked the teenager down, and chosen not to press charges after he apologised for his tweet. "One lesson is that people really need to be careful about what they say on social media," said a spokesman for Mayor Greg Fischer.

Now, flyers have been created advertising "purges" in several other US cities as well. The Sheriff's Office of one of the cities in question has released a statement to say it is monitoring the conversation online, but does not currently see it as a legitimate threat.

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-28840414
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I was just going to post this! Is it horribly wrong that it made me giggle in places, especially the elevator!? How long was the fella lying in there for, smeared in ketchup with his brilliantly trained hound? I love a well presented and performed hoax!
 
Mysterious statue of Satan with a massive erection appears outside train station

The devil has risen. And in spectacular fashion.

A statue of Satan standing proud with a huge erection has been swiftly taken down by city officials in East Vancouver.

The nine foot underworld ruler mysteriously appeared on Tuesday morning.

It was on display near the Clark Drive SkyTrain station – raising hell with shocked commuters.

But it didn’t last long, and was removed hours later.

The small square where the devil appeared was originally home to a statue of Christopher Columbus, but that has since been moved to Hastings Park, report CTV News.
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http://metro.co.uk/2014/09/10/the-end-i ... n-4863671/
 
Swifty said:
Chainsaw Massacre prank:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFMsqrG9RWg
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Christ on a bike - when does a "prank" become an unpleasant trick, bordering on illegal? After all, if you "pretend" to hold up a bank using a fake gun, it's still a robbery. The fact that no-one would have really got shot is irrelevant. Those poor buggers could have hurt themselves running away, or crashed their cars. Presumably the hilarious pranksters would've coughed up the cost of hospital bills or car repairs?
 
'Obvious Plant Publishing'. I like it! :D
 
Pranksters: Making Mischief in the Modern World
Kembew McLeod
NYU Press, 364pp, £18.99

Pranks, hoaxes, practical jokes and cons merge into each other. In Pranksters, Kembrew McLeod (is that name a hoax, too?) writes about the history and connections between them all. His inclination as a political prankster (dressed as a silver robot, he once confronted Bill Clinton at a conference to draw attention to race issues) is to consider pranking as something that can be utilised for specific and beneficial effect. After reading his book, I view it as much more anarchic and its results uncertain.

Take Steve Jobs, who graduated from such pranks as printing “Bring Your Pet to School Day” posters and planning to lower a sheet showing a raised middle finger at his high-school graduation to devising with Steve Wozniak a device that interfered with nearby televisions, causing them to lose reception. The joke was to operate it secretly, forcing students watching, say, a crucial ball game to go through incredible contortions holding the aerial – whereupon the TV would be allowed to work again. From this the jokers went on to build a “blue box” device that could mimic the tones used by AT&T’s phone system to make free calls. Jobs later said, “If it hadn’t been for the blue boxes, there wouldn’t have been an Apple. I’m 100 per cent sure of that.”

Pranks aren’t side-splittingly funny. They are often rather crude and obvious yet they share with humour a way of short-cutting through the accumulated unwisdom of the day. Both Benjamin Franklin and Jonathan Swift tormented prominent astrologers by printing fake predictions of the imminent deaths of the said astrologers. Pranks can be brutal and they can easily tip over into becoming a form of hazing or bullying. ...

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/03/modern-history-hoaxes-without-pranks-thered-be-no-apple
 
This Edward Snowden Statue Just Appeared in NYC — Here's Why They Took It Down

Sophie Kleeman's avatar image By Sophie Kleeman April 06, 2015 LIKE MIC ON FACEBOOK:
On Monday morning, before the sun rose and millions of sleepy New Yorkers ambled toward their offices, three artists and a handful of helpers installed an impressive new sculpture in Brooklyn's Fort Greene Park.

There were a few catches, however. For one, the artists did not receive permission to erect the massive, 100-pound bust. Second, the bust's subject, National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden, is a relatively controversial and polarizing subject for a highly visible monument.

It didn't take long for Snowden's face to stop seeing the light of day.
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http://mic.com/articles/114652/the-...-in-new-york-city-has-already-been-covered-up
 
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