The Best Harmless Ways To F**k With People According To Pranksters

The Best Harmless Ways To F**k With People According To Pranksters
Slav Romanov on Unsplash

Pranking is a timeless pastime where it is simultaneously a hysterical and terrifying experience depending on your role in a given scenario.

Over the years, we've seen our share of elaborately staged situations on TV where prank victims are caught unawares and are either startled or fooled into believing what they're witnessing is actually happening in real life.

Some go too far. Remember Scare Tactics, where loved ones' worst fears were realized and exploited for TV viewers to laugh at?

Or Ashton Kutcher's hidden camera show Punk'd–which relentlessly humiliated victims?

We may have laughed watching these programs, but we know full well that we would never want to be the clueless participants.


Curious to hear of effective but more preferable ways of tricking people, Redditor jacree8678 asked mischievious Redditors:

"What are some harmless ways to f'k with people?"

People would be stumped upon hearing these.

Passing Conversation

"My dad used to have this game with a friend. They embarrassed me endlessly when I was a teen (but that was a bonus)."

"Basically, when they were walking in the street, whenever they were passing someone, they would say things like:"

"Remember, when you pushed your mother-in-law down the stairs...?"

or

"I mean, it wasn't that much drug, usually I carry way more than that!"

or

"Where did you hide the knife after stabbing him?"

"You get the idea, anything absolutely awful as if they were having an entire conversation about drugs, murder, whatever."

"My dad and his friend had the whole hippie look as well, so innocent passersby would quickly cross the street."

– Xiaozhu

Bad Pronunciation

"I mispronounce Famous peoples names constantly then say it correctly randomly so they never know what to expect."

"Billie Eleash, John Legends, Jason Ackles."

– P**syandA**1

Questionable Favor

"When at work, tell someone: I’m going to the bathroom do you need anything?"

– whatislife4

Some pranksters like to set the scene and observe for their viewing pleasure.

Fake Signage

"Buy a set of 'Voice Activated' or 'Motion Activated' stickers from Amazon, and the possibilities are endless."

– beam_me_up_MFer

Hold This

"I'm a huge fan of just handing somebody something without any explanation and walking away."

– saben1te

Hidden April Fool's

"I put a tiny piece of masking tape over my co-worker’s mouse laser on April fool’s day one year, wrote 'April fool’s' on it. He troubleshot every single thing except examining the mouse. He eventually called IT who simply turned the mouse over and pointed it out to him."

– Swedish-Butt-Whistle

Housewarming Gift

"I know someone who always takes an item to a party & leaves it somewhere in the house, ie a trinket/tchotchke."

– visitjacklake

Throwing someone off when they expect something else that's totally different is a classic favorite.

Headscratcher

"I saw someone on Facebook comment on a picture that 'The three of you look great!.' There were 4 people in the picture."

– axehind

Punking The Siblings

"Every year on National Sibling Day, I post about my two great siblings. I have three siblings."

– Gniphe

Shifty Gesture

"When you shake someone's hand, move yours left to right. As they do the traditional up and down, a hilarious circle ensues."

– spinozasrobot

Unfamiliar Driver

"When driving I like to wave at random people as if I knew them. Hilarious to see instant confusion on their faces."

– thattjuliett

This isn't really a prank, per se, but it is a tactic I've used to ward off harassers on the streets of New York city.

Every time I encountered an individual who would pester me as I was walking alone at sundown and either antagonize me or relentlessly hit me up for drugs I never had, I would tell them immediately, "I'm allergic to bananas."

The nonsequitur statement literally paralyzes them as their brain tries to process what it just heard. And in those moments, I manage to gain more time to further the distance.

I have no idea how I came up with that combination of words but it has worked every time.

Maybe even saved my life.

Teacher at a chalkboard
Tra Nguyen/Unsplash

Generally in the eyes of many young students, educators are inspiring individuals who are passing on their wisdom to prepare the future leaders of the world.

But as with all humans, they have flaws. The difference that sets certain teachers apart are the ones who maintain their professionalism and don't let their deeply-shelved insecurities interfere in the classroom.

And then there are the kinds of teachers who were just never meant to be in an academic setting at all and are eventually dismissed for various indiscretions.

Keep reading...Show less

Many folktales and fairy stories began owing to unusual things sailors might have spotted out at sea.

Mermaids, sea serpents, lost colonies, the list goes on and on.

Sadly (or thankfully) there is no photographic evidence of monstrous sea life, such as giant squids or dinosaur-like sharks.

But that doesn't mean that sailors and people stationed out at sea haven't seen some unusual things.

Things they still have trouble explaining to this day, and will never forget for the rest of their lives.

Keep reading...Show less
Man with head in his hands
Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash

"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions."

An aged old proverb reflecting on when people perform what they think are well-meaning, helpful acts, but in reality, only worsen a bad situation.

A day seldom goes by when people won't notice an example of this, either on the news, in the book they're reading, or simply walking down the street.

This could be anything from someone making promises to help out, but never delivering on them, to saving money for a less expensive cleaner, which turns out to radiate toxic fumes, resulting in the building being closed for an indefinite length of time.

Ideas which might seem good in theory, but are impractical, illogical, or even harmful, in practice.

Keep reading...Show less
A glowing red sign that says "Nintendo Virtual Boy"
Photo by Senad Palic on Unsplash

Unless you grew up with the most doting parents on the planet, there's probably a toy or two that you really wanted as a kid, but never received.

Whether it was too expensive for your parents to afford, or something like a noisy toy that was going to be way too annoying for your parents, there are probably some toys that you really missed out on as a child.

Keep reading...Show less