# Pranks **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 2, 2001, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699 "2001-08-02T21:46:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AMM9132](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@AMM9132](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AMM9132)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/1 "2001-08-02T21:46:23Z")
Does anyone have any good prank ideas?? Whether it be pranks to pull in the neighbborhood, or phone pranks,I am open for any suggestions. Thanks. If we are not allowed to discuss such material, mods, please forgive me of this error. ---
**Author:** ![RTA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@RTA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTA)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/2 "2001-08-02T21:58:52Z")
Call the cops anonymously from your home phone, and tell them you’re going to bomb the White House. For even greater hilarity, you can use a funny accent or cartoon-voice. ---
**Author:** ![AMM9132](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@AMM9132](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AMM9132)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/3 "2001-08-02T22:03:54Z")
I’ll think about it… ---
**Author:** ![Kamandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5daacb/32.png) [@Kamandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamandi)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/4 "2001-08-02T22:10:22Z")
Doesn’t this belong in IMHO? ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/5 "2001-08-02T22:27:15Z")
My favorite is to call up a random number and ask if they have any good prank phone call ideas. If they say yes, get them, and then try them on the same number a minute later. If they say no, whine about them hogging all the good ideas to yourself. Suffice to say, I’m a fan of harmless pranks. If you want to do things like, say, stick a piece of dynamite down someone’s pants, well, I can’t help you. ---
**Author:** ![Tedster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@Tedster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tedster)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/6 "2001-08-02T22:57:31Z")
Caller ID has taken the wind out of the sales on many a prank phone call. A staple when I was growing up was to order a pizza for the neighbors and then watch and giggle as the confused family explained they didn’t order a pizza. This won’t work today for a number of reasons, but it did way back when. Another was to call a given random number and ask for “Hank”, say. Keep doing this several times a day for a few days. At the end of the week, call them back up and say “Hi, this is Hank, any messages for me?” Okay, that’s lame, I know. Neither of those pranks was initiated by myself nor do I condone any such actions to be taken today. All the usual disclaimers apply. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/7 "2001-08-02T22:58:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kamandi \* > \*\*Doesn’t this belong in IMHO? \*\* Yep. ---
**Author:** ![Kamandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5daacb/32.png) [@Kamandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamandi)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/8 "2001-08-03T01:02:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by manhattan \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Kamandi \* > > \*\*Doesn’t this belong in IMHO? \*\* > > Yep. \*\* Mwahahahaha! Behold the power that I, **Kamandi** , wield! A simple command is uttered, and the “all-powerful” Moderator does My bidding! It is time to reveal the truth: I am the light and the life of the SDMB. Bow down to **me** , for the Moderators are My puppets and the Administrators are My slaves. Bow to Me, Teeming Millions, for **I** am your deliverance from IGNORANCE! ---
**Author:** ![Kamandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5daacb/32.png) [@Kamandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamandi)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/9 "2001-08-03T01:03:59Z")
Oops! Missed my medication again! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/10 "2001-08-03T04:04:18Z")
superglue a quarter in the coin return of a vending machine or phone. or on the ground, where on might fall. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/11 "2001-08-03T04:38:34Z")
If you know where a friend parks their car (somewhere public, like on the street or a carpark) put a note under their wipers saying “Sorry about the dent, but I have no insurance. The person watching me write this thinks I’m leaving my name and address” This is only really fun if there is somewhere you can watch from while remaining hidden as they read the note then spend ages trying to find the damage. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/12 "2001-08-03T13:11:05Z")
I highly recommend [this book](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0965046982/qid=996844147/sr=2-3/ref=aps_sr_b_1_3/102-8446294-5432115). ---
**Author:** ![miamouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@miamouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miamouse)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/13 "2001-08-03T13:23:31Z")
You can switch the sugar and the salt. We did this to my mom one april fool’s and then forgot to switch it back. Easter rolled around and she put salt where the sugar should be and sugar where the salt should be. or if you’re at work, and you want to mess with someone’s mind, you can pull the mouse cord out of its socket, and hide the phone cord but leave the mouthpiece hung up. I did this to my friend who comes in late all the time and just sweeps into her chair picks up the phone and mouse and immediately starts typing. She hit herself in the head with the phone. It was great. One more is to take a screenshot of someones desktop and open the image file as large as it will go. This way no matter where they click, nothing happens, they call tech support… ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/14 "2001-08-03T13:45:23Z")
My personal favorite as a kid was getting on a phone with 3-way calling and calling a Chinese restaurant. While the phone was ringing, we would call a competing Chinese restaurant and conference the two together. Line 1= “hewro china moon may I take your owder?” Line 2= “hewro poo poo palace. How may I help you?” Line 1= “You call me!” Line 2= “No! You call me!” So on and so fourth. If you believe me, smoke some pot and this is some funny stuff! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Briminator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba9def/32.png) [@Briminator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briminator)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/15 "2001-08-03T14:02:25Z")
This one does not work on cordless phones for the obvious reasons but it’s a good one. Take apart somebodys phone, tape down the lever that the receiver rests on. Put phone back together (very important) When somebody calls the phone rings, pick up the receiver the phone still rings, you have to take the phone apart to make it work again. ---
**Author:** ![Oak\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Oak\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oak_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/16 "2001-08-03T14:53:09Z")
How about this: tape the lever of the sprayer-thingy on the kitchen sink down. Point the lever towards the outside of the sink. When the unsuspecting victim turns on the faucet, the sprayer soaks them. Real fun . . . until Mom gets soaked. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/17 "2001-08-03T15:23:36Z")
How about this: Start\Settings\Control Panel\Mouse\Button Configuration\Left-Handed Or if they have one of those fancy mouse drivers, you can set it up so that a vertical movement of the mouse results in a horizontal movement of the cursor. ---
**Author:** ![Ascha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Ascha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ascha)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/18 "2001-08-03T16:04:03Z")
You can change your email’s “Reply to” address as well as the “From” address as it appears to the person you’re emailing. It’s quite easy to figure out. My friend did this a while ago, emailing everyone while pretending to be someone else. I fell for it and was freaking out that people were getting email from “me,” especially since they were completely out of character… I guess we trust technology a little too much. But I was shocked when I realised how easy it was to impersonate someone else over email. ---
**Author:** ![Gravity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gravity/32/14322_2.png) [@Gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gravity)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/19 "2001-08-03T18:22:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by miamouse \* > \*\*One more is to take a screenshot of someones desktop and open the image file as large as it will go. This way no matter where they click, nothing happens, they call tech support… \*\* My mother managed to do this to herself, somehow. She called me nearly in tears to come and fix it before my stepfather got home. It took me about five minutes to figure it out, too! ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699/20 "2001-08-03T18:42:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*How about this: > > Start\Settings\Control Panel\Mouse\Button Configuration\Left-Handed > \*\* HAHAHA I just did this to my boss! She got all upset and called tech support! They came and showed her what it was and we all laughed! So, anyone need a good employee? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pranks/74699.md?page=2)