A new trend on TikTok called the “AI Homeless Man Prank” has raised concerns among parents and led to police activity across the U.S. This trend involves users creating AI-generated images of homeless men appearing in their homes, which has sparked a wave of panic.
In one particularly viral video, viewed over two million times, a visibly upset mother can be heard asking her son to “feed him and let him go” after he sends her fake images featuring a homeless man in various scenarios around their house.
“What is happening here? What is this nonsense?” the mother questions in a voice message as she reacts to the prank. In another clip, user Nnamdi Anunobi showcases a staged photo of a faux homeless man lying on his mother’s bed, dressed in ragged clothing.
“He’s been resting in your bed for two hours,” Anunobi teases in the video, to which his mother retorts, “In my room? You’ve crossed a line. I can’t accept this.” The prank escalates when the AI-generated homeless man claims that the food in the kitchen belongs to “your aunt’s cousin’s side,” leading her to express her confusion about not knowing such relatives.
Initially seen as harmless fun, the prank has turned serious, with police departments nationwide urging the public to cease the “stupid and potentially dangerous” activity. Recently, two boys from Ohio faced criminal charges for their roles in the prank.
Authorities have issued warnings about the consequences of creating fake emergencies. A spokesperson from the Yonkers Police Department, for example, emphasized the humor in pranks but cautioned against crossing boundaries that could lead to “serious consequences.”
The Salem Police Department has also criticized the trend, describing it as having “bad taste” and being harmful. They highlighted that such pranks dehumanize homeless individuals and waste valuable police resources. Officials reiterated that pranks leading to 911 calls take away from genuine emergencies, with officers responding urgently to such situations only to find out it’s a joke.
