By: Max Jasper

August 25, 2025

About a month ago, my brother and I were enjoying a meal outside our local McDonald’s when a teenager, probably around the age of fourteen, approached us. With a curious tone, he asked to see my phone. “I’m thinking about getting a new one,” he said, “and I wanted to check out what you’ve got.”

I didn’t think much of it. I pulled out my iPhone 14 Pro and started explaining its features. Midway through, the boy whipped out his own phone and held it near mine. That familiar Apple Pay chime rang out, and he smirked.

Confused, I asked what he’d just done. Without hesitation, he raised a fist for a bump and said, “Thanks for the hundo, bro.”

Then, it clicked with me. He was trying to convince me I had just paid him $100.

Rather than engage with his obvious lies, I smiled and nodded. I hoped he’d move along, but he didn’t. He hovered, ridiculing me for supposedly falling for his prank. My brother, fed up, used some choice words to get the teen to leave. He did briefly, but returned pretending to “give me my money back,” which was obviously another attempt to mess with us.

This small interaction got me thinking about the rise of public pranks in our internet culture, and how they can be mitigated. 

Harmless vs. Harmful Pranks

Scrolling through social media, it’s clear there’s a spectrum. Some pranks are quirky or confusing, meant to entertain without real consequences. Others are designed to humiliate and harass. These often tip into legal or ethical gray zones. 

Harmless Pranks

These pranks are built on surprise, not suffering. They’re clever, short-lived, and rarely leave anyone upset.

Take Dude Perfect’s Cody Jones, for example. During the “Betcha” segment on their “Overtime” show, he made a silly wager: sneak five hot dogs onto unsuspecting strangers, with the finale being a footlong. The reactions were gold. People thought he was hilarious.

Finding a mystery hot dog in your pocket? Weird, sure. But hardly damaging.

Harmful Pranks

When pranks involve deception, emotional distress, or direct interference with people’s lives or property, they cross the line.

Consider Heston Cobb, better known online as “Heston James.” He first gained traction by screaming at full volume in public spaces and then gaslighting employees when confronted. Sometimes his accomplices would scream from other parts of the store, shifting suspicion away from him.

Disturbing? Absolutely. But, that was just the start for Cobb.

Later on, he began impersonating corporate managers in places like Target and Chipotle, showing up with 10–15 fake employees to “clean house.” They’d walk in as if they ran the place, confusing and frustrating actual staff and customers.

Now Cobb faces 13 charges, including felony burglary, criminal impersonation, and multiple misdemeanors. The stunts brought him fame and fortune online. They may also land him in prison for up to nine years, with fines over $315,000.

And he’s not alone.

Kyle Vazquez, aka “TommyTuffKnuckles,” made headlines for dumping sticky foods on himself outside storefronts and invading homes under the guise of needing a bathroom, then filming his stunts without consent.

He now faces eight felony charges, including unlawful recording and criminal tampering.

How to Respond If You’re Targeted

Unfortunately, Cobb, Vazquez, and other popular pranksters have spawned a plethora of copycats. That includes the teen who tried to rope me into a fake transaction. Here’s how you can stay safe:

• Stay calm and aware. If someone approaches you with an odd request in public, be polite, but cautious.
• Don’t engage. Internet pranksters thrive on reactions. The bigger your response, the better footage they get. 
• Walk away. Disengaging sends a clear message that you don’t want to be bothered.
• Report if necessary. If you’re still being harassed after walking away, consider involving authorities or management of the establishment you’re in. 

Social media may glorify prank culture, but it’s important to recognize the difference between comedy and cruelty. Real entertainment should not come at someone else’s expense.