Police in Massachusetts are aware of a viral TikTok “prank” making the rounds on social media and are warning the public.
According to the Salem Police Department, “the prank entails the use of an artificial intelligence (AI) image generator to mockup a photo that makes it appear as though a homeless man is at a resident’s door or inside the home. The man is refusing to leave, and the prankster is in fear of the “intruder”. The setting of the home is real – the “homeless man” is not.
“The AI generated image is then sent via text to the unsuspecting homeowner, relative or friend (with commentary about finding the uninvited man in the home) and their reaction – by text or telephone call – is recorded and posted to social media for “entertainment” and the resulting “clicks” and “likes”…