A new viral prank involving AI-generated images is pushing some Texas families into full-blown panic mode, and now police are stepping in.
Over the weekend, officers in Round Rock responded to two separate 911 calls from frantic parents who believed someone had broken into their homes. The evidence was texted photos (disturbingly realistic ones) showing a stranger sitting on their couch, wandering the kitchen, or helping himself to food in the fridge.
But the intruders weren’t real. The photos had been faked using AI tools, which is part of a trend among teenagers who are crafting artificial break-in scenes and sending them to friends and family for laughs.
“These images can look incredibly convincing,” one officer said. “A single fake photo can set off an entire emergency response. That’s not a prank. That’s interference.”
In a public statement, the department warned that the hoax is not only dangerous but illegal. Filing a false police report is a Class A misdemeanor in Texas, punishable by up to a $4,000 fine.
Officials say the trend underscores how quickly AI can blur the line between joke and crime. “What starts as a viral challenge online can end up tying up 911 dispatchers and pulling officers away from real emergencies,” the department said.
They’re now urging parents to talk to their kids, not just about the legal risks, but the emotional fallout. In both recent cases, officers say parents were visibly shaken. One mother told dispatchers she was shaking so badly she could barely hold her phone.
Police say they’re monitoring social platforms for similar stunts and reminding the public that even a completely fake image can trigger a real-world emergency.
“Scaring your family into thinking there’s a stranger in their house isn’t a harmless joke,” the officer said. “It’s a misuse of tech — and of trust.”
Source: Austin American Statesman