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Parents often tell their children they can be whoever or whatever they want to be. It’s obviously a motivational hack, and many kids grow up to realize there are some limits. But then there are those who take things to the next level as adults. Walking tall with confidence into any room or situation, regardless of whether they belong or not. Pulling off the ultimate imposter acts to go undetected. Why be yourself when you can be someone else? Right?

There's a popular online community that showcases people engaged in trickery to act like they belong. Aptly named Act Like You Belong, the subreddit has more than 658,000 members. And as it states, "There is no need for clearance when you have confidence!" Bored Panda has put together a somewhat intriguing but hilarious list of times people could have won an Oscar for their attempts to fake it 'til they make it. From a fan taking to the field in full kit, pretending to be a Manchester United player to someone trying to illegally cross the U.S. border disguised as a car seat, these people prove that you really can be whoever you want to be. If only for a few minutes.

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    #3

    Dedicated “Employee”

    Thief in a blue vest cheats system, posing as Walmart employee to steal $3,000 in AirPods.

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    The Big Bad
    Community Member
    2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wonder if he helped people in between. I always try to when someone mistakes me for an employee somewhere.

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    A man who was declared dead in 2022 is currently on trial in South Africa. Yes. You read that right. Thabo Bester was believed to have died in a fire at a prison in the country. He’d been serving a life sentence for some serious crimes he’d committed more than a decade ago.

    At the time of the fire, he was being kept in an isolation cell. When authorities found his body, they came to the conclusion that the prisoner had deliberately started the fire because he could no longer face his fate behind bars.

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    #6

    It Would Probably Work Too

    Officers and a man in a "Definitely Not a Cop" shirt stand together at an event, blending in with the crowd.

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    Luis Hernandez Dauajare
    Community Member
    2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Imagine if the man in the t-shirt is actually *not* a cop, but dressed that way to fool cops...

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    The body was taken to the mortuary and was later identified and collected by a woman claiming to be Bester’s wife. The hardened prisoner was laid to rest. Or so most people thought.

    But local media wouldn’t leave it there. They wanted to know how a prisoner serving time in a maximum security jail had managed to start a fire in a cell when he was alone. What transpired would shock the nation and make headlines around the world.

    #8

    A man confidently posing in a suit, exemplifying acting like they belong in a formal setting.

    An identity thief stole the identity of a surgeon and while aboard a navy destroyer was tasked with performing several life saving surgeries. He proceeded to memorize a medical textbook just before hand and all the patients survived.

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    Luis Hernandez Dauajare
    Community Member
    2 days ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    His story is amazing. Ferdinand Waldo Demara. He pretended to be a priest and a monk, and faked his own su¡cide to get out of it. He then impersonated a correctional officer and instituted an exercise program for immates so successful that his boss went on record he would rehire him had Demara re-applied for the position with his real name, and later wrote a pamphlet on childcare that became quite popular while pretending to be a professor at a university. His own brillliance was his downfall, though: someone suggested nominating him for a medal and in the ensuing investigation a journalist found his real identity. When questioned about his motives, he replied "Rascality. Simply rascality..."

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    It later emerged that the autopsy showed the victim had died from blunt force trauma to the head. Not because of a fire. “His body smelled of accelerant, possibly paraffin, and his lungs were clear with no sign of smoke inhalation,” reported the BBC.

    “The body’s height at the time of the autopsy was 1.45m,” reported GroundUp. “But in a police mugshot, Bester stood taller, at just over 1.7m.” Something, or many things were not adding up.

    In a bizarre twist, the police collected the body from Bester’s “wife” and confiscated it for further investigation. A woman claiming to be Bester’s biological mother then tried to claim the corpse but her DNA did not match the body’s.

    Authorities by now suspected that the dead body did not belong to Bester and had been placed in the cell before the fire broke out. In the months that followed, the public would hear that the body found in the cell belonged to someone named Katlego Bereng Mpholo. The 30-year-old had gone missing in April 2022.

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    According to the BBC, Mpholo’s father says police told him that his son had collapsed and had died in hospital, before being taken to a mortuary. The dad searched mortuaries across the city but never managed to find his son.

    #13

    Flashback To When My Friends And I (Bottom 3) Snuck Into A Prom And Ended Up Making It Into The Yearbook Even Though None Of Us Ever Went To That School

    Group of young people posing confidently together, acting like they belong at a formal event.

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    #15

    One Day…. One Day He’s Hoping I Won’t Notice…

    Dogs and a goat at the door, showcasing how they belong in this amusing scene.

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    In an elaborate escape mission, and something out of a Netflix series, someone had managed to take Mpholo’s body, and plant it in the maximum security prison. Thabo Bester casually left jail, that night dressed in a prison guard's uniform. The criminal remained undetected for a year, living it up with his partner in a mansion in an affluent suburb of Johannesburg.

    As the BBC reported, “he hid there in plain sight with his celebrity girlfriend, 35-year-old doctor, Nandipha Magudumana. She specialised in medically treating things such as skin conditions to improve the way that people look. She had worked for Bester in 2006 when he was an events manager and then started visiting him in jail in 2017.”

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    #16

    Mexican Man Tries To Illegally Enter The Us By Disguising Himself As A Car Seat

    Man disguised as a car seat, blending into a vehicle interior to creatively cheat the system.

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    #17

    After 1.4 Billions Crayons, Turns Out Top Maker Is Colorblind

    Crayon maker Emerson Moser retires after 37 years, revealing he was colorblind; an example of cheating the system.

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    In the year that followed the escape, photos started going viral on social media of a man who resembled Bester nonchalantly paying for his groceries at a supermarket. Those who knew the criminal were convinced it was him. An incredible case of acting like you belong.

    #19

    A True Wikipedia Scholar

    Chinese woman creates fake Russian history on Wikipedia for over 10 years, acting like she belongs.

    ylno83 , x.com Report

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    Earonn -
    Community Member
    2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Couldn't she just write a historical novel? Diluting facts isn't really helpful. Yeah, all fun until Wikipedia becomes unusable even for our low-level needs.

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    #20

    King Of The Jungle

    Dog at a zoo with a fake lion mane, humorously illustrates someone cheating the system by acting like they belong.

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    Sarah Bailey
    Community Member
    2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I would totally go to a zoo of dogs dressed in zoo animal costumes.... who's going to do it? I wanna go!

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    Fast forward to April 2023 and Bester is arrested in Tanzania, alongside his partner. They’d fled South Africa and were found with several fake passports with fake identities. The couple had reportedly driven from South Africa to the Zimbabwean border, then made their way north to Zambia before arriving in Tanzania.

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    A massive sting operation resulted in the pair finally being caught and flown back to South Africa under heavy police guard, and with hoards of media capturing their every move.

    #22

    Look Busy And Leave

    Person pretends to belong at work by using a laptop instead of a backpack, blending in seamlessly to cheat the system.

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    Sarah
    Community Member
    2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You’ll get caught eventually.. for all you know they’ve already cottoned on and slowly building a case

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    #23

    Brought My Vf-2 Tomcat Helmet To The Movies. I Let Random People Take Pictures With Me. I Saluted Everyone Entering The Cinema With "Mam", "Sir". They Thought I'm Part Of The Promo Crew

    Three men posing with a Top Gun: Maverick poster, one in pilot gear, exemplifying system-cheating confidence.

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    OzzyTheMano (They/Them)
    Community Member
    1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    sometime's people think I look like a store mascot when I go fursuiting in public ':D

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    #24

    Walz: I Am Not Leaving This Grocery Store Without A Free Turkey

    Teacher recalls prank where someone cheated the system with a fake gift certificate for a turkey.

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    Kalikima
    Community Member
    Premium
    2 days ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He could've been our VP.. but no, we're stuck with the shịtshow..

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    #26

    When Acting Like You Belong Pays Off

    Person holds fake Lifetime Access Pass, highlighting clever system cheating.

    Wohme , x.com Report

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    les
    Community Member
    2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    i dont know what most of this is about. whp? parklife? some sort of 00s blur reference?

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    #27

    The Great Peanut Butter Bandits

    Newspaper article about inmates using peanut butter for a jailbreak in Alabama, highlighting clever system manipulation.

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    Jaya
    Community Member
    1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is simultaneously the most brilliant and most stupid story I've ever heard 😄

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    #28

    As I Promised! Here Is The Plaque Finally Up, In A Spot Hundreds Of University Students Pass Daily

    Person installing a self-made plaque as an act of belonging, showcasing a humorous system hack.

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    #29

    I’ve Always Wanted To See Inside A News Room. So I Wore Black. Walked In, Sat Down, And Watched

    Person in a studio control room, acting like they belong, with monitors displaying broadcasts and news anchors.

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    Multa Nocte
    Community Member
    2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    But he ended up in a Fox News station and got "entertainment" instead.

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    #30

    Someone Pretended To Be Tom Cruise In A Small Chicken Shop In North Eastern Thailand And Is Remembered There Forever

    Two men smiling and holding roast meat, with a green wall background and humorous text overlay.

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    jasper
    Community Member
    1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Actually better looking, and likely taller, than Tom Cruise.

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    #31

    When The Doctors Came To Check, Shi Pei Pu Would Tuck His Genitals Inside His Body To Fool Them

    Wikipedia tweet about Shi Pei Pu, a spy who cheated the system by pretending to be someone else.

    C0ldBl00dedDickens , x.com Report

    #32

    This Is FBI Agent Robert Hanssen

    Man in a suit and red tie smiling, representing someone who cheated the system by acting like they belong.

    He was tasked to find a mole within the FBI after the FBI's moles in the KGB were caught. Robert Hanssen was the mole and had been working with the KGB since 1979.

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    Luis Hernandez Dauajare
    Community Member
    2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He died in 2023 serving a life-sentence at the Florence supermax prison. I don't think he cheated the system at all...

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    #33

    Browns Fan Works Way Through Ranks Of Ravens Fb Group, Becomes Admin, And Hacks The Group

    Browns fan infiltrates Ravens Facebook group, changes name as prank; caption highlights clever act of belonging.

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    #35

    Sometimes You Need A Little Make-Up To Blend In

    Person dressed as a Terracotta Warrior blends in among statues, highlighting system cheating by acting like they belong.

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    Luis Hernandez Dauajare
    Community Member
    2 days ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why do I suspect it is not very bright to mess with priceless antique artifacts in China?

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    #38

    Sometimes All It Takes To Be An Expert On A Language Is To Be An Intp Brony

    Tweet highlighting an American teen's impact on Scots Wikipedia by writing in English, suspected of cheating the system.

    Crafty_Cupcake_670 , x.com Report

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    Earonn -
    Community Member
    2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And that's why it's not funny. Lots of people put millions of hours of work into Wikipedia. Guys like this may make it unusable and therefore ruin all that hard work. Just because something is open to everyone doesn't mean anyone can just p**s on it.

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    #39

    Undercover Walmart

    Cheating the system with Walmart vests bought online for Black Friday.

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    Bookworm
    Community Member
    1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hope OP is ready for the number of people ready to trample employees on black Friday.

    #40

    Oscar For This One!

    Car disguised as Bugatti Veyron, highlighted in a story about cheating the system, parked in a residential area.

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    Kabuki Kitsune
    Community Member
    1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Okay, this one is more than a little misleading. So, let me help you here: It's a kit car. They were all the rage at one time or another, producing things that looked like Porches, or other classic cars. Those cars typically were little more than converted VW beetles or frames, with fiberglass to make the body and such. What this fellow did was take a Mercury Cougar, and rebuild it using manufactured parts (the kit part of it) to look like the Bugatti. He actually put about 90,000 dollars into the replica car to pull off the stunt; and then listed the vehicle on craigslist some time after he completed it. It was listed for 125,000 dollars... and yes, he actually managed to sell it. Much of the interior was original Bugatti parts, as was a good part of the exterior as well.

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    #41

    This Is Dion Rich The World's Greatest Gate Crasher. He Snuck Into 35 Super Bowls, The World Series, The Oscars, The Olympics And More

    Elderly man in a sunhat at a sports game, blending into the crowd; screen in the background showing a player's photo.

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    #44

    My Sons Fake Pass To The Australian Open Today. Legit Looking Lanyard Though 😜 Wish Us Luck. Brought Real Tickets Just In Case

    Hand-drawn tennis badge on a green shirt, showcasing a creative attempt to belong.

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    #45

    If Anyone Asks If You're A Celebrity Say Yes And Play Along

    Two men smiling outside a café in Venice, one pretending to be with Kevin Costner, illustrating system-cheating behavior.

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    #46

    The Shame

    Tweet about unintentionally joining a family group for ice cream, highlighting a humorous system cheat.

    N0GARED Report

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    Kalevra
    Community Member
    2 days ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My grandmother did this at camp one year asking if anyone wanted french toast. Two familys staying in the same circle said "we will take some." and she said "well get down here then. Anyway thats how i met my wife.

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    #47

    Snuck Onto $500 Global Dance Fest Vip Cabana With Paper Towel And Sharpie

    Hand holding a drink with a "BANANA" wristband, standing by a crowded concert stage, blending in with the scene.

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    john doe
    Community Member
    1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My friends and I went to a music festival that another friend was at, he sent us a picture of the wristband and I made a copy in Adobe printed them off and taped them on our wrists. It worked no one questioned it.

    #48

    Photosynthesis, Am I Right Fellas?

    Cell tower disguised as a tree near a highway, creatively blending with the environment to cheat the system.

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    R.A. Haley
    Community Member
    1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've seen those made up like cacti in the desert, and redwood trees in California.

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    #49

    Medieval Knight Tries His Best To Blend End, But Old Habits Die Hard

    Two individuals in police gear, one wearing chainmail and holding a stick, as if blending with law enforcement.

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    Verena
    Community Member
    2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    German special police forces (SEK) were called because a women was screaming for help, swayed with a knive and locked herself in in her appartement. Research showed that she was alone and had a mental crisis. As protection, one of the officers donned a special stab-resistant clothing, which is part of the SEK gear. They got her out and in a clinic, to treat her mental problems.

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    #50

    Trying To Blend In

    "List of commanders and leaders with flags, illustrating military structure."

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    Talis
    Community Member
    2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I assume it's that the only non-French leader's last name is "French".

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    #51

    I Snuck Into The Wm Open 16th Hole Sky Box And Faked My Intel Employee Credentials To Get Into Their Suite On Saturday. Ama

    People blending in at a golf tournament, overlooking a crowded stadium and green.

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    #52

    Definitely Not Two Undercover Nypd Officers Riding The Subway On Nye…

    Two men dressed similarly, sitting confidently on a subway, appearing to blend in effortlessly.

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    #53

    Wrong Juror Shows Up And Seated At Depp/Heard Trial

    Text reveals jury duty mix-up, with younger individual attending by acting like they belong.

    WeebyMcWeebFace Report

    #56

    The Power Of The Hi-Vis Jacket

    Man wearing glasses involved in system-cheating incident, as reported by LeedsLive.

    designer_by_day Report

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    Verena
    Community Member
    2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wore hi-vis as part of my normal working clothes. The moment you change into it, you sort of vanish as a person. We had a huge construction site at the central station of a European capital, pre-smartzombie. People bumped into me and my colleagues and even worse, tried to climb the fences we placed as protection against the heavy traffic.

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    #57

    Today I Ate In The Break Room At Home Depot After Buying A Messy Burrito From The Food Truck Out Front

    A tray of food on a break room table, surrounded by empty chairs, highlighting clever system evasion.

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    #59

    Just Entered A Hotel And Enjoyed Their Breakfast

    Waffle and syrup on a plate with a plastic fork, subtly cheating the system for a free breakfast setup.

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    quentariel
    Community Member
    2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is exactly why hotels now usually ask for proof of staying there before entering breakfast.

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    #60

    29- Year Old Woman Posing As High-School Student

    News headline about a woman cheating the system by posing as a high school student, with a school building in the background.

    TyrannosaurusFrat Report

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    Sam Trudeau
    Community Member
    1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Tf2 did this. According to one of the cosmetics, the Scout (age 23 at the time) got caught trying to pose as school student to impress women. He also hadn't even enrolled in the school

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    #61

    Went To A Duke Game A Couple Weekends Ago And Got This Awesome Hat. You Can Just Buy These, The Gift Shop People Don’t Even Check! (Identity Censored To Protect Me From Duke Authorities)

    Person wearing Duke hoodie and hat with glowing horns, sitting in stadium, exemplifying cheat the system behavior.

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    iBlank
    Community Member
    1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    so did he get in for free, pretending to be alumni? Otherwise it just sounds like he went in pretending to be a fan, which is more of a joke on him

    #62

    In 2007, A Man That Spoke Broken English Showed Up To The Masters With His Clubs Actually Thought That His Practice Round Badge Allowed Him To Play A Practice Round At Augusta National

    Man with golf cart and security guard at a golf course, illustrating acting like they belong in an unexpected setting.

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    #63

    Taco Truck At Work Didn’t Show, But There Was An Unrelated Catered Taco Lunch For Students Out Back Of A Building Down The Street. Not Even Mad About The Flakey Taco Truck Anymore

    A paper plate with leftover food held by a river, person blending into the natural setting.

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    #65

    When You Have To Fight, But You Can’t Be Trusted With A Rifle

    A person with a stick in a crowd appears to challenge the system, acting with boldness and intent.

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    #66

    Snuck Into Fall Out Boy

    Stage scene with people pretending to belong, taking photos at a concert, capturing moments by the stage.

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    Tele Avision
    Community Member
    2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Just when I thought sneaking into a Kid Rock concert was a useless prank.

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    #67

    Unknown Man Pretends To Be A Swedish Wrestling Gold Medalist And Takes Pictures With Kids At Epcot

    Person wearing a medal and sportswear, confidently walking outdoors, appearing to belong in a competition setting.

    DifficultHat Report

    #68

    Whoever This Person Is Sneaking On Stage At The Game Awards Just To Say Something Incoherent About Bill Clinton For The World To Hear

    People in formal attire at an event with one person circled, highlighting someone acting like they belong.

    beleth____ Report

    #69

    Got Backstage To A Kid Rock Concert

    Person at music event, giving thumbs up in front of large American flag, blending in to cheat the system.

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    Armac
    Community Member
    Premium
    2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why would you want to do this 🤷🏽‍♂️

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    Ic_polls

    Poll Question

    How do you feel about the concept 'fake it 'til you make it'?

    It's a useful strategy

    It's risky but exciting

    It's unethical

    It's amusing to watch