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“A Tiny Piece Of Masking Tape Over A Coworker’s Mouse Laser”: 35 People Share Genius Yet Harmless Ways To Prank Others
If there’s something we've learned from the holy grail of television, aka The Office (except from everything about life, work, love and so on!), it's that a little trick and a tiny troll here and there do no harm. Hands up, everyone who remembers the prank on Dwight’s tape recorder!
Real life is no exception. To make our mundane reality a little more adventurous and somewhat hilarious, people come up with the most ingenious little ways to mess with others. “What are some harmless ways to [mess] with people?” someone asked on Ask Reddit, and oh boy, Pandora's box was opened.
Read on below for the best responses, and please, don’t try this at home! Or try at your own risk, which should be not only minimal, but basically nonexistent.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
My grandpa does this thing where he stops in the busy street and starts staring into the sky as if he’s seen something amazing. It doesn’t take long for other people to stop and stare too, once he’s reaches critical mass he quietly slips away chuckling to himself.
Edit, he’s in his 90’s now but when he was a teenager he was a bit of a young tearaway and had a pet monkey, which is weird considering this was the UK.
Edit 2: holy c**p this blew up overnight. And on my cake day too!
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#2
Buy a set of “Voice Activated” or “Motion Activated” stickers from Amazon, and the possibilities are endless
#3
Every other week or so I'd change which side my coworker's drill's belt clip was on, 2 screws and 30 seconds for a maddening payout. Idk if he ever caught on, as he sadly passed away last year.
I got a huge kick out of doing it though. Might bring that one back as most of us share the same brand of drill.
He got a great one on me. Every day or two he'd hide a Magic the Gathering card in my toolbox, never the same spot twice. Genuinely made me mad when I'd pick something up only to see another card hidden beneath. Eventually I had enough cards to completely cover his locker door inner and outer, he never took them off. Even cut out cards to fit the vents on the locker. I spent a good hour or two on my day off making it. Proud of that one.
RIP Chris. Pranks haven't been the same since you left. Your locker still remains covered in Magic cards and nobody has questioned it to this day.
#4
Senior prank at my high school a few years ago, they let 3 chickens lose: numbered 1, 2, and 4.
School took forever looking for the 3rd chicken
#5
Occasionally I get Christmas cards sent to my address meant for the previous homeowners, wrong address etc. I take these cards and mail them to my friends and family with their correct names and addresses etc and with their return address. I can imagine them sitting around their table scratching their heads wondering who the hell the O’Reilly family is, in a family picture all dressed up in their Christmas garb sending them a Christmas card. A couple times I than learned that the next year out of courtesy, my relatives would then send the unknown family a Christmas card from them, and than that family is like who the hell are these people.
#6
I put a tiny piece of masking tape over my co-worker’s mouse laser on April fool’s day one year, wrote “April fool’s” on it. He troubleshot every single thing except examining the mouse. He eventually called IT who simply turned the mouse over and pointed it out to him.
#7
My grandpa glued a quarter to his driveway near the sidewalk and sits in his living room and watches people try to pick it up. I didn't know this till I found a quarter in the driveway one time.
#8
When in an elavator with strangers (or just walking thru a lobby) casually look down and say "oh wow they really did a good job getting the blood out".
#9
When someone knocks on the public washroom door you are in respond with come in!
#10
I do this every so often because it's kind of a game to me to see how long I can keep it up till the person catches on.
I repeat the last word the person says in question form.
Example:
"Hey, me and Jenny are headed to Jim's Pizza Hut."
"Jim's Pizza Hut?"
"Yeah, you know the one on F street."
"F Street?"
Over there near the harbor with the big carousel."
"Carousel?"
"Yeah, you know the one you went with me and Jane."
"Jane?"
"My girlfriend."
"Girlfriend?"
"Ok, what the f**k is wrong with you?"
Once they call you out and have caught on the game ends. I've carried on a conversation over an hour once doing this. It's really awesome when the person you are doing it to has gone through this a few times with you.
My daughter has gotten me a few times herself and she'll laugh on and off for the day at my expense. Her husband has called me an a*s for teaching this to her a few times too.
#11
My son can make dolphin sounds to perfection. We were on a dolphin excursion and he would randomly do the sounds. People kept looking over the sides to see the dolphins. He also confused the operator because he kept looking around for dolphins. One of our best family vacation memories.
#12
When I order coffee and they ask for the name I say “Green. Like the sky.”
#13
My personal favorite is: Sit down on a park bench next to someone. Slide a manila enevlope with a picture of a random person from the net to them and say, "It has to be done by Friday and it has to look like an accident." Then get up and walk away quickly.
#14
When you shake someone's hand, move yours left to right. As they do the traditional up and down, a hilarious circle ensues.
Olivia Dean 2 years ago
The child in me is laughing so hard I'm crying right now. These are fantastic!!
#16
Edit: For PSA
Hide something around their house. My weapon of choice was tiny rubber ducks.
Open a drawer? Duck.
I need a spoon. Duck.
Lovely picture of their wedding with a nice frame? Duck on top.
Charging box? Duck.
Bubble bath? Duck.
Seldom used shoes? Duck.
Winter coat pocket they won't use for months? Duck.
Its ducking delightful how much mileage you can get out of tiny ducks.
PSA: Be extremely cautious in the case of households containing animals and small children. Both like putting little things in their mouths and other orifices so might be best to avoid Ducking these individuals/ensuring things are definitely out of reach.
Got Myself 4 Pandas 2 years ago
I think this is the first ever time I've seen someone write ducking and actually intend to type ducking
#17
When you're talking to someone, just keep handing them random items. They'll just keep taking them without realizing it.
#18
This one is harmless but occasionally can drive someone mad.
My mom has a bunch of framed family photos hangin on a wall. One day I was visiting I took them all down and scanned them with a little hand scanner. I photoshoped small changes on them, removed some people from some photos, added a couple of celebrities in the background, etc, print them out and replaced them a few days later.
I can't forget her face when she realized it was me and she was not losing it.
#19
My friend was logged into his twitter on my tablet so I kept changing his profile picture to a banana.. he thought someone hacked him and tweeted about it.. I replied to the tweet using his profile.. it got so bad he was arguing with himself on twitter.
#20
When I was a corrections officer we had a guy who worked with us who was kind of a d**k to everyone, and he was computer illiterate. We took a screenshot of his desktop and moved all of his icons off of it so it looked legit but nothing worked. It took him an hour before he finally called IT and they figured it out pretty quickly. He wouldn’t talk to any of us for about a week.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 2 years ago
You need to take this to the next level. Take the screen shot. Load it in paintbrush. Rotate the image 180deg. Set it as the desktop wallpaper. Next go into your screen settings and rotate the display 180deg. THEN hide the icons and toolbar. The mouse controls will be flipped too. Yes I am 100% evil.
#21
Whenever I visit my extended family across the country, I bring a bag full of random remotes that I don’t use anymore. Just random remotes that go to old dvrs or anything really. Just hide them around their house, they only recently caught on.
#22
If I know someone is walking a little ways behind me and I turn a corner with nobody else around I like to run 10-20 steps to widen the gap and then laugh to myself thinking that the person behind me will be confused.
I doubt anyone ever notices but I get a kick out of it every time.
#23
At work: give them a "While You Were Out" note saying a "Mr. Fox" called for them and write on the note the number for your local zoo.
#24
I was talking with a supervisor and I happened to have like 4 hard boiled eggs in my jacket pocket for lunch. So while talking with stuff, I took out an egg, cracked and shelled it and ate it. The conversation kept going so I did it again but I could see he was growing quizzical. I waited a few more minutes, pulled out another and ate that too. By then I could tell he was like WTF. The conversation was wrapping up so I pulled the last one out and he stopped mid conversation and asked me, “how many f$cking eggs do you have?”
I just shrugged, shelled, and then ate, the last egg.
#26
Reassure people there's nothing wrong with the item they are about to use.
Right before they sit down: "there's nothing wrong with that chair"
#27
When driving I like to wave at random people as if I knew them. Hilarious to see instant confusion on their faces
#28
When my husband pours his coffee into his mug and turns around to get milk out of the refrigerator, I pour his coffee back into the coffee pot or into my mug. I cackle as I run out of the room.
#29
A lady in my office wouldn’t stop talking about gas lighting and people who were gaslighting. So we told her it was actually called “gaslamping” and she has the term wrong. Took a bit of convincing but she started using that term and telling everyone else they were wrong too. A week later we changed it back to gaslighting.
#30
Our neighbour has chickens. About once a week or so we would sneak over and put extra eggs in the lay box, so it looked like the chickens had been on a laying spree. So fun chatting with them, trying to work out why sometimes the chickens were super producers and sometimes not. It ended when we put a chocolate egg in there, they worked it out then 😄😄
#31
Say "I don't want to sound racist, but" and then say something completely positive yet irrelevant.
"I don't want to sound racist, but the sun looks lovely on those flowers".
#32
Look at their forehead, ear, or chin during the entire conversation.
Call in sick to a place you don't work.
At the deli, ask for the most human tasting meat they have.
Go to the grocery store and ask for Gomber. "You know, it's kind of red, and you put it on mayo sandwiches."
Ask if they like your perfume and get them to smell your neck, wrist, ankle, or other body part. Don't actually be wearing any perfume.
#33
If two neighbors have opposite political signs during an election, swap them
#34
The movie theater in my town is usually mostly empty. There's been a couple of times when I've come in to get seated and there's literally only one other person in my auditorium.
There's an evil part of me that wants to just go sit right next to them. Not illegal, but it should be.
Olivia Dean 2 years ago
Sooo.. if you're a guy, and the person is a female.. this would just be creepy and intimidating
#35
Some guy on Quora had this genius idea. Grab a highlighter, and randomly highlight one name on a public list (attendance, lunch money, extracurricular classes, whatever). You won't get to see it, but some poor fellow will silently lose their mind trying to figure out why their name is highlighted.
What do you think ?
Chich 2 years ago
For people who like to take up two parking spaces, leave a note that says "Sorry, but you can barely see it"
Dubnaught 2 years ago
You're not just pranking, you're doing the Lord's work.
Load More Replies...
James016 2 years ago
I did one at my workplace, someone had brought in a big tub of Celebrations chocolates. Once the tub was empty, I stuck a post-it note on it that read: "Do not open unless you are willing to kill it". The tub just sat there for about a month, no-one would go near it.
Rider 2 years ago (edited)
This would drive me nuts. I would be caught between wanting to open it and kill it, or watching how long people would avoid it. I'm the office superhero for trap and release or killing various critters.
Load More Replies...
Yeah, okay. 2 years ago
I loathe practical jokes, because most of the time they are humiliating and mean spirited. These are what practical jokes should be. The chicken one is particularly hilarious 😂
Bec 2 years ago
Agree, there were still some on this list that I found a bit mean, but the really harmless ones made me smile
Load More Replies...
Tamra 2 years ago
My dog managed to chew the face off of one of his stuffed toys in such a way that the face is perfectly intact, just separated from the stuffy. My son is a bit grossed out by this bodiless face, as it has been liberally bathed in dog slobber and sketchy mouth odor. Naturally, it has found it's way into his backpack, hoodie pocket, sock drawer, and car gear shift. 😂
Brett Hughes 2 years ago
I changed “carpark” in the autocorrect in my wife’s phone to “gin bar”. Like when she’s coming home from work and she tries to text “Just walking to the carpark” She doesn’t know how to fix it. It drives her crazy, but still always laughs.
Bob La Capra 2 years ago
I was at the local Walmart waiting for a curmudgeon to decide what kind of soup he wanted. The supply was limited and he was none-too-happy about it. Kept mumbling and grumbling and may have even cursed under his breath. His phone rang and as he pulled it from his pocket I said "if that's for me I'm not here." He walked down the aisle and said to the caller, "no. I haven't seen him." I guess he wasn't quite as crabby as I thought.
Kamogelo kgoedi 2 years ago
Forest animals should never invite hunters into the forest, hunters must enter the forest within their own capacity!
Santiago Broide 2 years ago
My ask time favorite is when some person you know but not THAT well asks you "how are you" and you answer "better". They will feel suddenly so guilty about not knowing what happened to you.
STress 2 years ago
Find an empty mayo jar. Fill it with vanilla pudding. Take a spoon. Go to some public place, find a bench, sit down and start eating...
Angi 2 years ago
I wanted to do this but use scooby snack cookies that look like dog treats.
Load More Replies... DeoManus Argentem 2 years ago
I had this little device (about the size of two stacked quarters) that made sounds - including a creaking door opening, a little child giggling, fast footsteps, and my favorite: a voice whispering, "hey, can you hear me?" you could set it to go off at multiple different intervals, and adjust the volume... It was attached to a magnet. I loved to put it in the ceiling airvent in the management office especially - a nice prank especially for the overnight manager (who was always alone). You could set it faintly enough that it usually couldn't be heard when multiple managers were in there working together and during the bustle of daytime business activity... But at nighttime, when you're all alone and it's nice and quiet... Gold!
Andrea Schultheiß 2 years ago
At my school there was a teacher with a nervous tic, who kept shaking his head. Not funny during an oral exam.
Load More Replies...
Bill Evs 2 years ago
I remember once a colleague gave another colleague a note saying that someone had called and asked to speak to him and could he call him back. The person who had "called" was a Mr Chris Packet and when he called the number he got through to Walkers Crisps. He asked to speak to Chris Packet about four times before it dawned on him.
harpling 2 years ago
My mother's students did something similar. They snuck a note into her desk saying that Ms Poe's parents had called and asked to set up a meeting, leaving the number for the Edgar Allen Poe Museum.
Load More Replies... Erica 2 years ago
There was a guy at my old job that had an expensive car. It was his baby. Always talking about how his car had all these special ordered parts and how sad everyone else’s cars were compared to his. One of my coworkers put this guy’s car in the Uncle Henry’s for $400.00 or best offer with the guy’s phone number. The Ad said call anytime day or night. Guy started getting a TON of calls at all hours and was completely confused and angry. Ended up changing his phone number.
Amanda Beveridge 2 years ago
My husband would tell random strangers that they dropped something. When they'd look down, he'd proceed to say "by your other foot," "behind you," and/or "It's right there." Watching them spin and lift their feet are until they realize it's a prank. Children are the best to pull this on because they often become frustrated that they can't find it.
Ross Warren 2 years ago
I put my phone in a break room locker with an alarm set to go off during the pre-shift meeting for the opposite shift.
MizAdeleM 2 years ago
When I was a teenager, I went to a roller rink Saturday nights. When I saw someone being a little shaky on their skates, I would glide up to them, and say, "You know, the Finigan Pin on your left skate is loose." The person would go sit down, and I would see them fiddling with their skate. When I passed them on the rink, I would tell them, "ah, you fixed it, that will help". They could blame their awkward skating on the fictional Pin.
down with downvoters! 2 years ago
funny this thing about harmless ways to mess with people on a website that will ban you because a few assholes don't like your comment. that's not very harmless
Eat Dirt Crow 2 years ago
Find a really long zip tie and wrap it around a coworker's drive shaft. The zip tie will make a crazy noise and make them think there's something wrong with their car. You could also spill some Mtn Dew in front of their car and they'll think they have a coolant leak.
Seán Hannan 2 years ago
These are not harmless. They could cost the person a lot of money.
Load More Replies... Chich 2 years ago
For people who like to take up two parking spaces, leave a note that says "Sorry, but you can barely see it"
Dubnaught 2 years ago
You're not just pranking, you're doing the Lord's work.
Load More Replies... James016 2 years ago
I did one at my workplace, someone had brought in a big tub of Celebrations chocolates. Once the tub was empty, I stuck a post-it note on it that read: "Do not open unless you are willing to kill it". The tub just sat there for about a month, no-one would go near it.
Rider 2 years ago (edited)
This would drive me nuts. I would be caught between wanting to open it and kill it, or watching how long people would avoid it. I'm the office superhero for trap and release or killing various critters.
Load More Replies... Yeah, okay. 2 years ago
I loathe practical jokes, because most of the time they are humiliating and mean spirited. These are what practical jokes should be. The chicken one is particularly hilarious 😂
Bec 2 years ago
Agree, there were still some on this list that I found a bit mean, but the really harmless ones made me smile
Load More Replies... Tamra 2 years ago
My dog managed to chew the face off of one of his stuffed toys in such a way that the face is perfectly intact, just separated from the stuffy. My son is a bit grossed out by this bodiless face, as it has been liberally bathed in dog slobber and sketchy mouth odor. Naturally, it has found it's way into his backpack, hoodie pocket, sock drawer, and car gear shift. 😂
Brett Hughes 2 years ago
I changed “carpark” in the autocorrect in my wife’s phone to “gin bar”. Like when she’s coming home from work and she tries to text “Just walking to the carpark” She doesn’t know how to fix it. It drives her crazy, but still always laughs.
Bob La Capra 2 years ago
I was at the local Walmart waiting for a curmudgeon to decide what kind of soup he wanted. The supply was limited and he was none-too-happy about it. Kept mumbling and grumbling and may have even cursed under his breath. His phone rang and as he pulled it from his pocket I said "if that's for me I'm not here." He walked down the aisle and said to the caller, "no. I haven't seen him." I guess he wasn't quite as crabby as I thought.
Kamogelo kgoedi 2 years ago
Forest animals should never invite hunters into the forest, hunters must enter the forest within their own capacity!
Santiago Broide 2 years ago
My ask time favorite is when some person you know but not THAT well asks you "how are you" and you answer "better". They will feel suddenly so guilty about not knowing what happened to you.
STress 2 years ago
Find an empty mayo jar. Fill it with vanilla pudding. Take a spoon. Go to some public place, find a bench, sit down and start eating...
Angi 2 years ago
I wanted to do this but use scooby snack cookies that look like dog treats.
Load More Replies... DeoManus Argentem 2 years ago
I had this little device (about the size of two stacked quarters) that made sounds - including a creaking door opening, a little child giggling, fast footsteps, and my favorite: a voice whispering, "hey, can you hear me?" you could set it to go off at multiple different intervals, and adjust the volume... It was attached to a magnet. I loved to put it in the ceiling airvent in the management office especially - a nice prank especially for the overnight manager (who was always alone). You could set it faintly enough that it usually couldn't be heard when multiple managers were in there working together and during the bustle of daytime business activity... But at nighttime, when you're all alone and it's nice and quiet... Gold!
Andrea Schultheiß 2 years ago
At my school there was a teacher with a nervous tic, who kept shaking his head. Not funny during an oral exam.
Load More Replies... Bill Evs 2 years ago
I remember once a colleague gave another colleague a note saying that someone had called and asked to speak to him and could he call him back. The person who had "called" was a Mr Chris Packet and when he called the number he got through to Walkers Crisps. He asked to speak to Chris Packet about four times before it dawned on him.
harpling 2 years ago
My mother's students did something similar. They snuck a note into her desk saying that Ms Poe's parents had called and asked to set up a meeting, leaving the number for the Edgar Allen Poe Museum.
Load More Replies... Erica 2 years ago
There was a guy at my old job that had an expensive car. It was his baby. Always talking about how his car had all these special ordered parts and how sad everyone else’s cars were compared to his. One of my coworkers put this guy’s car in the Uncle Henry’s for $400.00 or best offer with the guy’s phone number. The Ad said call anytime day or night. Guy started getting a TON of calls at all hours and was completely confused and angry. Ended up changing his phone number.
Amanda Beveridge 2 years ago
My husband would tell random strangers that they dropped something. When they'd look down, he'd proceed to say "by your other foot," "behind you," and/or "It's right there." Watching them spin and lift their feet are until they realize it's a prank. Children are the best to pull this on because they often become frustrated that they can't find it.
Ross Warren 2 years ago
I put my phone in a break room locker with an alarm set to go off during the pre-shift meeting for the opposite shift.
MizAdeleM 2 years ago
When I was a teenager, I went to a roller rink Saturday nights. When I saw someone being a little shaky on their skates, I would glide up to them, and say, "You know, the Finigan Pin on your left skate is loose." The person would go sit down, and I would see them fiddling with their skate. When I passed them on the rink, I would tell them, "ah, you fixed it, that will help". They could blame their awkward skating on the fictional Pin.
down with downvoters! 2 years ago
funny this thing about harmless ways to mess with people on a website that will ban you because a few assholes don't like your comment. that's not very harmless
Eat Dirt Crow 2 years ago
Find a really long zip tie and wrap it around a coworker's drive shaft. The zip tie will make a crazy noise and make them think there's something wrong with their car. You could also spill some Mtn Dew in front of their car and they'll think they have a coolant leak.
Seán Hannan 2 years ago
These are not harmless. They could cost the person a lot of money.
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