Police Respond to Surge of 911 Calls Triggered by AI-Generated ‘Home Intruder’ Prank
September 12, 2024 – Law enforcement agencies across the United States and the United Kingdom are responding to a concerning trend on TikTok: prank calls to 911 prompted by AI-generated images falsely depicting a “homeless individual” on or near school campuses and private residences. The prank, circulating widely on the platform, utilizes artificial intelligence to create realistic-looking images that are then shared, leading panicked individuals to beleive there is an immediate threat and to contact emergency services.
Several police departments have issued public statements warning against the perilous hoax. The Round Rock Police Department in Texas reported responding to two false calls stemming from the trend, noting in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that such misuse of emergency services can delay responses to legitimate emergencies. “While no one was harmed, making false reports like these can tie up emergency resources and delay responses to legitimate calls for service,” the department stated.
the Oak Harbor Police department in Washington state responded to a call regarding a supposed “homeless individual” at the high school, which was traced back to the circulating prank image. “In this case, students generated and circulated an image implying the presence of a homeless individual on school grounds, which led to unnecessary concern within the community,” police wrote on Facebook.
The Salem Police Department in Massachusetts issued a statement condemning the prank, even without confirming a direct response to a related incident. They emphasized the potential for harm, stating, “This prank dehumanizes the homeless, causes the distressed recipient to panic and wastes police resources. Police officers who are called upon to respond do not know this is a prank and treat the call as an actual burglary in progress thus creating a potentially dangerous situation.”
Reports of the prank have also surfaced in the United Kingdom, with Dorset Police and police in Poole both responding to calls related to the hoax. The BBC reported on the trend,and Poole police shared a statement on Facebook regarding a call from a pranked parent.
The seriousness of the situation was highlighted by Round Rock Police Patrol Division Commander Andy McKinney in a segment on NBC’s “Nightly News.” He explained that intruder calls “causes a pretty aggressive response for us as we’re worried about the safety of individuals in the home, which can mean clearing the home with guns out…it could cause a SWAT response.”
Authorities are urging individuals to refrain from participating in the prank, emphasizing the potential for wasted resources, unnecessary fear, and even dangerous confrontations with law enforcement. The incident underscores the growing challenges posed by AI-generated content and its potential for misuse.
