A TikTok creator recently attempted to prank people by pretending to take cash from their iPhones using the Tap to Pay feature. Unfortunately for the prankster, the situation escalated and did not end well. The prank involves the creator holding their iPhone near a stranger’s device, playing the distinct sound associated with transactions, and then expressing gratitude for a supposed donation.
This setup is typically filmed for a comedic TikTok video, but often, a police presence is not far behind. In an incident reported by the UK’s Daily Mail, a TikTok user in London claimed to have taken £10,000 (approximately $13,500) from a passerby along the River Thames, though he later revised this figure to £1,000. The situation quickly turned chaotic when the man confronted the prankster.
As tensions rose, the TikTok user’s friend continued filming, asking if they should keep recording the unfolding events. Two plainclothes police officers soon intervened and, after the TikTok user resisted arrest, they proceeded to handcuff him. The officers informed him that he would be searched for items related to suspected fraud.
While the outcome for the TikTok duo remains unclear, the incident highlights the risks of such pranks. Contrary to the prank’s premise, actual funds cannot be transferred using Apple Pay without user confirmation. In the UK, the similar Tap to Pay feature only facilitates transactions with merchants.
The concept of transferring money via the prank relies on misinformation since the functionalities required, like Apple Cash, aren’t available in the region. Users in the US must follow several steps to execute a transaction, making this prank even more improbable and amusingly misguided.
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