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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Prank to far?

151 replies

Rainbowbagel · 28/10/2020 11:36

I have been the victim of a practical joke at work and it has really hit me hard.

A famous person that I really admired came into work the other day and I served them, I loved this person when I was younger more than I do now and although admittedly with all the headgear and mask I didn’t recognise them at first once they’d left and I’d realised who I served I because overwhelmed with excitement and nostalgia.

Two of my colleagues popped out soon after and came back in 10 minutes later presenting me with a box, it had a cake inside and my name and said celebrities signature on the front. They told me they’d bumped into this celeb and explained what happened and then the celeb had got me a cake and signed the box. (You can see where this is going)

I asked them repeatedly if it was a joke to which they swore adamantly it wasn’t, I proceeded to put it on social media and called those close to me in excitement all whilst asking them if it was a wind up!

A whole week later I am doing a job at work and I notice the same to sniggering in the corner, I asked what they were laughing at and they said not to worry followed by whispering, they carried on giggling and I felt a little left out so asked again, I then started to get the impression I was the joke, I asked if I had something on my face, if I’d said something to upset them or something silly. The laughing worsened and I started to panic and after about ten minutes of me practically begging to be let in on this joke they revealed that the celeb thing had all been a prank. I buried my head, informed them that I was extremely embarrassed and ran to the toiled where I burst into tears.

I have had an extremely tough few weeks (haven't we all!) I lost my job earlier in the year due to Covid and luckily managed to get this to help with bills and keep me afloat. I am struggling financially and I’m so lonely and this has just really got to me.

I counted these people as friends and I just feel so betrayed, the original prank was/is funny but to let me call/ tell people, to tag the celebrity to thank them Blush to be laughing behind my back for a whole week!

I am to embarrassed to speak with anyone about it and get a big emotional when I do so just wanted some (friendly) advice really

Being unreasonable - I am being overly sensitive

Not unreasonable- too far, almost bullying

I think I’ve just been having it so tough recently and this really got me through and now the realisation that it was all a joke at my expense hurts a little deeper.

Brb, just taking the signed fake box down from my wall Blush

OP posts:
Rainbowbagel · 28/10/2020 13:27

@Halliehallie9828 I don’t see how it was unbelievable at the time?
They said they bumped into them in the cake shop, mentioned that the person that just served him is a massive fan and she has just told us a load of stories about her childhood featuring the presence of your music and he ‘apparently’ said “oh bless her let me get her a cake on me and I’ll sign the box”..

But maybe you’re right the more I think of it, it is all too good to be true, I was just hanging on to that glimpse of hope and believing their word.

@OfTheNight I am truly so sorry that happened to you, that is beyond nasty! I hope you reported that and it didn’t affect your confidence. My heart goes out to you x

Again, thank you everyone for all your support on this, it has really really helped x

OP posts:
BrowncoatWaffles · 28/10/2020 13:30

But maybe you’re right the more I think of it, it is all too good to be true, I was just hanging on to that glimpse of hope and believing their word.

No, it wasn't beyond the realms of possibility. Please don't turn this into something where you feel like you were at fault or gullible somehow. It was a cake, it's not like they came back with a £200 piece of jewellery. Definitely not something that could have been too good to be true.

I know you probably can't tell us who the celebrity is but I wish you could because I bet there's 50 of us on this thread who'd be happy to tweet them to point out this shitness.

Flowers
ravenmum · 28/10/2020 13:31

I agree that it's totally baffling how it was even supposed to be funny. I mean, why would you not believe what they told you? It's not like you were being naive or stupid to believe them: they said they did something believable, and you thought they were honest and nice, but it turned out they were weird liars. That doesn't make you look stupid, only them ...

VampireBill · 28/10/2020 13:31

It would've been funny for a minute if they'd got the 'signed' cake, and then pretty much told the truth straight away and you all celebrated meeting your crush with a cup of tea and a slice of the cake, but they took it way, way too far and it became cruel.

SpeccyLime · 28/10/2020 13:32

Oh OP, I’m so sorry.

Please don’t feel that you’re being overly sensitive about this. What they did was really mean and juvenile - way beyond a prank and deeply into bullying territory. They should be ashamed, not you - all you did was express excitement and joy.

Some people are incapable of ever growing up and being decent humans, and it seems like your colleagues are some of them Flowers

Michaelbaubles · 28/10/2020 13:33

I agree they lied, they didn’t prank you. A prank would have been to come in with the box and a tiny fairy cake or something inside so you said “aww, I was excited then, you got me going” and you could all have laughed about it then. Still a bit mean but in some workplaces par for the course. Making up a whole backstory and so on is weird, they spent time and money on this. It’s just odd.

DarkDarkNight · 28/10/2020 13:35

I think giving you the cake and fake signature is just about ok, but letting you put it on social media and the continued laughing and sniggering and not letting you in on the joke is mean.

It’s not nice to be left out in the cold like that. For them to be laughing at you a week later to the point you feel panicked says more about them than you Sad I would have hated that too. I hate to feel embarrassed.

ThirstyGhost · 28/10/2020 13:40

YANBU. Pranks are bullshit. Always. The kind of people who like them are the sort who call low level bullying "banter". They are dickheads with no real sense of humour. I'm so sorry this happened to you.

OfTheNight · 28/10/2020 13:42

@Rainbowbagel thank you. It was years ago and I’d only just started so I didn’t report them, I just avoided them. It did shake me at first but in the end I just realised they were a pair of petty individuals. The guy in question was lovely about it which helped massively. Hold your head high and pity them for being so childish!!

Loubymoo27 · 28/10/2020 13:42

I hate practical jokes at the best of times but this sounds so cruel! I don't think you are over reacting at all!! I hope they do the decent thing and apologise to you, although I can't imagine they will! I hope things get better at work for you!

AnotheChinHair · 28/10/2020 13:48

What a cruel thing to do OP, I am so sorry.

mellicauli · 28/10/2020 13:48

You sound lovely. It's a shit time. They just wanted to hear a bit more of your joy and excitement.

Once the social media started, they were in too deep to get out of it. Which was probably why they were laughing, not at you.

Forgive them and move on.

CounsellorTroi · 28/10/2020 13:52

I do really sympathise OP. It's very similar to something that was done to me by colleagues as a naive and trusting 22 year old. I fancied a guy in the office. I told the girl I shared a desk with as I thought she was a nice person. I got a Valentine card that looked like it had come from his department via internal mail. This bloke and I frequented the same pub. Again my colleague knew this - the card said "hope to see you down the (pub initial) soon" and had his initials! I actually humiliated myself by going up to him in the pub and thanking him for the card. He told me he hadn't sent it. My colleague refused to admit it was her when I asked her. She later married the guy!

CaptainBrickbeard · 28/10/2020 13:55

This is like people who give fake scratch cards. It’s cruel and it isn’t funny. It’s just lying to someone and being unkind to them for trusting you - which, if they’re a friend with a convincing story, why wouldn’t you?

MrsToothyBitch · 28/10/2020 13:58

That's really unkind. You gave them plenty of opportunity to admit it was a prank (and a rather weird one at that, tbh) and the lying to you about it took it beyond mildly amusing/fond teasing to cruel, for me.

No wonder you now feel uncomfortable around these people. Report away.

HellooJackie · 28/10/2020 14:03

They sound like a right pair of c**ts.
What they done is bullying it isn't a joke at all. Shame their faces didn't meet the cake 🤷🏻‍♀️.

doublehalo · 28/10/2020 14:04

Bless you OP, they're a pack of spiteful little shits.

Flowers

Nothing I hate more than practical jokes.

maras2 · 28/10/2020 14:08

rainbow
Sorry this happened to you.
It was just plain nasty and spiteful.
Shame on them. Halloween Angry.
Hope the Hobgoblins get them at the weekend.
Bastards.

MingeofDeath · 28/10/2020 14:12

This is a horribly cruel thing to do. The thing you can take from this is that these people are not your friends and have exposed themselves for what they really are.

fabulousathome · 28/10/2020 14:28

Let's hope they feel really bad and can't sleep at night.

Such mean people.

Serin · 28/10/2020 14:29

Bunch of idiots.
You have nothing to be embarrassed about, they should be ashamed of themselves, and hopefully they are now!!

1forAll74 · 28/10/2020 14:48

I think you over reacted, as pranks have been done in workplaces forever. You kind of made things worse for yourself, by posting on social media etc. It's something and nothing really, and I would consider it amusing.

diddl · 28/10/2020 15:14

"I think giving you the cake and fake signature is just about ok,"

Why?

It's all intended to see if Op falls for it & I presume laugh in disbelief at her gullibility when she does.

I probably would have fallen for it, Op, because although unlikely it could have happened.

More because it wouldn't have occured to be that such bitches exist.

I'm older now...

QuestionableMouse · 28/10/2020 15:47

@1forAll74

I think you over reacted, as pranks have been done in workplaces forever. You kind of made things worse for yourself, by posting on social media etc. It's something and nothing really, and I would consider it amusing.
It's not a prank. It was a a nasty plan to deliberately make the op feel like shit.
OwlOne · 28/10/2020 15:52

Just listening to some HR gubbins for work and employment law barrister says "if the person didnt laugh, it wasnt funny".