Top 5 April Fools' pranks for Facebook

Mar 28, 2012 8:00 AM by Melissa Dunlap

Posted in Holidays & Seasons

Forget pulling little April Fools' Day jokes on just your family and co-workers. These days Facebook is quickly becoming the most popular spot to pull pranks. With instant access to an audience of family, friends and co-workers, pulling a prank on Facebook seems the obvious place to have a little April Fools' Day fun. Check out these prank ideas:

Funny status profile link trick

This Facebook prank spotted on Reface.com is sure to give your friends a little giggle. Thisinnocent-looking link will actually take friends to their own profile page when clicked:
http://facebook.com/profile.php?=73322363

Make a note to turn off the automatic thumbnail preview of the link that Facebook includes by clicking on the blue X in the upper right-hand corner so you don’t spoil the fun when sharing.

Post things like:

Best April Fools' pranks >>

Status update pranks

A common April Fools' prank on Facebook is to fake a pregnancy, and folks are wising up to this annual joke. If you’re looking to post a prank status update this year, check out some of these alternative ideas:

Just got engaged! (Bonus points if you can tag someone in this post who is in on the fun.)
I’m being transferred and moving to a different country (list a specific place)
Just got laid off
I quit my job today
Won the lottery!

Post a Photoshopped profile picture

If you have good photo editing skills, you could photoshop a picture of you with a fake injury or even just post a close-up of a broken arm or a leg in a cast (nothing gory please — keep it light).

For a unique spin on this prank, consider posting a photoshopped image of a fake tattoo. This tutorial shows you how to make any digital image into a tattoo on a photo. While this technique is used by artists to give a sneak preview of what a tattoo would look like, it would also make for an excellent April Fools' prank when posted as your profile picture.

Jokes for April Fools' Day >>

Change your birthday to April first

If you have a gazillion random online acquaintances -- oops, we mean Facebook "friends" -- pull an easy prank on them by simply changing your birthday to April 1 and watch the birthday wishes come rolling in. Consider giving your family and inner crew a heads-up so they don’t mistakenly blow your cover early on by publicly calling you out on your prank.

Hack into your BFF’s Facebook

If you know your bestie’s account information, take a cue from prankster Nicole Richie, who in 2010 hacked into Kim Kardashian’s Twitter account and posted silly messages. Keep the postings clean and lighthearted so you don’t unintentionally turn your BFF into a frenemy, but have fun by posting random messages and pictures. Change someone’s relationship status from single to engaged. Change his or her profile picture to one of someone else. Have a little (harmless) fun.

Even Kardashian thought that the prank pulled by Richie was "hands-down the funniest April Fools’!!"

Tell us

What are some of your favorite April Fools' Day pranks for Facebook? Share in the comment section below!

More ideas for April Fools' Day

Best April Fools' Day pranks for kids
April Fools' Day pranks and tricks
April Fools' Day food pranks

Photo credits: Ryan/WENN.com, Michael Wright/WENN.com

Tags: april fools' day facebook

Comments

Comments on "Top 5 April Fools' pranks for Facebook"

Last year I told everyone on FB that I was going to be in a movie. I said they loved my southern accent and that they loved me. Since I moved from MS to Orange County California it was way believable. Everyone back home fell for the prank. In my small town people were coming up to my mom congratulating her about my movie! Even the mayor and his wife fell for it. I never updated my status to say different. There could be people who still think that I got the part. The year before I said I was moving back Mississippi. They believed that too! Not sure what to do this year...