ROUND ROCK, Texas — Round Rock police are warning residents about a viral social media trend that has prompted false emergency calls after teenagers used AI-generated images to convince their parents of fake home invasions.
The Round Rock Police Department said the trend, circulating on TikTok and other platforms, involves teens sending text messages and realistic AI-generated images to their parents depicting a stranger inside their home. The fabricated images often show what appears to be a homeless man sitting on a couch, standing in the kitchen or eating food.
The hoaxes have led parents to call 911.
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Round Rock officers responded to two such calls over the weekend, both confirmed to be hoaxes, police said in a statement Monday. No one was harmed in either incident.
“Making false reports like these can tie up emergency resources and delay responses to legitimate calls for service,” the department said.
Police urged parents to discuss the risks and potential legal consequences of participating in such trends with their children. Under Texas Penal Code 42.06, knowingly making a false report to law enforcement is a criminal offense.