The blog Humans of New York captures portraits of the people who populate New York City and tells a little of their story. Brandon Stanton, the brain behind the storytelling blog-turned-bestseller, was even one of TIME’s 30 Under 30 last year. Thanks to his hard work and poignant stories, apparently people will tell you anything if you say you are from the blog.
So a prankster did just that. Watch how many people who may normally be inclined to brush off someone with a camera stop in their tracks upon hearing the magic words “Humans of New York.” The YouTube joker, PrankDialz, then took numerous photos of them while engaging the unwitting subjects in deep conversations about personal aspects of their lives.
Watch, and trust no one.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Cybersecurity Experts Are Sounding the Alarm on DOGE
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Michelle Zauner Stares Down the Darkness
Contact us at letters@time.com