There used to be a rash of purported
kidnappings that turned out to be hoaxes.
The plan was simple, the rich husband goes to work, and the wife stays home. At work the husband gets a call, "We have kidnapped your wife. Leave one thousand US Dollars on the corner of Hickory Street(or wherever) and leave. Do not call the cops, or she dies. Leave the money in under 40 minutes or she dies."
So the husband frantically calls home, only to get no answer(This was before answering machines). The trick was to call pretending to be the phone company, and saying something like "We're doing mantainence on the line, please don't pick up or use the phone for at least 2 hours" or "There's been an obscene caller in the neighborhood, and we're tracing him now. Please don't pick up your phone for the next hour, it'll probably be him"
Now with the husband convinced of the kidnapping, he takes the company money or bank cash and drops the money off. By the time the wife is found safe and sound, the money is already gone. Pretty smart, and almost no effort needed, short of 2 phone calls. Sorta like George Clooney's character in Out of Sight.
There's another practical joke you can do on the
secretary you hate. No, I haven't done this, but
Jeff Foxworthy has, and I'm reciting from memory from his book:
You: "Yes, this is (phone company). We have a report of having wire difficulties with 555-2312"
Secretary: "Yes, maybe my boss reported it-"
You:" Well, we're going to send out a technician to fix the lines on the pole around 1 O'Clock. We ask that you not make any calls on this line, and if the phone rings Do Not pick it up, or it will send a burst of power over the lines. That could seriously injure the phone repairman."
Note: At our business, the phone board is setup to roll over, so if one secretary doesn't pick up after 4 rings, it rings at the next desk, for the other secretary down the hall to answer it.
So my accomplice looks around the corner, and dials the number at the right time with his cell phone.
Supposedly she "stared at the phone, no way she'll answer it. Then she realizes what will happen, gets up and starts running down the hall, screaming "Don't Answer the Phone! NOoo!"
Sure enough, somebody picked up, I, outside the open window, screamed "AAAArrrgh!"
Next thing, she's in the break room, lying down with an ice pack, saying "you killed the phone man!"