With Halloween just around the corner, it's the perfect time to get into the spirit of everything creepy and scary. There is no better way to get into the spooky spirit than to play some lighthearted pranks on your friends and family. Practical jokes are easier than ever to pull off with the help of the internet.

While many of the classic scary flash games and trolling sites are lost in time, there are still plenty of ways for you to scare your friends online. If you need some inspiration, look no further. All you need is an internet connection, your target's email address, and a great sense of humor.

1. Creepypasta

creepypasta

When people think about the scariest places on the internet, Creepypasta is one that always comes to mind. This platform is the birthplace of countless modern legends such as Slenderman, Jeff the Killer, Smile Dog, and Abandoned by Disney. There is a reason the site remained popular for so long, and it is easy to find something to scare anyone.

Whether you know a hardcore horror fan that is difficult to please or an innocent pacifist that is easy to scare, this site will have something scary for you.

Creepypastas are notorious for their terrifying content. There are tons of classics that are worth looking at, just be ready for a scare. The best part is, you don't even need to be creative.

Other people come up with the content for you, and the site helps filter out which material ends up being the scariest. If you know you can't convince your friend to sit down and read for long enough, you can always direct them to one of the many YouTube channels or podcasts where content creators bring you the scariest acts they can.

Maybe spice it up by adding some pictures or by sending it anonymously. Scary For Kids has a neat collection of scary stories.

2. Dead Fake

deadfake

Dead Fake is a service that lets you send anonymous emails. That alone is not a prank, you need to get creative here. The thing with this site is that you can make your email appear to come from anyone you choose. Do we need to say more?

You can pretend to be a scary monster or a government agent trying to get a scare out of your buddies. Maybe you know their deepest fears are clowns or dolls and can't work with that.

The possibilities are endless, and it is a great way for you to demonstrate how well you know your buddies. Just be sure to never do anything illegal and use this responsibly! Scary e-mails are meant for fun and not to harass anyone.

3. Classic Jump Scares

scary person

These pranks are not for the faint of heart, but they can still be a load of fun. Anyone who was active on the internet in the 2000s still feels the trauma of that opening scene to a “car commercial”.

There are many variations of these pranks, but they all are more or less the same. The really horrible ones will invite users to move closer to the screen and focus heavily on the content before them to “test their skills”.

A seemingly innocent video pops up that encourages views to either let their guards down or enhance their concentration. At a random point some seconds into the video, a monster pops out and loud audio of screams startle the audience.

It may be a car commercial gone haywire or a maze puzzle that turns out haunted. Just take a look at YouTube and search through their videos to find jumpscare links to send to friends.

4. Chain Letters

chain messages

Few scary e-mail pranks are more classic than the spooky chain message. It's almost tradition to end up with (or create) a scary story that encourages your recipients to spread the fun. Essentially, you trick someone into reading a story in their email that normally goes along the lines of some girl going missing or vengeful spirit out for souls.

Those reading the messages get “cursed,” that is, unless they decide to forward the messages to a set number of people in a given time limit.

While everyone knows these aren't real, it doesn't change the fact that these creepy tales make you think twice when you try to go to sleep with the promise of a ghost waiting for you to drop your guard. It's surprising to see how a scary email could give you the feeling someone is watching you.

5. r/nosleep

reddit

If your friends are big on Reddit, you may want to send them to this notorious Subreddit. r/nosleep is even scarier than Creepypasta, and many people writing in the forum claim the stories are real.

There is something unnerving about scrolling through a social media platform and seeing the content written from that point of view rather than on a story site. Try to find something to scare your friends, if you dare.

There is a reason they call the group “no sleep”. If you want a more immediate effect, Reddit is the perfect place to find scary images to send to your friends. In fact, Netflix bought the rights to a r/nosleep story, so they can add the tale to their collection of terrifying content.

6. The Forever Loading Website

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Sure, we all are familiar with laggy websites and poor connections. How does this make the list with horrifying jump scares and Creepypastas? Well, this is a modern kind of scare that is frustrating and makes for a perfect prank.

Use your imagination to turn this ever-loading link into your buddy's worst nightmare. Explain it's that thing they wanted to buy but was sold out, or an embarrassing picture of them they need to take down. Never underestimate the power of everyday horror stories.

Should I Prank My Friends?

Pranking your friends is a classic and harmless way to have fun with friends. Be sure to always use your best judgment because you know your friends and their limits better than we do. Remember, the goal is to have fun!