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History has a funny way of surprising us. Just when you think you've heard it all, you stumble across a story so bizarre that it sounds like someone made it up. From people who managed to sell famous landmarks that didn't belong to them to elaborate hoaxes that fooled the public, the past is packed with moments that are equal parts unbelievable and hilarious.
Take the Great Moon Hoax of 1835, for example. The New York Sun published a series of fake articles claiming that astronomers had discovered forests, oceans, and even strange winged humanoids on the Moon. The stories were falsely attributed to a respected astronomer, Sir John Herschel, and were so convincing that they helped boost the newspaper’s popularity before their claims were eventually questioned.
Then there was Victor Lustig, one of history's most notorious con artists, whose unbelievable exploits are chronicled in Christopher Sandford's book Victor Lustig: The Man Who Conned the World. Operating during the golden age of con artistry after World War I, Lustig reportedly used more than 45 aliases, spoke six languages, and even managed to swindle gangster Al Capone. But his most audacious scheme involved the Eiffel Tower. After reading a newspaper article about the landmark's high maintenance costs, Lustig posed as a government official and secretly invited prominent scrap metal dealers to a meeting, claiming the tower was to be sold for scrap. He convinced one dealer to pay him a hefty sum before fleeing to Vienna with the money. And incredibly, Lustig reportedly pulled off the Eiffel Tower scam not once, but twice!
And Lustig wasn't the only con artist who made a fortune selling things that didn't belong to him. George C. Parker became infamous for convincing unsuspecting buyers that he could sell them some of America's most iconic landmarks, with the Brooklyn Bridge being his favorite target. Posing as its legitimate owner, he forged documents and spun convincing stories to persuade people that they could purchase the bridge and collect tolls from anyone crossing it. His scams were so believable that, on several occasions, police reportedly had to intervene when the supposed new owners showed up and tried to set up toll booths. But Parker didn't stop at the bridge. He also claimed to sell landmarks such as Madison Square Garden, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and even the Statue of Liberty. His elaborate cons eventually caught up with him, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment at Sing Sing Prison in 1928.
India has its own legendary con artist, too. Mithilesh Kumar Srivastava, better known as Natwarlal, was infamous for his forgery skills and elaborate scams. Among his most outrageous claims was that he had sold the Taj Mahal multiple times by impersonating officials and forging documents. Stories about his exploits also include claims that he sold the Red Fort and even the Indian Parliament building. His reputation for escaping custody only added to the legend surrounding him.
Of course, not every historical prank was about making money. Some people were simply interested in seeing how far they could take a joke. In 1809, British writer and notorious practical joker Theodore Hook made a bet with his friend that he could turn an ordinary London house into the most talked-about address in the city within a week. His chosen target was 54 Berners Street, and his plan was as elaborate as it was ridiculous.
Hook reportedly sent thousands of letters, pretending to be the home's resident and requesting deliveries, appointments, and visits from all sorts of people. On the appointed day, the street descended into chaos as chimney sweeps, bakers, furniture movers, musicians, doctors, lawyers, and other unsuspecting visitors arrived, all expecting to be welcomed. The commotion reportedly drew crowds and caused major disruption, with people struggling to understand why so many unrelated services had been requested at the same address. Hook's elaborate stunt turned an ordinary London street into a scene of complete confusion, all to win a bet.
More than a century later, another group of pranksters fooled an entire naval crew with a stunt known as the Dreadnought hoax. In 1910, writer and practical joker Horace de Vere Cole organized a fake royal visit to the British battleship HMS Dreadnought, with a group that included a young Virginia Woolf and several of her friends. They dressed up as members of an imaginary royal delegation from Abyssinia, complete with elaborate costumes, turbans, and fake beards, and arranged for a telegram supposedly from the Foreign Office to announce their arrival. The crew welcomed the visitors with an honor guard and gave them a tour of the warship, apparently failing to realize the supposed dignitaries were British pranksters in disguise. The group even used made-up language and nonsense phrases to make the performance more convincing. Once the hoax was exposed, the story caused a sensation and embarrassed the Royal Navy. It became one of Britain's best-known practical jokes, showing just how far a straight face and a convincing setup could take a prank.
