Online pranks are the most fun one can have with their clothes on during lockdown - and this man's perplexing message asking a student with the same name as him to cover his shift as a 'professional duvet mover' is particularly excellent. Watch his bizarre training video for the role here:
Anthony Marshall, a 29-year-old marketing director from North Walsham, Norfolk (let's call him Anthony 1), messaged a 22-year-old University of Chester student with the same name on Twitter (from here on Anthony 2) asking that he took over from him for a shift at his (fictional) job.
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Anthony 1 said: "Hi bro, just wondering if you could go to work for me on Friday seeing as you have the same name. I can give you my overalls and that.
"You just need to clock in. I just really can't be bothered and I don't want to get fired so I'm thinking they won't really do much if I send you in because all they have is my name and never took any documents etc. It's all cash in hand. Thanks let me know."
Anthony 2, seemingly attracted by the Anthony Marshall sense of community, accepted the offer in exchange for payment.
Eventually, Anthony 1 sent Anthony 2 a training video (see above). Anthony 1 might have spent as much time coaching his namesake replacement as he would have to do his actual (albeit fictional) shift.
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Believing his victim to have been completely persuaded, Anthony 1 requested proof of Anthony 2's capabilities as a 'professional duvet mover'. But Anthony 2's sense of humour has a limit. He stopped replying.
Anthony 1 insisted, but to no avail: "Hey mate. I'm a bit worried about this shift. Can you definitely do the tasks? I can't lose this job bro.
"I really need the money and my kids just had to go without a Christmas present, but like I said I really can't be bothered to go tomorrow."
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Anthony 2, posted the exchanges on Twitter to the delight of 34.5k people, saying: "This guy has lost the plot."
Anthony 2 said he was always aware it was a prank. He explained: "I saw the message request and I thought my dad had made a Facebook because we have the same name.
"When I saw it I showed my housemates straight away and thought I'm going to push this as far as I can, then it got to the video and I thought, 'I can't do that'.
"[The video] was amazing. My housemates are imitating it all the time now. Fair play to him, he really went for it. I don't know if I could have done it - it was a pretty intense training video.
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"I don't think duvet moving is for me. It wouldn't look that great on the CV, but it's definitely better than furlough."
Anthony 1 was disappointed by the lack of support of his brother-in-name: "I was hoping he'd send a video back, but he didn't. He posted it on Twitter then I heard about it from a mate. I find it hilarious, but I'll never trust an Anthony Marshall again."
He added: "If another Anthony Marshall messaged me, I'd do anything for them. If they want me to do the video then I'd have done it."
Words: Cilene Tanaka
Topics: Prank, UK Community