How to Scare Your Boyfriend Through Text

Looking to give your BF a good scare? A good prank text is a fun, playful way to keep him on his toes—as long as you know how to push his buttons. We’ve covered everything you need to know about scary text pranks, so you can craft the perfect text that’s sure to leave him reeling. Is your boyfriend not really into pranks? We’ve got you covered there, too. Scroll to the bottom of the article for some prank-free text ideas that’ll still leave him spooked.

Section 1 of 4:

Scary Prank Text Ideas

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1
Mention that you bumped into one of his (or your) exes. Start off your text really innocently, saying that you’re “at the grocery store” or “at the gas station.” Then, drop the bomb that you’ve bumped into one of his exes (or one of yours—whichever you think would spook him more). Explain that you’re having a great conversation, and see how he reacts.
- “Just bumped into Kelsey at the corner store! You’ll never guess what we’re talking about 😏😏”
- “Guess who I ran into at the grocery store! Jordan says hi, btw 😉”
- “Just bumped into Collin on my way out of work…we talked for like 20 minutes 😜”
2
Challenge him to do something crazy to prove his love. How much does your BF truly love you? A playful, high-stakes test will help you see exactly what your man is willing to do for love.
- “You, me, matching tattoos? Made an appointment for us at 8 💕”
- “Dan said that you weren’t brave enough to go sky-diving, so I made a bet to prove him wrong. I scheduled a sky-diving session for you this weekend to settle the score! 😝”
- “I read this story about a couple who sewed themselves together so they can be connected forever. Wanna give it a try?”
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3
Make him think that you’re both in really big trouble. From pregnancy scares to parental freakouts, there’s no shortage of ways you can get your man’s heart pounding over text. Just remember—the more dramatic the message, the bigger the chance it could backfire!
- “Guess who’s going to be a dad? 👶” (For bonus points, send a fake, grainy ultrasound picture to “prove” your story)
- “My dad found the condoms you left in my room 😰”
- “My mom read the texts you sent me last night…😫”
4
Accuse of him of lying about something. Start off your text on a really dramatic note—something like “OMG, I can’t believe you’ve been lying to me this entire time” is a great example. Then, see if he rushes to defend his honor.
- “I can’t believe you lied to me!! Steve just texted me this picture…😒”
- “OMG did you really think you could hide this from me?? 😡”
- In some cases, your fake accusation might inspire your BF to confess to something very real.
- You could also flip things around by sending him an “I haven’t been totally honest with you…” text.^{[1]XResearch source}
5
Share a fake, dramatic family announcement. The bigger, the better! Tell your boyfriend that you’re leaving the country with your parents, or that you have to enter witness protection right away. To really amp up the scare value, try to rope him into this fake scheme, too.
- “Babe, I have some big news…my family is moving to Nepal next month. There’s enough room for you to stay with us in our apartment, though! 😍” (This type of message is especially effective if your BF hates traveling)
- “There’s no time to explain—my family and I are being put in witness protection at the end of the week. You can come with us, but you have to decide now.”
6
Ask him for urgent help with a made-up, catastrophic problem. From kidnapping plots to fake home invasions, there are plenty of ways you can get his adrenaline racing with a single message. Just remember—the higher the stakes are in your message, the less likely your BF is to forgive you when the ruse is revealed.
- “The septic tank in our backyard just exploded. My dad says we need all hands on deck for this—can you be here in 15? 💩”
- “Babe, help!!! I just checked our bank account balance and it says we only have $5…”
- “Help!! Two men just stuffed me in the trunk of their car and are asking for $10,000 😱”
7
Tell him something super gross that will make him gag. Is your BF super scared of spiders, cockroaches, or other creepy-crawlies? Use his fear to your advantage as you report a seriously gross discovery you just “made.” Feel free to mention other topics that might make him squeamish, too.
- “Found a spider crawling over your pillow…should I leave it there? 🤔🕷”
- “There may or may not be 1,000 ants marching through our bathroom right now…🐜”
- “This dude barfed all over the subway 🤢 Wanna see?”
8
Shoot over a spooky one-liner. Why write out an entire paragraph when you can freak your BF out with a single sentence? A simple, ominous one-liner is sure to give him the chills!^{[2]XTrustworthy SourceGreater Good MagazineJournal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier livingGo to source}
- “Whatever you do, don’t go in the basement.”
- “I heard on the news that there’s a serial killer on the loose in our area…”
- “Don’t look now, but I think someone’s standing in your front yard.”

Section 2 of 4:

How to Reveal the Prank

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1
Let him know that it’s a prank right away. A funny joke can quickly turn cruel if you never deliver the punchline. As soon as your boyfriend reads and reacts to the text, let him know that you’re totally joking and that nothing crazy, terrible, or otherwise extreme has happened.
- “Totally joking!! Wish I could see your face right now 🤣”
- “Just kidding!! Did I scare you? 😏”
- “I’m joking, btw. Did you believe me? 😂”
2
Apologize sincerely if he didn’t find the joke funny. Let him know that you’re really sorry, and that you genuinely didn’t mean to upset him. Explain that you won’t send those types of texts again, and ask him what types of jokes and/or pranks he would prefer.
- The “why-because-and” formula is a pretty foolproof formula for a great apology. Explain why you’re apologizing to begin with, describe the reason (or the because) that you feel bad. Then, use and to explain how you’ll do better in the future.^{[3]XTrustworthy SourceHarvard Medical SchoolHarvard Medical School's Educational Site for the PublicGo to source}
- You might say, “I’m really sorry for sending you that text because I know it freaked you out, and I’ll be more mindful of your boundaries in the future.”

Section 3 of 4:

Tips for Success

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1
Wait until your boyfriend is in a happy, playful mood. This is pretty self-explanatory, but your BF probably won’t take any kind of text prank well if he’s in a bad headspace. Wait until he’s feeling pretty relaxed and care-free before sending anything over.
- For example, your BF probably isn’t in the mood for a scary prank when he’s cramming for a big test.
Maybe your beau is pretty squeamish about gore, or he’s terrified of heights. In those cases, sending him a gory picture from a horror movie or pretending to sign him up for sky-diving definitely won’t go over well. Remember—at the end of the day, your prank should be all in good fun.
If your boyfriend isn’t a big fan of pranks and scary jokes, it might be hard to find a good opportunity to prank him. Saving your scary text for Halloween or April Fool’s Day will make it way more obvious that you’re goofing around, and may help the prank go over a little better.

Section 4 of 4:

What if my boyfriend doesn’t like pranks?

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1
Send him a really scary story. A spooky text story is a great way to give your BF the creeps without directly involving him in a prank. Send over a pre-written story that’ll give him the chills, or get your own creative juices flowing by coming up with your own story!
- There are plenty of creepy chain messages that you can paste and send to your boyfriend, like the “Story of Gina,” “Story of Tina,” and “Story of Lauren.”^{[4]XTrustworthy SourceAssociation for Psychological ScienceNonprofit organization devoted promoting trustworthy research and education in the psychological sciencesGo to source}
2
Shoot over a spooky picture. Is your BF a fan of ghosts and everything supernatural? If so, send him a “haunted” picture or a video of “ghost footage” to really give him a thrill. You can even turn it into a contest by seeing who can find the scariest picture or video!
- If your beau is a big horror or thriller movie fan, send him some especially gruesome screenshots from iconic movies. Then, see if he can guess which movie it’s from!

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Tips

Keep your scary text as simple as possible. Messages that are extra goofy and frightening may seem too over-the-top to be taken seriously.
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Warnings

When it comes to pranks, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. If your prank text could genuinely offend or upset your BF, you’re better off not sending it.
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