Nepal Police join April Fool’s day, with a digital twist and a warning

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Apr. 2: In an unexpected turn of events, the Nepal Police itself joined in the spirit of April Fool’s Day, leaving many citizens both amused and momentarily deceived.

April 1, widely known as April Fool’s Day, is traditionally marked by playful tricks among friends. This year, however, the prank came from an unlikely source, the country’s law enforcement authority.

In a social media post early Wednesday morning, the police urged the public to scan a QR code with a seemingly serious prompt: “Have any complaints or petitions been filed against you? Scan the QR code to be sure.”

Curiosity took over, and many users scanned the code, only to be greeted with a blunt message: “April Fool.” Yet the prank carried a deeper purpose.

The message that followed warned users about the rising risks of digital scams, particularly those involving QR codes. It clarified that while this instance was harmless, similar codes could easily be used for fraudulent activities.

Deputy Inspector General and Spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle, said that, through this fool message, the police advisory urged the public, not to scan QR codes received from unknown individuals or unverified sources, to inform family members about such risks, and to always verify before scanning any code. 

With the rapid growth of technology, Nepal Police has increasingly turned to social media campaigns to raise public awareness, especially among younger audiences, said DIG Kafle. 

Reactions online were swift and mixed, though largely appreciative. One user wrote, “I wasn’t going to open it, but it was from a verified account of Nepal Police, and I was fooled. Thank you for the awareness in such a funny way!”

Another remarked wryly, “Life itself has become a joke lately, and today Nepal Police decided to take part in it.”

What began as a prank ultimately delivered a timely reminder; in the digital age, even a simple scan can come with risks.