Customer Support Chat Trolling

About

Customer Support Chat Trolling refers to the practice of pranking a customer service representative while using their company's live web chat service. Online, screenshots and videos depicting various customer support chat pranks are often shared on various social media platforms and web communities.

Origin

On January 19th, 2009, YouTuber Jorgen297 uploaded a video of himself pranking a Microsoft customer support representative during a live webchat session (shown below).

Spread

On February 18th, 2010, Grasscity Forums^[5] member Californication submitted a transcript of a live chat session in which he pranks a Dell customer support representative. On January 28th, 2011, YouTuber xKustomxVegasx uploaded a slideshow showing a gamer trolling an EA Live customer support chat (shown below, left). On May 5th, 2012, YouTuber binbad12321 posted video showing a prank chat with an Xbox Live customer service representative (shown below, right).

On August 9th, 2013, Redditor jjcaseley submitted an Imgur gallery of Apple Customer Support chat pranks orchestrated by users on 4chan's /b/ (random) board (shown below). Prior to being archived, the post gathered upwards of 2,200 votes (91% upvoted) and 125 comments on /r/4chan.^[1]

On June 29th, 2014, the live chat service Customer iCare^[4] published an blog post titled "How to Deal with a Weird Live Chat Troll." On August 26th, Redditor UranusExplorer posted a screenshot of a chat with an Amazon customer service representative, in which the pair role-play as the Norse god Thor and his father Odin (shown below). Being the post was archived, it garnered more than 5,200 votes (88% upvoted) and 860 comments on /r/funny.^[2]

On July 19th, 2016, a T-Mobile customer support chat screenshot was uploaded to the internet humor site OnSizzle, featuring a conversation in which a customer asks "aye you guys like pasta salad?" (shown below). That day, Redditor Trixette submitted a post titled "Why do people keep asking T-Mobile if they like pasta salad?" to /r/OutOfTheLoop,^[3] where it gained over 1,500 votes (85% upvoted) and 200 comments in the first 24 hours.

Search Interest

Not available.

External References