Memes have been quite in trend since the late 2000s. Undoubtedly, they are an outcome of humor as well as creativity. The FBI surveillance van WiFi meme originated from a prank. A handful of people used to name their Wi-Fi networks as FBI surveillance vans or something similar.
Chances are there that you might still discover available Wi-Fi networks with SSIDs like that. Does this mean that the FBI surveillance van is monitoring the area? Or, is this just a practical joke?
Let’s learn more about FBI surveillance van WiFi memes and what you can do about this.
What if You can Notice an SSID named ‘FBI Van’?
Imagine you open your Wi-Fi window and come across an ‘FBI van’ or ‘NSA van’ in the list of available Wi-Fi networks. Definitely, there’s an access point with that name. You might be thinking about whether an FBI van must be outside your door and lurking across the society.
Well, you need not fear as this is a joke. Users often like to name their Wi-Fi access points in a quirky manner and the FBI surveillance van WiFi meme is still popular.
Apart from making fun, users prefer deterring people from using their Wi-Fi access points by naming them such. Anyone who notices a Wi-Fi name as FBI van or Police Surveillance Van would obviously refrain from using that access point.
However, it’s the owner’s personal preference when it comes to naming the Wi-Fi access point. If the owner wants to crack a joke or play the FBI Surveillance Van WiFi meme, then it’s their choice. You can name your SSID whatever you want.
SSIDs are generally visible to all nearby Wi-Fi users. Until and unless the owner keeps the SSID of the hotspot hidden. Moreover, most people use such names to prank other people around them.
Can the Users get into trouble due to Such Pranks?
The FBI surveillance van WiFi meme might seem funny. The credit goes to the internet that the meme has gone viral, and almost everybody is aware of such pranks. However, these pranks can drive people into distress. Sometimes, SSID pranks can frighten people more than it’s intended. Worse, it might involve the prankster in legal issues.
For instance, we want to recall an incident from 2014 where officials postponed a flight as a Wi-Fi hotspot’s name was related to terrorism. An identical event took place in 2020, and this was associated with a bomb reference.
Did the FBI surveillance van WiFi name make any headlines? Yes, it happened in 2011. A teenager plotted to blow up his school, and the Tampa Police arrested him. And, that’s not the end of the story. He shared on Facebook that he came across an SSID named ‘FBI_SURVEILLANCE_VAN’ just two days before the arrest. You might find the SSID names funny and deterring, but they can bring you real trouble.
Can FBI Surveillance Van WiFi be Real?
As learned from the above incident, chances are there that an FBI or police van might be lurking near you. People might be fooling others with the FBI surveillance van WiFi meme. But, what if it’s the real FBI or Police just outside your door?
On the other hand, we might doubt the sincerity of the FBI personnel who are exposing themselves to others. Believing this claim is quite harder than it appears. What happened to the teenage boy might be a coincidence. After all, we are surrounded by people who like to crack jokes.
However, the police neither confirmed nor declined whether that was a real FBI van in the teenager’s case. Yet, we think that it was just a hilarious incident. A neighbour might have named the hotspot SSID FBI_SURVEILLANCE_VAN. After all, the FBI won’t expose itself like that at any cost.
If the FBI or any equivalent officials had to investigate, they would never expose their tools and techniques to the world. Additionally, they won’t alert the neighbourhood. For sure, we won’t get a hint about their presence even if they have been monitoring the neighbourhood for days.
Is there Anything Scary about the FBI Surveillance Van WiFi Meme?
People created the FBI surveillance van WiFi meme to alert people that a few people might scare others with such an access point name. Or, they just intended to make people laugh. However, an SSID like that can appear to be scary. People who are not aware of the prank can be damn scared.
Additionally, they might start thinking that they are under FBI surveillance for no reason. But, you need not freak out if you haven’t broken any law and order. Even if an FBI van is patrolling near you, there’s no reason that you will be afraid.
However, it’s hard to digest that an FBI van would expose its identity to citizens. The officials will not broadcast the Wi-Fi name. They always use secure VPN connections to keep their activities masked. Using open Wi-Fi networks can trigger data breaches, and tons of important information can benefit cybercriminals.
Additionally, FBI officials won’t set up a van and keep patrolling in a neighbourhood if they are investigating or keeping an eye over someone. It makes sure that they won’t reveal their wireless hotspot’s name, as well.
Should You Name Your Wi-Fi Access Point ‘FBI SURVEILLANCE VAN’ or Something Similar?
The FBI surveillance van WiFi meme undoubtedly sounds funny and deterring; such WiFi names might be amusing for your neighbors. Moreover, the entire thing is a prank or joke. However, it might terrorize others who don’t know what’s happening. It’s better if you don’t name your Wi-Fi SSIDs like that.
If you want to keep your Wi-Fi access point safe, you can strengthen your network’s security. For example, you can hide the SSID and assign a difficult-to-guess password.
