On April 1, 2025, internet users shared a rumor that investor Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway bought Tesla, billionaire Elon Musk's electric car company, for $1 trillion.

Musk's social media antics were part of an April Fool's prank, but investors weren't laughing. Tesla shares dropped another 5 percent, according to The Washington Post, with business experts openly questioning Musk's ability to lead the multi-billion dollar company.

For every well-executed corporate hoax, there's an overeager company whose ill-conceived pranks have blown up in their faces, sometimes badly.