Warning claims two men knocking on doors are dangerous – Fact Check

A warning is circulating social media that claims two men are knocking on doors in local neighborhoods claiming to be from a plumbing, heat and air company checking for leaky taps to trick home owners into letting them in. The warning claims the men are actually dangerous.

The warning includes a photo of two men along with an image of a trade van with Oh-Kay Plumbing & Heating written on it. An example as it appeared on Facebook can be seen below –

***WARNING!!!***
These two men are going around local neighborhoods knocking on doors claiming to be from a plumbing and heat & air company and asking for entry to your home to check your tapes for possible leaks!
DO NOT let them in, they ARE NOT plumbers!!!
PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS AS THEY ARE DANGEROUS!!!

The warning has been shared thousands of times in only a small number of weeks, despite most people recognising that the warning is actually a joke and shouldn’t be taken seriously.

The two men in the photo are not dangerous, or criminals. In fact they are actors who famously played the two bumbling crooks Harry and Marv in the first two Home Alone movies. They are Joe Pesci (left) and Daniel Stern (right.)

Pranksters have taken their photo and used it to create a joke warning that is circulating online. While many social media users have understood the joke, others – who have either not seen the movies or not recognised the actors – have taken the warning at face value.

Sponsored Content. Continued below...

This isn’t the first time their photo has been spread in a fake warning. In 2016, another fake warning used their photo while claiming the pair were claiming to work from United Utilities.

The claim in the warning that the pair are claiming to check for leaky taps is likely a reference to the movie where the pair of crooks called themselves the Wet Bandits whose “signature” was to leave taps running in houses they burgled. The photo of the van in the warning above is also taken from the Home Alone movie. A photo of the pair from the movie can be seen below.

As such, the warning is intended as a joke and shouldn’t be taken seriously.