{{Short description|YouTube channel created by Matteo Moroni}} {{Multiple issues| {{Primary sources|date=March 2020}} {{unreliable sources|date=March 2020}} }} {{Infobox social media personality | name = DM Pranks | image = | birth_name = Matteo Moroni | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|6|25}} | birth_place = Castiglione del Lago, Italy | occupation = {{Flatlist| * Prankster * creative director * filmmaker}} | website = | youtube_handle = DmPranksProductions | youtube_display_name = DM Pranks | youtube_years_active = 2013–present | youtube_genre = {{flatlist| *Scare pranks *Comedies}} | youtube_subscribers = 4.61 million<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE WITHOUT UPDATING stats_update BELOW --> | youtube_views = 237 million<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE WITHOUT UPDATING stats_update BELOW --> | stats_update = June 12, 2025 }} '''DM Pranks''' is an Italian YouTube channel created by Matteo Moroni. In 2013, he began to play pranks, and post videos on a channel on YouTube.<ref name="statistics">{{cite web|title=DmPranksProductions YouTube statistics|website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/user/DmPranksProductions/about|accessdate=2 August 2015}}</ref> As of May 2020, their channel has nearly 5 million subscribers and more than 215 million video views.<ref name="statistics" />
The YouTube channel is known for its "killer clown" character,<ref>{{cite news|title="Clowns effrayants" et "chasseurs de clowns", histoire d'une psychose|newspaper=Le Monde.fr |date=27 October 2014 |url=http://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2014/10/27/clowns-effrayants-et-chasseurs-de-clowns-histoire-d-une-psychose_4513220_4408996.html|accessdate=2 August 2015}}</ref> which scares members of the public by running at them wielding hammers or chainsaws.
== Early life == Matteo Moroni was born in Castiglione del Lago, Italy on June 25, 1987, and moved to Magione where he was raised.
== YouTube career == In 2015 one of Moroni's external collaborators Diego Dolciami unfaithfully registered the "DM PRANKS" trademark. In January 2018 the federal district of California sentenced Dolciami for the use of the competing mark which constitutes trademark infringement and competing application was made in bad faith and constitutes fraud upon the USPTO.<ref>{{cite news|title=YouTube channel DM Pranks creator alleges individual is unlawfully trying to register mark |url=https://norcalrecord.com/stories/511100399-youtube-channel-dm-pranks-creator-alleges-individual-is-unlawfully-trying-to-register-mark |publisher=norcalrecord}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=California Federal Case #:2:17-cv-02363 |url=https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/20979233/Moroni_Matteo_v_Diego_Dolciami_Servettini_et_al |website=Pacemonitor}}</ref>
=== Killer Clown === A video entitled "Killer Clown Scare Prank!", posted on May 11, 2014 and has over 52 million views, shows DM Pranks "pranking" a victim dousing the area around his car with what appears to be gasoline.<ref>{{cite web|title=Killer Clown Scare Prank!| website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xSNiPx791A|accessdate=2 August 2015}}</ref> In the same video a clown set up large bottles on a dummy's head that he filled with fake blood and then smashed with a large hammer to simulate a murder.<ref>{{cite web|title=Killer clown pranksters terrorize unsuspecting victims in Italy|website=New York Daily News |date=14 May 2014 |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/killer-clown-pranksters-terrorize-unsuspecting-victims-italy-article-1.1791707|accessdate=2 August 2015}}</ref>
The video "Killer Clown Returns Scare Prank!" was posted on June 15, 2014 and has over 85 million views.<ref>{{cite web|title=Killer Clown Returns Scare Prank!| website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHjGtBnSv50|accessdate=2 August 2015}}</ref> It features a fake clown pranking passers by running after them with an iron hammer or a chainsaw.{{Citation needed|date=March 2020}}
On September 7, 2014, DM Pranks received the first significant success, with the video "Killer Clown 3 - The Uncle! Scare Prank!". A man dressed up as a clown scared random bystanders with a road roller.<ref>{{cite web|title=Killer Clown 3 video racks up trilogy views|url=http://www.onlinesocialmedia.net/20140911/killer-clown-3-video-racks-up-trilogy-views/|accessdate=2 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924060517/http://www.onlinesocialmedia.net/20140911/killer-clown-3-video-racks-up-trilogy-views/|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> By September 2014 the "Killer Clown 3 - The Uncle! Scare Prank!" had been viewed more than 105 million times.<ref>{{cite web|title=Killer Clown 3 - The Uncle! Scare Prank!| website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHZPEkZCqwA|accessdate=2 August 2015}}</ref>
On November 16, 2014, DM Pranks filmed a prank entitled "Killer Clown 4 - Massacre! Scare Prank!", involving two clowns driving a car and then hitting a mannequin. In the video the clowns scared a man in a public toilet by setting up a fake chainsaw murder. The YouTube video now has over 62 million views.<ref>{{cite web|title=Killer Clown 4 - Massacre! Scare Prank!| website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RO_HQMvxLo|accessdate=2 August 2015}}</ref>
=== Other characters === Other videos they have created include the "Devil's Daughter Scare Prank!", featuring a devil woman who scared people by screaming. The video was uploaded on August 3, 2014 and generated more than 34 million views.<ref>{{cite web|title=Devil's Daughter Scare Prank!| website=YouTube | date=3 August 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb0ODOSyg4s|accessdate=2 August 2015}}</ref>
Another one of DM Pranks's videos is titled "Telekinetic Priest Attack Scare Prank!". This video was posted on July 9, 2014 and has over 18 million views.<ref>{{cite web|title=Telekinetic Priest Attack Scare Prank!| website=YouTube | date=9 July 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzKMhOAly_Y|accessdate=2 August 2015}}</ref> It features a fake telekinetic priest going after people and making chairs and garbage move.
On March 17, 2014, DM Pranks pulled a prank called "Flamethrower Psycho Scare Prank" which involved a dark dressed man running after people with a flamethrower. The prank went viral receiving over 14 million views.<ref>{{cite web|title=Flamethrower Psycho Scare Prank| website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FztNNH9_vI|accessdate=2 August 2015}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist|2}}
== External links == * {{cite web|title=Galileo - Video - Scary Santa-Experiment|date=17 December 2014 |url=http://www.prosieben.de/tv/galileo/videos/2014323-scary-santa-experiment-clip|accessdate=2 August 2015}} * {{cite web|title=Le Tube du 01/11/14 - Part. 2 Avec Christophe Hondelatte|url=http://www.canalplus.fr/c-emissions/c-le-tube/pid7542-le-tube.html?vid=1158498|accessdate=2 August 2015}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pranks, DM}} Category:1987 births Category:Living people Category:Italian directors Category:Prank YouTubers Category:People from Perugia Category:Italian YouTubers Category:YouTube channels launched in 2013 Category:People from Castiglione del Lago