The Berners Street hoax is perpetrated by Theodore Hook in the City of Westminster, London.

The Berners Street Hoax, orchestrated by the infamous prankster Theodore Hook in 1810, is a legendary example of 19th-century mischief. Hook wagered with a friend that he could transform an ordinary address into the most talked-about location in London within 24 hours. He targeted 54 Berners Street, sending out a flood of fake orders and requests to businesses and individuals across the city. By the morning of November 27, a chaotic crowd of tradesmen, deliverymen, craftsmen, dignitaries, and even medical professionals began arriving at the address, each convinced they were responding to a legitimate summons. The situation escalated into utter pandemonium, drawing large crowds of spectators and requiring police intervention to restore order. Though Hook cleverly evaded suspicion, the hoax highlighted the susceptibility of communication systems to exploitation, making it a notorious anecdote of pre-modern urban life.