Red Baron worker GoFundMe, viral prank video
The fake payment stunt took place in a shop's frozen-food section, though no one has yet confirmed exactly which store it was Phillip Pessar / CC BY 2.0, cropped

A GoFundMe for a Michigan father had topped $350,000 (£262,000) by 30 October, after a prankster filmed him snapping while stocking Red Baron frozen pizzas. That was more than double its $160,000 (£120,000) total a day earlier. Through the organiser, the worker, Walt Z, has thanked donors, and his family has asked for privacy.

The clip has set off a wider row about prank videos that use shop workers for clicks. Earlier this year, strangers gave more than $500,000 (£375,000) to an elderly DoorDash driver. GoFundMe's 2025 review found that fundraisers for essentials such as rent, utilities, and groceries rose 20 per cent.

What Happened in the Viral Red Baron Prank Video

A man filming on his phone asks the worker for the time, then holds his phone near the worker's as an Apple Pay sound plays. He claims to have taken $10 (£7.50), and later thanks him for '$20'. The worker first responds calmly and says he will report the man. He then explains that his children went to bed without him, that he is an hour late and that he faces another early shift.

'It's not a joke to me, OK? My life is hard enough as it is,' he tells the man filming. He adds that he has four children at home and admits he cannot even pay his mortgage. The Instagram account named in the clip's watermark no longer appears online. Schwan's Company, Red Baron's parent company, had not responded to Newsweek's request for comment. It told the New York Post that the incident occurred in August, that it had checked on Walt and offered support, and that he remained a valued employee. No one has confirmed the store's location.

How the Red Baron Worker's GoFundMe Grew

Luke Oakenshield, who had never met the worker, launched the online fundraiser on 27 October and says he will not take any of the money. The total had passed $20,000 (£15,000) by 28 October and $100,000 (£75,000) the next day. The latest count stands at $369,289 (£277,000) from about 10,200 donations, with the largest single gift reported at $30,000 (£22,500). Oakenshield has since raised the target to $400,000 (£300,000).

Oakenshield, who posts on Reddit as WereTheBrews, tracked the worker down within days and spoke to him and his partner by video call. In an update on the page, he said Walt was 'absolutely blown away by how much people have cared'. The organiser says GoFundMe is now transferring the money. GoFundMe's Giving Guarantee allows donors to request refunds; the platform says it investigates suspected misuse and refunds donations when warranted.

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The Privacy Request and the Online Backlash

A post on a Reddit forum created to find the worker said the family wants privacy. Oakenshield has published only the worker's first name and initial, although some users have circulated fuller details of his identity. Walt's family has not spoken publicly beyond those messages.

Criticism of the prank spread quickly online. A post by Texas Republican Sarah Fields, who said the video broke her, drew 3.5 million views, and commentators Benny Johnson and Collin Rugg shared the fundraiser. It is unclear whether the worker faces workplace action.

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