Viral TikTok promotes fake birthday party in Elkhart

ELKHART, Ind. (WSBT) — A viral TikTok caused a stir promoting a birthday party in Elkhart that turned out to be fake!

The video now has more than 800,000 views, 120,000 likes and thousands of comments about the party that just isn't real.

Packages even arrived at the specified address.

Those caught up in the hoax are demanding answers.

It all started with a TikTok from user “SaraMarie257” posting details about the made-up birthday party in Elkhart.

The video showed images of the person supposedly hosting the event and even provided an address for the party.

But there's just one problem, none of it is real.

“I was shocked because I see my picture and they invited everyone, they invited these people to a birthday party and I'm like, that's not me and I'm not going to have a birthday party,” he told Deborah Buckley.

It used Buckley's photos and said she was planning a birthday party because her husband, who usually organizes the party, died of cancer in May.

The Truth: Buckley hasn't been married since 2013 and his birthday is in April.

“I mean, like I said, I haven't had a husband since 2013, and then he, my ex, passed away last October, so it's going to be a year this month, and that hurt so much,” she told Buckley.

The final photo used in the TikTok is a photo of Buckley with her cats.

It said it was a “cat friendly party” and that there was a real address in Elkhart.

Now both Buckley and the owner of the address are at loggerheads as more people share the video.

“Do you know you’re worried? Is it personal? Is it personal against us, which I don't think so, but how does someone randomly choose our address? This is worrying,” said the owner of the address mentioned.

With Saturday quickly approaching, Elkhart Police were notified.

They said it wasn't a harmless prank. It's scary and an invasion of privacy.

“Please just don’t go there. You know, I know that, which probably really pissed them off for security reasons. For your safety and peace of mind, please do not go there because there is no party going on,” Buckley said.

Since the video is still running and gaining traction, those involved are hoping for answers and a solution before Saturday.

The victims are calling on TikTok users to report the video.

Elkhart police are investigating and will patrol the area.