Snapchat introduced voice and video calling inside its chat feature, giving calls their own distinct ringtone so users could tell an app call apart from a regular phone call. Because almost everyone recognises that tune, creators began lifting it from the app and using it in short-form videos, pranks and reaction clips to imitate a real incoming call. It spread mainly through TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, where the fake-call setup became a reliable way to grab attention in the first seconds of a clip.