[Ammi]

Rebecca Busch was already nervous about her daughter Samantha's trip to the Grand Canyon.

But her anxiety went through the roof when the 22-year-old texted a photograph of herself plunging into the enormous abyss.


The incredible image was actually an elaborate rouse designed to wind up her overprotective mother - in reality, Ms Busch was stood firmly on a ledge as her boyfriend took the snap

But Mrs Busch, of Westmont, Illinois, took the bait, claiming the shot nearly gave her a heart attack, and now the prank has gone viral after it was posted on Reddit.

'For five days up to when we left, my mom had warned me about falling off the cliff or being blown off,' Ms Busch told ABCNews.com

'So when we were hiking around the corner, I found a good spot where I could stand on the ledge. (My boyfriend) angled the camera just right and he took a great picture.'

But Mrs Busch and all her co-workers didn't see the funny side

'I messaged it to her first and she works for a medical auditing company and there are women who have known me since day one, and they freaked out over it also,' Ms Busch said.

'I emailed it to them, too, and they were all freaking out over it saying I gave them a heart attack.'

To make the prank more believable, the 22-year-old switched off the GPS locator on her cell phone so she couldn't be tracked.

'I work for her, so constantly every single day we communicate over work stuff

Ms Busch told the TV station. 'So for the whole week I decided not to let her know where I'm at. I had to give her some practice to not know where I am every day.'

With the caption, 'Mom was worried about my trip to the Grand Canyon, I sent her this picture,' Ms Busch uploaded the spoof photograph to Reddit and it went viral immediately.

She said her mom had now calmed down and forgiven her for getting her pulse racing.

'She's fine. She wasn't even angry. She was just relieved,' the young woman said.

But, despite the reaction, she insisted the prank wouldn't be her last.

'There's no end to my pranking,' Ms Busch told ABC

[Brother Leon]

Yeah. I imagine someone would take a photo of someone in that position. **** helping them

[Ammi]

..yeah, but mums don't think like that though..you see your child like that and it would take a while before logic kicked in...by which time you could have a heart attack....silly girl...

[Me. I Am Salman]

"elaborate rouse"
she stood on a ledge.
and they can't even spell ruse

[Marc]

What an idiot, karma will get her now and she'll probably get mugged by a canyon

[Ammi]

...yeah and her mum will just laugh and say..'LOL..that canyon didn't really mug her...I'm not falling for it this time..'

[Ninastar]

she reminds me of nicole

[Kizzy]

Brilliant! Sort of thing my daughter would do

[Glenn.]

That picture is hilarious

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Ninastar

she reminds me of nicole

..yeah, actually she does look a bit like Nicole lol..

[Marc]

Nicole fgs

[Marcus.]

poor mom

[nicole_burks]

Originally Posted by Ninastar

she reminds me of nicole

Originally Posted by Ammi

..yeah, actually she does look a bit like Nicole lol..

Originally Posted by Marc

Nicole fgs

my mom would never forgive me for something like this.

[Smithy]

I think you should do it nicole

[GypsyGoth]