These messages weren't ignored, either. At least one of those House members "repeatedly" interacted with the faker, according to a WSJ source. It's not clear if this representative had supplied any information, though.

A spokeswoman for Kinzinger noted that the messages had been circulating for "months" and had been reported to law enforcement before, but it was only now that there was "renewed interest" in finding the perpetrator.

While this could be an elaborate prank, the White House isn't taking any chances. An unnamed official said that the White House had not only blocked the number behind the fake messages, but considered it a potential security risk given the obvious safety threat. The incidents also underscore how few identity checks there appear to be in Congress at the moment -- an unfamiliar number should have been a red flag.