It is illegal and you will get a Class A misdemeanor. They might have trouble concentrating, sleeping, or socializing.Īlso, don’t make prank calls to a person who has a restraining order against you. The trust between people can break, making it hard for the victim to feel safe. In some cases, the psychological impact can be long-lasting, leading to emotional distress. Invading their personal space can hurt their emotions for a long time. The recipient of a prank call may experience feelings of fear, humiliation, or anxiety. So, be careful when posting prank calls to the public.Įven if the prank call is not illegal, it can still affect people psychologically. But, any prank call can get out of hand, for example, if the restaurant perceives it as reputational damage. The police will treat this as a misdemeanor and you will get off with a fine. And also if you record and post it in public. But if you make such calls several times, the restaurant has the right to call the police for harassment. Usually, these jokes are completely legal and it’s not bad to prank call them. But, the area is mostly subjective and depends on the call’s context and content.įor example, let’s deal with the question “Is it illegal to prank call fast food places?”. As long as the caller doesn’t harm, harass, or threaten and the recipient isn’t bothered, the calls may not be against the law. For example, if you make a lot of calls or report a non-existent threat, you can face felony charges.Įxceptions: When Is It Legal to Prank Call?īut, it’s important to clarify that not all prank calls are illegal. Repeated or particularly harmful prank calls to 911 can result in extra jail time and higher fines. These calls can lead to a year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine for a first offense. The court considers prank calls to emergency services like 911 quite strictly. Code § 844, the authorities can imprison or fine anyone who makes a threat or conveys false information about attempting to kill, injure, intimidate, or damage property using fire for up to 10 years, or both. Swatting calls are always taken very seriously because they can endanger public safety.Īccording to 18 U.S. It involves fake calls about major crimes to the SWAT team or other law enforcement agencies. One of the most serious forms of illegal prank calling involves bomb threats. Punishments range from one year in jail and a $2,500 fine to three years in jail and $10,000 in fines. It is illegal to call random numbers and record them without permission.Īuthorities could charge you with a misdemeanor or a felony. To legally record a call, everyone involved must agree to the wiretapping laws. The penalty for the offense can be up to 10 years in prison, fines, or both. Code § 249, target race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. These actions are harmful because they target an individual’s identity. Prosecutors can charge hate crimes when someone targets individuals because of their race or religion. Hate crimes represent a more severe legal category that prank calls can fall into.
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