

It prohibits using obscenity and making threats against individuals and businesses. Additionally, making prank orders over the phone can lead to liability.Ĭalifornia’s law is a good example. This means that it can also be a crime to prank call a business. Many states do not distinguish between prank calling individuals and prank calling businesses. Since the advent of caller ID, which can identify prank callers by their phone number, these practical jokes have become less popular.
#Prank calling code#
Its prank phone calling law, Penal Code 653m PC, prohibits these calls if they intentionally: However, some states have criminal statutes that are specifically designed for the crime of prank phone calls.Ĭalifornia is one of those states. Some of the most common laws that are used include those that cover: Many states rely on general criminal laws to prosecute prank callers. the call is made to 911 or another emergency response number.the prank caller records the call without the recipient’s consent, or.

When is making a prank phone call illegal?ĭepending on the state, making prank phone calls can be illegal if they intentionally:

Annoying or harassing someone because of a protected trait can be a hate crime. Recording a prank call can constitute illegal wiretapping in many states, including in California. All states make it illegal to prank call 911. While each state is different, most states prohibit making prank calls to annoy or harass someone. Prank calling can be illegal in some situations.
