Can you press charges for prank calls

August 7, Reviewed By:. Jonathan Pyzer. Criminal Defence Lawyer B. Written By:. You could face criminal offence charges for prank calling someone. While prank calling may seem like an innocent childhood fun, it is possible to be charged with a criminal offence for prank calling, depending on the extent of your actions.

If you were to be charged with a criminal offence for prank calling it is likely that you would be charged with the offence of criminal harassment. Section of the Criminal Code pertains to the criminal offence of criminal harassment. Section describes behaviour that can constitute criminal harassment. In fact, you may be charged with certain crimes like the following. If found guilty of these crimes, you may be arrested and required to appear in court.

How long a trial lasts depends on the severity of your actions. The most likely crime you can get arrested for is harassment.

Some people may think your prank is annoying but not worth pressing charges against, but your pranks can cross the threshold towards actually illegal harassment. It can also be seen through prank calling. Or, if you call a stranger at random, you learn through the call that they are a person of a different demographic.

If you start mocking or insulting these things about a person, you can be charged with committing a hate crime if they choose to report you to the police. Ever wondered why, when calling a business or organization, how they always have to tell their callers that the call is being recorded?

This is because it is almost always illegal to record a phone call or private conversation unless both the caller and the receiver are aware that they are being recorded. If you are prank calling for the sake of recording calls to share online, this could be considered a felony. If you clogged up the line with a prank call, you could be delaying a person who genuinely needs help from reaching an operator.

So, some states make it a serious offense to prank call or call for non-emergencies. States have their own laws against prank callers. These can range between fines or jail time. In California, calling to harass other people e. Wallin a premiere Southern California attorney.

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