Is It Illegal To Prank Call in New Jersey?

Remember when we used to get together with our friends on the weekends and have slumber parties? You’d show up with your sleeping bag and your PJs and the night was your oyster! You’d play games, eat good snacks, watch a movie and of course, prank call people. Prank calling is one of the most harmless and fun aspects of being a kid. It’s so fun that sometimes, you even do it as an adult just for old-time’s sake!

As harmless and fun-filled as this may sound, prank-calling actually could get you into some serious trouble.

Can You Get Arrested For Prank Calling Someone in New Jersey?

Of course, if you prank call your friends and family, I’m sure everything will be totally fine.

However, in some instances, prank-calling can be considered to be harassment. According to Find Law, “There’s a thin line between an obnoxious prank call and an illegal, harassing prank telephone call.”

Of course, if you call one time and say a harmless joke, odds are the people on the other line will brush it off. If you continue to call time and time again, you actually could get charged with harassment which could be followed with a fine or jail time, depending on the severity of the situation.

If you make any sort of insult about someone’s religion, race, or sexual orientation in the process of a prank call, you may be committing a hate crime which also can lead to fines and major jail time.

Also, you have to be careful of WHO you are prank-calling. According to Legal Reach is it illegal to prank call emergency service lines such as 911. Making a false 911 call is EXTREMELY illegal and can put other’s lives in danger if not used seriously.

Although prank calls seem harmless, you may want to avoid doing them to anyone who isn’t in your “circle”. It may seem like all fun and games to you, but you never know how others will receive it. So to answer the question, yes, prank calling CAN BE considered illegal in some instances. It’s better to just not touch on it at all!