Is It Illegal To Prank Call Someone In North Dakota?

Being a kid was fun. We got to play all day and could get away with being obnoxious. One of our many obnoxious activities was making prank phone calls.

Thinking back on this got me wondering: is it illegal?

Look, I'm an adult, so I definitely don't plan on prank-calling anyone. At this age, the most exciting phone call you will get from me is a butt dial.

Honestly, now that I think about it, I never prank-called anyone as a kid—stage fright.

I'm sure you're a normal person who has done this in the past, so let's take a look at whether or not this seemingly harmful prank is illegal.

Prank-Calling In North Dakota

According to FindLaw.com, the most likely criminal law that applies to prank calls is harassment. The source says there's actually a pretty thin line between what you might consider a harmless prank call and harassment.

If you say something obscene, threaten the person, or continue to call every ten minutes, that would be considered harassment.

There are a couple of other instances where the legal repercussions of a prank call get pretty serious.

For example, making a prank call to 911 is illegal. Also, if you make derogatory remarks about a person's race, religion, or sexual orientation, that could be considered a hate crime.

Some states might even classify it as "Disorderly conduct." If you are using offensive or abusive language and are arousing anger in others, that's one of the ways police might approach it.

So, is it illegal? Yes, there are some situations where a prank call could get you in some legal trouble. I wouldn't risk it.