Yes, it can be illegal to prank call fast food places, and surely, if you do it over and over again, there can be legal action taken against you. But with a prank calls, things aren’t that simple, you see, there is much more to talk about this particular case or scenario, so let’s just get to it then.
What Actually Counts as a Prank Call?
Assuming that you don’t know it yet, see, a joke call or prank call is where you reach out to a person or a company to mess around, confuse them, or do a prank. Is that it? Well, perhaps you fake being the manager, request something absurd, or simply say something off the wall to confuse the employee, or anything like that. Surely, the vast majority of people do it for the sake of laughs; however, if the instant is frightening, stressful, or a worker gets disrespected, it ceases to be a “fun little joke.”
One single call is not that serious, but it doesn’t take time for things to go south, and you can find yourself in some legal trouble because of it. Calling over and over again can very well make it an offense, and there are some legal consequences that you’d have to deal with in such a case.
When Does a Prank Call Become Illegal?
Talking precisely about prank calls, well, they are generally understood to be against the law, but there isn’t a single statute in the U.S. that explicitly mentions their illegality. That’s how it is! But, just in case you are thinking of it as a signal to go ahead with your prank, you’d better reconsider. If, by what you say in the call or the way it impacts the restaurant, the case is that several other laws can be used.
In the event that your call is a time-waster, interrupts business, frightens the employee, or consists of anything that is threatening, related to harassment, or an emergency, its chances of being followed by a lawsuit increase greatly. Not a single doubt in that!
The Main Laws That Can Get You Into Trouble
1. Harassment (When You Keep Calling)
For example, when you nonstoply ring the closest fast food outlet with the aim of provoking, insulting, or simply wasting their time, that is definitely harassment. The majority of states consider it a misdemeanor. Take California, for instance, where you might be sentenced to a six-month jail time or a $1,000 fine. Yup! The situations in Texas and Florida are almost the same as well. So if you are doing it just to create fake orders and laughing at them? That is pretty much against the law.
2. Disorderly Conduct (When Things Get Out of Hand)
If during the call you use offensive language, yell, or generally cause a disturbance, such behavior might be considered disorderly conduct. Sure, although it might not seem like a serious case, you can still be fined or get a short jail term.
3. Fake Emergency Calls (The Worst Possible Prank)
Oh, and it is a call for trouble if you dial 911 and fabricate an emergency situation, such as fire, threats, or some kind of danger. Without a single doubt, such an action, in the worst-case scenario, is considered swatting, which is illegal under federal law. And just so you know, in the past, there were records of individuals who received a prison sentence of several years due to this.
4. Pretending To Be Someone Important
It is definitely a case of fraud or impersonation if you call a restaurant and fake being the owner, a health inspector, or the police. If the company you targeted with the prank is not ‘getting the joke’ and decides to sue you for damages, then the outcome could be really serious for you, even though you thought it was just a joke.
