Are prank calls legal in the United States? Why or why not?

[Thalian]

I am aware of harassment laws (IE. don't call back if they hang up), I am aware of laws regarding things such as don't threaten, ect. But I am having a debate with someone about the legality of prank calls and I want to know if I used Skype, is there any law prohibiting me from doing this? Could anything happen to me?

NOTE: This is not a discussion about if it's immature or not.

Thanks in advance!

[Sayl]

You didn't get answers in the last thread you started about this?

http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...egal-in-the-US

[Whidbey]

prank calling is a violation of FCC rules as a form of harassment, and abuse of the phone system. If you are calling someones land-line or cell phone via skype and are doing it, then yes, if its skype to skype via computer or game console, then no. there are no regulations on voip to voip chat programs which skype still is considered by the fed. Do it say by comcast digital voice,, you're still jumping onto land-lines and then it is also illegal.

[Gemini Sunrise]

Depends on the prank.

And if the guy wants to pursue it, I suppose.

[isuridedes]

You posted this same topic less than a month ago: http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...egal-in-the-US

[Creotor]

And if the guy wants to pursue it, I suppose.

Yea, that too. I already deleted my post since this is apparently the second thread OP has created on this topic.

[Thalian]

Yea, that too. I already deleted my post since this is apparently the second thread OP has created on this topic.

No one explained why and why not and it's against the forum rules to bump and old thread so I have no other option but to make another.

[Klutzington]

It's "harrassment," yet almost no one actually reports it. If someone prank called me I would just hang up and block the number, lol. Why would I waste my own time to try and report that person?

Also, you can dial *67 before any number (including the *, btw) and your phone number will come up as unknown. It doesn't charge anything to your phone bill, it's a free tool. For example, dial your house phone from your cell phone using *67[AREACODE]PHONENUMBER and see it in action. If you want to prank call someone, phoning up a local retail store is always fun.

[Thalian]

It's "harrassment," yet almost no one actually reports it. If someone prank called me I would just hang up and block the number, lol. Why would I waste my own time to try and report that person?

Also, you can dial *67 before any number (including the *, btw) and your phone number will come up as unknown. It doesn't charge anything to your phone bill, it's a free tool. For example, dial your house phone from your cell phone using *67[AREACODE]PHONENUMBER and see it in action. If you want to prank call someone, phoning up a local retail store is always fun.

But if it's harassment... why would I do it?

Also, I ask because I've seen people on Youtube like Maxmoefoe and Ownagepranks ... people say they "report them" but they've been doing this for like years now...

[Sialanne]

It's not legal, but it's also not something most people bothering to pursue, which is why people rarely get into trouble for it. Unless I felt genuinely threatened or harrassed, I wouldn't bother filing a police report, and I know many others that feel the same way. You'd be wasting your own time (which is worth whatever you value it at) and that of the police (who could be doing more important things, like worrying about real crimes).

[Åmbulance]

Thalian, why are you making a second thread on this, when it was answered in your previous thread?

[Darsithis]

http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...egal-in-the-US

There isn't any reason to start a duplicate thread.