Prank Calling Police or 911 is Emergency Reporting Abuse

Prank calling police or 911 with a fake emergency is not comical and can end in emergency reporting abuse charges for the trickster.

Prank calling 911

Prank calling took a dive with the invention of caller ID but is now gaining speed again as pranksters find ways to hide or block their numbers. One type of prank call that is becoming popular among both teens and adults is calling in a fake emergency or severe crime to another person’s address. When police or paramedics arrive at the address, it can be upsetting to everyone involved and even dangerous for the individual on the receiving end of the prank if police perceive them as a threat to others. Pulling a prank like this is considered emergency reporting abuse and is against the law.

Emergency reporting abuse

Utah Code 76-9-202 states “A person is guilty of emergency reporting abuse if the person:

. . . (c) reports an emergency or causes an emergency to be reported to any public, private, or volunteer entity whose purpose is to respond to fire, police, or medical emergencies, when the person knows the reported emergency does not exist; or

(d) makes a false report, or intentionally aids, abets, or causes a third party to make a false report, to an emergency response service, including a law enforcement dispatcher or a 911 emergency response service, if the false report claims that:

(i) an ongoing emergency exists;

(ii) the emergency described . . . currently involves, or involves an imminent threat of, serious bodily injury, serious physical injury, or death; and

(iii) the emergency described . . . is occurring at a specified location.”

Depending on the type and severity of the fake emergency reported, penalties can range from a class B misdemeanor to even a second degree felony “if the report is regarding a weapon of mass destruction”.

Keeps pranks off the phone

There are many pranks that kids pull that can be innocent enough, with both parties feeling amused at the end. If the prank involves use of the phone however, it could result in the kid’s surprised parents answering the door to the police. It is important children know that too many “your refrigerator is running” calls may be considered electronic communication harassment and that emergency numbers should never be on the list of numbers to prank call.