In this modern era, making prank phone calls is quite difficult. This is because the identity of the caller can now be seen, so people who want to go to jail must find creative ways to cover up their identity so they don't get caught. As a result, the art of making prank calls is now very sophisticated. A few simple tricks and the right guidelines are all you need to make sure your identity remains hidden during calls.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Hiding the Caller Identity
Step 1. Use code #31# in front of the phone number you are calling
This code will hide your phone number from someone else's phone screen. This code is great for pranking someone using a landline or cell phone. The protection this code provides can be breached quickly if necessary.
- This code is useless if the police are involved because they can break into it easily to get the caller's information.
- This code usually doesn't work if you want to prank a toll-free service number due to differences in the cellular communication system used.
- Most internet-based services, such as Skype and Google Voice do not allow you to enter the code #31# before calling.
Step 2. Use a disposable phone
Disposable phones known as burners are usually sold freely without requiring you to enter any personal information to use them. Note that this phone is equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS). So, if you use it at home, you could be tracked.
- Buying these phones can become a costly habit, because they don't come cheap. If you often prank people, using a burner is not the ideal solution.
- Your friends and family might think you're in the drug business if they see you buying disposable cell phones. This is the stigma that emerges from crime drama television shows.
Step 3. Download the phone number remover app
Nowadays, there are several smartphone apps that allow you to get a fake number to call, so that your personal information remains hidden and your number is not traced. Using these apps is just as safe as using a disposable cell phone, so they can be an effective, easy-to-use, and inexpensive substitute.
The most popular app for spoofing a phone number on a smartphone is Burner, but there is a large selection of similar apps that you can download
Step 4. Use internet calling services like Skype and Google Voice
These services are powerful tools for making prank calls as they leave no trace of location making them difficult to trace. However, it is not impossible for the police to track him down, especially if you break the law and qualify for arrest.
- Follow the same guidelines as making prank calls via landlines or cell phones.
- These internet-based services are usually free or low-cost. So, you can still save money even if you make frequent calls.
Step 5. Use someone else's phone
This will get the owner of the phone in trouble, but you won't get caught. Try to use it discreetly, especially if you are known to enjoy pranking people and your friends know about the habit.
- They may know right away that you're the culprit and hide the phone right away when you arrive.
- If you get caught, be prepared to face the wrath of the cell phone owner.
Step 6. Don't make local calls
This is something to be aware of if you live in a small town, but everyone who loves jail should know that too. If you make local calls to many numbers at once, and then your victim reports to the police, they can easily extract information from the local telephone service provider to identify the perpetrator.
If you make a prank call to someone who lives outside the area, your number is almost impossible to trace because the victim can't complain to the local police to come over to your house and talk to you
Step 7. Make a call from a payphone
Public telephones still exist, although they are indeed very difficult to find. If you enjoy jail time, find the nearest public phone location to take advantage of it.
- Go around so you don't make prank calls from the same payphone twice in a row.
- If you make a really annoying prank call that causes the victim to call the police, they can check surveillance camera footage in the area, and analyze fingerprints on payphones.
Method 2 of 3: Keeping Yourself from Dealing with the Law
Step 1. Don't prank the emergency services, police stations, and fire departments
Making prank calls to these places is highly discouraged. If you do, you could be tracked and subject to legal sanctions.
- "Swatting" is a new trend in the United States to make prank calls that provoke the arrival of a SWAT team. Never follow this trend as you could be jailed on terrorism charges.
- There are plenty of other people and businesses to prank – there's no reason to prank public service establishments.
Step 2. Don't pretend to be a police or state intelligence agent when making prank calls
The risk of being tracked increases greatly if you pretend to be law enforcement and you could be in serious trouble if you did. Most people impersonating the authorities do so for a crime. So if you do this, you will be considered a criminal and detained until proven innocent.
Step 3. Do not call emergency services and crisis centers
It's not funny to make a prank call to a suicide prevention service and pretend you want to kill yourself even though a lot of people do. In reality, you shouldn't call services designed to help other people.
- The above method looks fun to prank people, but you can get caught for it.
- In recent years, a radio host has been arrested for trolling a violence-handling center. The police came to his house within 15 minutes.
Step 4. Don't make threats or act rudely
Threats of any kind should not be used when making prank calls, including threats of bombing and physical violence. Making an implicit threat is also very risky. When someone feels threatened, emergency services and police officers are usually very quick to act.
Step 5. Don't ask for personal information
Uniquely, pranking people to get personal information is not so difficult. You can even get information about credit card and other account numbers by pretending to be an employee of a particular bank.
- Even if you don't intend to use the information, the victim may realize the mistake and accuse you of being an identity theft.
- They will call the police to report identity theft and you could easily get caught.
Step 6. Don't record your prank calls
Doing this seems safe, but law enforcement can consider it an act of wiretapping. Currently, wiretapping by civilians can only be done if the caller has obtained the consent of the person being called. However, the law in each country is different. Some countries may have stricter laws. This can become a serious problem later on.
- If you want to share prank phone recordings publicly, for example via social media, the law requires you to have a “broadcasting and recording license” signed by all parties involved.
- If you have a collection of records that you want to publish and sell, you'll need more complicated permissions. In addition to needing the above permissions, you can also be charged with copyright infringement because the recording is the result of a collaboration. In other words, the victim has the right to ask for half of the profits. In essence, you have to pay royalties to the victims.
- Since there are many problems that can arise from this, it is best not to record your prank calls.
Method 3 of 3: Making a Call
Step 1. Make careful preparations
Plan what to say before making the call. If you don't sound confident on the phone, stammer, or are in doubt. You will be found out. At least, prepare an opening sentence.
If you're planning to make a neat prank call, write down the plan before calling
Step 2. Don't linger
Long prank calls are really hard to make. The longer the call, the more suspicious your victim will be. Make sure your pranks are short, concise, and funny. A prank call should not last more than 5 minutes.
Step 3. Don't call the same number twice
Calling the same person over and over, even if it's very funny, is an invasion of privacy. If your victim feels harassed, the police will get involved and you could be arrested.
- Try to limit yourself to pranking one person at a time, or at most twice.
- Make a prank call, laugh it off, then forget the number.
Step 4. Hold your laughter
Look for the mute button on the phone. If you can't help but laugh, use it. Laughing at the start of a call will get you caught, So try to restrain yourself. It's okay to laugh at the end, when your pranks start to get caught and the victim starts to wake up.
In fact, laughing at the end of the call can benefit you, because the victim will realize that the call was just a prank and not a serious thing
Step 5. Keep your tone funny instead of serious
Serious prank calls that infuriate the victim are usually not funny. It can also increase the risk of being caught as the victim may feel pressured and feel the need to call the police. Keeping a funny tone not only protects you from trouble, it can also make the call funnier for both you and the victim.
- Try to brush up on prank calls so you and the victim can laugh together.
- Sometimes, the victim may be smarter and know that you are just a prankster. Laugh together. Do not be too serious!
Warning
-
Never make prank calls that endanger the public.
Making phone calls involving threats or violence, including threats of bombing and assault, is illegal in all countries. These calls will be taken seriously by the authorities and you could be jailed if you try to do so. This is considered as part of an act of terrorism.
- Don't prank the emergency services. Making casual calls to 110 or other public service centers is a crime. This is tantamount to wasting resources. If you call the emergency number on a whim, the police will still track your number (even if it's hidden) and come to the location. You could be fined, dragged to court, or even end up in jail. This act is considered dangerous. The law requires the police to respond to all calls to 110. Calling the emergency services to report a fictitious crime will result in the police dispatching a special team. This act violates the law and can be considered an act of terrorism.
Tips
-
Here are some codes to hide your phone number in different countries. If you're not sure the code will work, try it on a friend's phone first.
- Argentina: *31# (landlines) or *31*, #31# (most mobile service providers)
- Australia: 1831 (landline) or #31# (mobile)
- Denmark, Iceland and Switzerland: *31*
- Germany: for most landlines and mobile phones the number is *31#, but some use #31#.
- Hong Kong: 133
- Israel: *43
- Italy: *67# (landlines) or #31# (most mobile phones)
- New Zealand: 0197 (Telecom and Vodafone)
- South Africa: *31* (Telkom)
- Sweden: #31#
- English: 141
