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Mexico’s Emergency Agencies Warn Against 911 Prank Calls on Day of the Innocents

Officials cite legal penalties to deter misuse that can delay real emergency responses.

Overview

  • C5 units in Mexico City and Sonora issued appeals tied to December 28 urging people to avoid prank calls and asking parents to monitor children.
  • Mexico City’s C5 reported 153,278 non‑procedent calls in the days before the date, including hang‑ups, children playing, insults to operators and improper transfers.
  • Officials noted a 21.5% drop in improper calls in Mexico City this December compared with last year, with the daily average down to 7,299 from 9,308.
  • In the capital, misuse of emergency services is a crime under Article 211 of the Penal Code, carrying three months to two years in prison and fines of 1,085 to 2,857 pesos.
  • Sonora recorded about 800,000 improper calls in 2024, and Guanajuato’s security chief warned that in León 57.7% of third‑quarter 911 calls were non‑procedent.