205.920 - Obtaining or attempting to obtain telephone or telegraph service with intent to avoid payment; penalty.
205.920 Obtaining or attempting to obtain telephone or telegraph service with intent to avoid payment; penalty.
1. It is unlawful for a person to obtain or attempt to obtain telephone or telegraph service with the intent to avoid payment for that service by himself or herself or to avoid payment for that service by any other person, by:
(a) Charging the service to an existing telephone number without authority of the subscriber, to a nonexistent telephone number or to a number associated with telephone service which is suspended or terminated after notice of suspension or termination has been given to the subscriber;
(b) Charging the service to a credit card without authority of the lawful holder, to a nonexistent credit card or to a revoked or cancelled, as distinguished from expired, credit card after notice of revocation or cancellation has been given to the holder;
(c) Using a code, prearranged scheme or other similar device to send or receive information;
(d) Rearranging, tampering with or making connection with any facilities or equipment, whether physically, electrically, acoustically, inductively or otherwise;
(e) Using any other deception, false token or other means to avoid payment for the service; or
(f) Concealing, or assisting another to conceal, from any telephone or telegraph company or from any lawful authority the existence or place of origin or destination of any message.
2. A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a category D felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130.
3. This section applies when the service involved either originates or terminates, or both originates and terminates, in the State of Nevada, or when the charges for the service would have been billable in the normal course by a person, firm or corporation providing the service in this state but for the fact that the service was obtained or attempted to be obtained by one or more of the means set forth in subsection 1.
(Added to NRS by 1965, 324; A 1967, 507; 1979, 1449; 1989, 1438; 1993, 872, 1206; 1995, 1235; 1997, 492)