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Tennessee · Snapshot open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14

Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-1511: Offense of using ADAD equipment to intentionally conceal or misrepresent telephone number of the equipment - Exceptions

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Where this section sits in the code
  1. TN Code
  2. Title 47
  3. Chapter 18

(a) It is an offense for any person to utilize any ADAD equipment to intentionally: (1) Dial telephone numbers with area codes within the state; and (2) Conceal or misrepresent the telephone number utilized by the ADAD equipment on the call recipient's telephone or other equipment that is technically capable of displaying the number by: (A) Displaying a telephone number other than the telephone number utilized by the ADAD equipment; (B) Not displaying the telephone number utilized by the ADAD equipment; or (C) Displaying an "unknown number" message or similar message instead of the telephone number utilized by the ADAD equipment. (b) A violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor punishable only by a fine not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for each violation. For purposes of criminal liability, a court shall deem each call made in violation of this section as a separate offense. (c) It shall not be a violation of this section to display a phone number, different from the phone number being utilized by the ADAD equipment, on behalf of a person if: (1) The phone number displayed on behalf of the person has a Tennessee area code or is a toll-free number; (2) The phone number displayed on behalf of the person is answered during regular business hours by a designated representative of such person; and (3) The person's name is displayed along with the phone number described in subdivisions (c)(1) and (2). (d) The offenses described in this section shall not apply to a telecommunications, broadband, or voice-over-Internet services provider acting solely as an intermediary for a transmission of telephone service between a caller and a recipient. Acts 2010, ch. 684, § 1.

(a) It is an offense for any person to utilize any ADAD equipment to intentionally: (1) Dial telephone numbers with area codes within the state; and (2) Conceal or misrepresent the telephone number utilized by the ADAD equipment on the call recipient's telephone or other equipment that is technically capable of displaying the number by: (A) Displaying a telephone number other than the telephone number utilized by the ADAD equipment; (B) Not displaying the telephone number utilized by the ADAD equipment; or (C) Displaying an "unknown number" message or similar message instead of the telephone number utilized by the ADAD equipment.

(1) Dial telephone numbers with area codes within the state; and

(2) Conceal or misrepresent the telephone number utilized by the ADAD equipment on the call recipient's telephone or other equipment that is technically capable of displaying the number by: (A) Displaying a telephone number other than the telephone number utilized by the ADAD equipment; (B) Not displaying the telephone number utilized by the ADAD equipment; or (C) Displaying an "unknown number" message or similar message instead of the telephone number utilized by the ADAD equipment.

(A) Displaying a telephone number other than the telephone number utilized by the ADAD equipment;

(B) Not displaying the telephone number utilized by the ADAD equipment; or

(C) Displaying an "unknown number" message or similar message instead of the telephone number utilized by the ADAD equipment.

(b) A violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor punishable only by a fine not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for each violation. For purposes of criminal liability, a court shall deem each call made in violation of this section as a separate offense.

playing an "unknown number" message or similar message instead of the telephone number utilized by the ADAD equipment.

(b) A violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor punishable only by a fine not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for each violation. For purposes of criminal liability, a court shall deem each call made in violation of this section as a separate offense.

(c) It shall not be a violation of this section to display a phone number, different from the phone number being utilized by the ADAD equipment, on behalf of a person if: (1) The phone number displayed on behalf of the person has a Tennessee area code or is a toll-free number; (2) The phone number displayed on behalf of the person is answered during regular business hours by a designated representative of such person; and (3) The person's name is displayed along with the phone number described in subdivisions (c)(1) and (2).

(1) The phone number displayed on behalf of the person has a Tennessee area code or is a toll-free number;

(2) The phone number displayed on behalf of the person is answered during regular business hours by a designated representative of such person; and

(3) The person's name is displayed along with the phone number described in subdivisions (c)(1) and (2).

(d) The offenses described in this section shall not apply to a telecommunications, broadband, or voice-over-Internet services provider acting solely as an intermediary for a transmission of telephone service between a caller and a recipient.

Collected 2026-09-14T18:32:26Z. Source file · JSON

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