The Parker Police Department issued a warning due to two recent incidents.
Credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
KUSA – The Parker Police Department had to issue a warning Thursday about the phenomenon of so-called “hooligans” saying “Siri 108” into their phones after it happened twice in two days.
Saying “Siri 108” automatically dials 911 and happens because the number “108” is used to dial emergency services in India, and is the equivalent of dialing emergency services in the U.S.
Posts about prank tell iPhone users to say "108" and close their eyes. That's because the phones give a five-second countdown where people can press cancel in case the calls to 911 were an accident.
Do NOT say "Siri 108" in to your iPhone. When you do it dials 9-1-1. Please don't tie up our Dispatchers and Officers because some hooligans on social media think it's funny. We follow-up on 9-1-1 hang ups-an Officer may even respond to your location. pic.twitter.com/foGzKSSbC5
— Parker Police Dept. (@ParkerPolice) July 12, 2018
Josh Hans, the spokesperson for Parker police, said this local department was inspired to issue a warning due to two recent incidents. The first happened on Tuesday, but there wasn’t really a cause for concern until it happened again on Wednesday, when an officer actually responded to the “Siri 108” caller. The cop talked to the caller's father.
This is a problem, according to Hans, because it ties up police resources on non-issues instead of true emergencies.
And, of course, if you’re the type of person who would prank call emergency services, Hans said you probably wouldn’t want a cop to show up where you are anyway.
But what should you do if you do accidentally dial 911 (or inadvertently say “108” while Siri’s listening)?
“It takes a lot more resources if you hang up than if you just stay on the line and say it’s the wrong number,” Hans said.
Swatting is the practice of prank calling emergency services in an effort to bring a large police presence to a certain location.
FAQs
108, it turns out, is India's version of a 999 emergency services call, so when a user recites the three-digit number to Siri it thinks there's an emergency and connects users to the emergency services number in their geographical location; so in our case, 999.
What happens when you tell Siri 17? ›
That's an emergency number in certain locations. So when you say 17 to Siri, it will ask if you need to make an emergency call … Though it's smart enough to not directly dial the service …
What does Siri do when you say 108? ›
Saying “Siri 108” automatically dials 911 and happens because the number “108” is used to dial emergency services in India, and is the equivalent of dialing emergency services in the U.S.
What will happen if you say 14 to Siri? ›
However, if you say the same numbers as above, like 14 or 03, Siri will let you know you'll need to use your phone to contact emergency services. And it's important to note the same is true if you give a “9-1-1” command to Siri on your Mac.
Can Siri call 999? ›
You can still make an emergency call with the Emergency Call slider. Say “Hey Siri, call 999”.
What happens if you tell Siri you love her? ›
Siri will become uncomfortable if users declare their love for her. Say something like, "Siri, I love you" or "Siri, do you love me?" Siri often responds by abruptly changing the subject, saying phrases like, "Look... a puppy!" However, Siri does not respond by getting upset every time.
Why does Siri not swear? ›
Apple does not care whether you accept reality or not. Their legal department has probably determined that keeping swear words out of SIRI's vocabulary is the best course of action for a product meant for the general public, including children.
What happens if you say hyphen 7 times to Siri? ›
However, if you say one thing in particular to Siri, your device will crash. By going to your phone's voice input and saying "hyphen" repeatedly, the device will crash.
Does Siri mean secret? ›
In Swahili, a language spoken in much of East and Central Africa, Siri means secret.
Does Siri have a dark side? ›
A: While Siri's darker responses can be unsettling, it's important to remember that Siri is just a virtual assistant designed to assist users. The likelihood of experiencing any harm or danger is extremely low.
Those chats with Siri or Google Assistant could come back to bite you if you end up on the wrong side of the law. Keep those kinds of thoughts to yourself. Don't ask Alexa where to buy drugs, where to hide a body or anything else suspicious.
What can't you ask Siri? ›
7 things you should never ask Siri, Google Assistant or Alexa
- I don't want you to make this mistake.
- Play doctor.
- How to hurt someone.
- Anything that ends up with your mug shot.
- Be your telephone operator.
- Deal with your money.
- “Will I die if I eat this?”
- “Get rid of this.”
If you want to activate Siri with your voice: Go to Settings > Siri & Search, tap “Listen for,” then choose “Hey Siri” or “Siri” (if you have that option).
How do I make Siri vibrate? ›
On supported models, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics. Turn System Haptics off or on.
What tricks can Siri do? ›
For more examples, see any of the following:
- Announce calls, messages, and more with Siri on iPhone.
- Use Siri to play music on iPhone.
- Control your home using Siri on iPhone.
- Get travel directions on iPhone.
- Add Siri Shortcuts on iPhone.
Why? Because your iPhone will immediately call the local emergency services. Most countries around the world have different numbers to call if you get into trouble.
Does Siri call 911 if you say 14? ›
If you say "14" to Siri, your iPhone will call the emergency number in the country where you currently are. Previously, saying “14” or any other emergency number to Siri would start a three-second countdown, during which you could cancel the call for emergency assistance.
What happens if you tell Siri hyphen hyphen hyphen? ›
However, if you say one thing in particular to Siri, your device will crash. By going to your phone's voice input and saying "hyphen" repeatedly, the device will crash.
What happens if you tell Siri 102? ›
You'll also see the emergency call prompt if you ask Siri to “Phone 101,” but if you say “Phone 102,” you'll see that Siri simply tries to dial 102, leading to an error. However, if you say “Phone 110” you'll get an emergency call once more.
