The Swindonian is urging smartphone users to ignore the online prank going round at the moment, telling iPhone users to say 108 to Siri.
Saying 108 actually puts you straight through to the emergency services because this is the emergency number in India so Siri recognises it as a call for help and puts you through to your own local service.
In the UK the same will happen when you ask Siri to dial 999.
The prank, however, is putting a strain on the already overstretched 999 call system.
It could also get you into serious trouble as police are not keen on people wasting the time of the emergency services.
Another prankster has made it even worse by urging phone users to say the numbers and then “close your eyes for five seconds.”
This would mean you don’t spot that the call is going through to 999 and immediately stop it.
Other numbers in similar pranks are: 112,110, 000 and the US number 911.
If you genuinely need the emergency services you can say any of these numbers to Siri or simply say “dial emergency services”.
Siri will then give you a five second countdown and a chance to cancel or call before then.
