Here's why iPhone users should refrain from saying 108 to Siri

In 2011, Apple made history by introducing Siri, the first-ever digital virtual assistant for smartphones. Siri revolutionized how we interact with technology, evolving over the years to assist with tasks like managing to-do lists, playing music, making calls, and searching the web. Occasionally, people discover hidden commands for Siri, but caution is advised. One command you should never try is saying '108' to Siri.

The trend of saying '108' to Siri started in 2017 as an internet prank. A user named Latoya Beckett posted on Facebook, urging "all iPhone users" to "say 108 to Siri," adding, "You’ll thank me later," according to Metro. 

However, iPhone users quickly discovered that saying '108' to Siri wasn't a special command or Easter egg—it connected them to emergency services. Quora user Kevin Rome explained that 108 is the National Emergency Ambulance Number in India. He added, "It will prompt the iPhone to dial whatever the emergency services number is wherever you happen to be when you say 108 (911, 999, etc.)."

Another Quora user, Wilson Nicklaus, stated a different reason behind the safety measure. He said, "If you tell Siri any number without context, Siri will call emergency services." He added, "This is because if someone is following you and you think something is up, or if you witnessed something, you can safely call emergency services with less chance of raising an alert. It also helps in emergencies, if Siri hears you wrong, it can still have the option to call emergency services."

After seeing so many people try the prank, actor Devon Sawa took to his X (previously Twitter) account and requested people not misuse the feature. In a post, he wrote, "Whatever you do, do NOT tell Siri '108'." However, his message wasn't a success. Some grew curious and took it as another opportunity to try the command. @x_Impala67_x wrote, "See, now I feel like I need to, just to see what happens." Another user, @scarletmoonfoto, commented, "I did it anyway and immediately panicked."

A few people tried to explain to others why the prank was a big 'no.' @LaurenHess commented, "It calls 911. Stop it!" Another user, @bmcnally85, wrote, "Fell for that yesterday. Thank god there was an option to cancel."

To curb these prank attempts, Police departments warned iPhone users to ignore posts urging them to say "108" to Siri. Law enforcement bodies even took to their social media handles to explain to users the effects and consequences of following the cheap trick.

A Facebook post by the Lewistown Police Department highlighted how this prank wastes resources. They wrote, "If 9-1-1 operators are trying to answer these calls, that means that a real emergency call might not be answered as quickly as it needs to be answered." The post also talked about how to proceed if you call the number mistakenly. "Should you ever accidentally call 9-1-1, please don't immediately hang up. It's better to stay on the line and tell the 9-1-1 operator what happened. Otherwise, they will be trying to call you back or send an officer out to check that everything is OK there," it stated.