Lauren and the *677 Police Dispatch Cell Phone Number

Summary:
Email forward describes how a women named Lauren avoided being raped by a police impostor in an unmarked car by dialling *677 on her cell phone (Full commentary below.)



Status:
Contains elements of truth, but is highly misleading

Example:(Submitted, February 2006)


Commentary:
The email forward shown below tells the story of young Lauren, who thwarted a would-be rapist posing as a police officer in an unmarked car by dialling *677. According to the message, *677 is a special number that connects mobile (cell) phone users directly to Police Dispatch. The message describes how, as a result of Lauren's "677" call, police were able to ascertain that the vehicle following her was not driven by a real police officer and subsequently arrest the impostor. Thus, Lauren was able to save herself from harm by having the good sense to check with police before pulling over for an unmarked vehicle.

However, the information about *677 is seriously misleading. Dialling *677 will only connect you to police if you are located in Ontario, Canada. "677" is the numerical equivalent of "OPP", short for "Ontario Provincial Police". Unfortunately, the version of the email shown above does not include country specific information. The message claims that *677 is a special "Cell Phone Feature" and the implication is that this feature will work anywhere. This is clearly untrue.

There have been several versions of this warning message set in different areas of the world. Some earlier versions advised recipients to call #77 rather than *677. However, this information is also highly misleading. #77 or *77 is an alternative emergency number in some US states but not others. Thus, unless you happen to be driving in one of the states that use these numbers, dialling #77 or a similar combination will not connect you to local emergency services.

While the phone number information in the message is certainly misleading, it should be noted that crimes like the one described in the message have occurred in various places around the world. In fact, criminals have a long history of impersonating police officers in order to carry out rapes and other serious crimes. Thus, at least some of the information in this cautionary tale is worth heeding. Although we are normally obligated to obey the directions of a police officer, we certainly have the right to protect our personal safety if we have reason to believe that the officer could be an impostor. If a situation like the one described in the message occurs, drivers should signal their intention to comply and then drive to the nearest safe area before pulling over. After they have pulled over, drivers should keep car doors locked and windows up until they have determined that the person following is a real police officer. If drivers feel that it is necessary to make an emergency call to police about the issue, they should dial the main emergency number in their country.

As is often the case with such forwarded emails, it is difficult to determine if "Lauren" is a real person and the event described actually occurred. I could find no record of the particular incident described, although similar events have been reported. "Lauren" features in several versions of the email variously set in the United States, Canada and Australia. Included details about her circumstances vary. At least with the later international versions of the message, "Lauren" and the particular incident described would best be viewed as anecdotal rather than factual.

In summary, the advice in the message about using caution with regard to unmarked police cars is worth heeding. However, the information about *677 (and #77) is misleading and potentially dangerous. Thus forwarding this email in its present form is likely to do little more than perpetrate incorrect information that could potentially compromise the safety of recipients. In an emergency, every second counts, and delays caused by the failure to contact emergency personnel because the wrong number was used could be life threatening.

Finally, it should be noted that yet another version of the message lists the International Emergency Number (112) as the number "Lauren" used to contact police. This information is valid if the caller is using a GSM mobile phone. In some parts of the world, dialling "112" on a GSM mobile will automatically connect you to that country's emergency number.

References:
Ontario Provincial Police
Emergency Phone Numbers
Accused Cop Impersonator And Rapist On The Loose
International Emergency Number
Highway Notification Numbers

Another version of the hoax:

Write-up by Brett M.Christensen