Safety Zone

Can You Access Emergency Services by Pressing an iPhone’s Lock Button Five Times?

• 29 November 2017

Users of the iPhones running iOS 11 can make use of the feature but should...

• Fact Check

Can You Access Emergency Services by Pressing an iPhone’s Lock Button Five Times?

Telling Siri to ‘Charge My Phone to 100%’ Summons Police

• 26 December 2016

Siri can do a lot of things, but she won't summon police surreptitiously in response...

• Fact Check

Telling Siri to ‘Charge My Phone to 100%’ Summons Police

Will Landlines Eventually Dial 911 or Emergency Services if Left Off the Hook?

• 12 December 2016

Long-circulating rumors hold that phones left off the hook will eventually dial emergency services to...

• Fact Check

Will Landlines Eventually Dial 911 or Emergency Services if Left Off the Hook?

Hit the Floor! Legend: The apocryphal tale of the black celebrity, an elevator, and a frightened woman.

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Hit the Floor!

Response Time Rumor: A man who couldn't motivate police to respond to a break-in on his property...

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Response Time

The Jogger’s Billfold Did a jogger unwittingly commit a theft?

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The Jogger’s Billfold

The Stolen Biscuits

• 9 February 1999

A long-circulating tale of biscuit banditry.

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The Stolen Biscuits

Stolen Watch Did a professor unwittingly commit a theft?

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Stolen Watch

The Biscuit Bullet A woman sitting in a car thinks she's been shot when a canister of biscuit...

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The Biscuit Bullet

Tomato Dials 911 A 911 call was initiated by a tomato.

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Tomato Dials 911

Dying Phones Call 911 Some cordless phones call 911 by themselves when their batteries run low.

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Dying Phones Call 911

Gun-Toting Grannies

• 13 February 2020

Did an old lady pull a gun on men she found sitting in her car?

• Fact Check

Gun-Toting Grannies