Female college student pulled over by a rapist impersonating a cop is rescued by a real officer after dialing *112 (or #112) emergency number on her cell phone.
Description: Forwarded email
Circulating since: 2002 (different versions)
Status: False (see details below)
Example:
Email text contributed by A&J Ogden, June 16, 2010:
*112 may save your life
Some knew about the red light on cars, but not the *112.
It was about 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon, and Lauren was driving to visit a friend. An UNMARK ED police car pulled up behind her and put his lights on. Lauren's parents have always told her never to pull over for an unmarked car on the side of the road, but rather to wait until they get to a gas station, etc.
Lauren had actually listened to her parents advice, and promptly called *112 on her cell phone to tell the police dispatcher that she would not pull over right away. She proceeded to tell the dispatcher that there was an unmarked police car with a flashing red light on his rooftop behind her. The dispatcher checked to see if there were police cars where she was and there weren't, and he told her to keep driving, remain calm and that he had back up already on the way.
Ten minutes later 4 cop cars surrounded her and the unmarked car behind her. One policeman went to her side and the others surrounded the car behind. They pulled the guy from the car and tackled him to the ground. The man was a convicted rapist and wanted for other crimes.
I never knew about the *112 Cell Phone Feature, but especially for a woman alone in a car, you should not pull over for an unmarked car. Apparently police have to respect your right to keep going to a safe place.
*Speaking to a service representative at ** Bell ** Mobility confirmed that *112 was a direct link to State trooper info. So, now it's your turn to let your friends know about *112.
You may want to Send this to every woman (and man) you know; it may save a life.
This applies to ALL 50 states
Analysis: Variants of this story have been circulating since 2002, when it was originally claimed that dialing #77 on a cell phone would connect the caller to police in an emergency (it actually only works in a few states).
The existence of "Lauren," the female college student who purportedly saved her own life by heeding her parents' advice and dialing #77 to notify police of an unmarked car attempting to pull her over, has never been confirmed, though officer impersonations of the type described do occur.
In the U.S. dial 911, not 112
Though 911 remains the only universally recognized emergency number in the United States, mobile calls to 112 (the standard emergency number throughout the European Union and some other countries) may — I repeat, may — be redirected to local emergency services inside the U.S. depending on the type of device (e.g., phones using GSM technology) and service provider.
But don't depend on it. Dialing 911 is still your safest bet in an emergency anywhere in the United States, whether you're using a mobile phone or a landline. Don't play Russian Roulette with your life.
Share This Article
Sources and further reading:
Man Impersonated Officer, Patted Down Woman
The Telegraph, 22 February 2011Police Investigate Man Impersonating Officer, Carjacking
WRBL-TV News, 7 March 2011In an Emergency, Who Do You Call?
CNN, 11 March 2009Dial #77 in Police Emergency (2002 Version)
Urban Legends, 22 April 2002Dial *677 - Rapist Impersonates Police Officer (2004 Version)
Urban Legends, 16 August 2004Mobile Emergency Numbers in the U.S.
911Dispatch.com
Last updated 03/08/11
