Have you guys heard of *677?

[proud2BlibKansan]

I got this email from my friend who usually sends me goofy RW emails. I have never heard of this.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MUST KNOW *677
 

I knew about the red light on cars, but not the *677. It was about 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon, and Lauren was driving to visit a friend. An UNMARKED police car pulled up behind her and put his lights on. *Lauren's parents have always told them 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 677 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 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 *677 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&quiet; place. You obviously need to make some signals that you acknowledge them (i.e. put on your hazard lights) or call *677 like Lauren did.
 

Too bad the cell phone companies don't generally give you this little bit of wonderful information.
 

*Speaking to a service representative at **Bell** Mobility confirmed that *677 was a direct link to OPP Dispatch. So, now it's your turn to let your friends know about *677.

[enigmatic]

1. Here you go:

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/mayhem/fakecop.asp

[TimeChaser]

2. And the moral of that

Find out the number for the highway patrol in your state.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. I have had good luck calling 911

I couldn't understand why this email is listing a new # for calling the cops.

[AlGore-08.com]

3. Send your friend to Snopes.com before forwarding emails

*677 is for the Ontario Provincal Police - - so unless this is only going out to folks in Ontario, it's useless.

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/mayhem/fakecop.asp

Claim: College student who by dialing #77 on her cell phone evades a rapist pretending to be a police officer.

Status: Multiple — see below.


Co-ed named Lauren evades rapist who had been masquerading as a police officer:
Undetermined.

Rapists and murderers have been known to pass themselves off as police officers:
True.

Dialing #77 on your cell phone will connect you with the highway patrol:
True in some states, False in others.

(snip)

Variations:
A March 2002 version changes the girl's name from Lauren to Lisa.

An October 2003 version moves the action to Australia. Once again, 19-year-old Lauren barely escapes disaster, but does so this time by using the "No. 112 feature" on her cell phone to summon help.

A July 2004 version shifted the story to Canada. Yet again, 19-year-old Lauren barely escapes disaster, but in this instance she does so by dialing *677. (The number *677, aka *OPP, is the non-emergency cell caller line of the Ontario Provincial Police.)

(More... )

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. I replied all

and sent the Snopes link.

This friend who sent me this is a liberal Dem but has a bunch of fundie freaky friends through her church. They send her some of the goofiest emails. There were so many names on the list of recipients; I stopped counting.

So I hope I have reached a bunch of women with this correct info.

[RoyGBiv]

4. Urban Legend ...

Originally(*) based on a story originating in Ontario, Canada. The circumstances are false. The use of *677, at least there, is essentially true. However, dialing *677, where it works, is no different that dialing 911.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blcellphone77.htm

(*) Onedit: For some reason I didn't check snopes. Apparently the Ontario version is a descendant of the original.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Thanks

[TimeChaser]

7. The specific anecdote's a legend

but there have been cases of criminals posing as police in unmarked cars.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

9. I was once pulled over by a State cop ............

.......in an unmarked car. I was speeding - hell, I passed him, and, yeah, I was speeding.

He chased me down, I pulled over, and when I saw him approaching, that he was wearing black leather jeans and a black leather jacket, every alarm went off in my head.

This was in the days before cell phones, by the way.

I refused to put my window down. He was shouting at me, and, strangely, spitting a lot. Spitting cotton, as people do when they're scared. He held up his badge to me, I saw that it was real, but I refused to put the window down. He stood there, screaming at me, and I thought, "Fuck this noise," and pulled away.

He chased me. I drove to the closest police station. When I turned into the parking lot, he kept on going.

I contacted the State Police, and talked to a whole lot of people. Turns out the guy really was a State Cop, but he had developed a habit of pulling over unaccompanied women when he was off duty. I had gotten the license plate number on his unmarked car, and was able to tell them the exact time and place of his actions.

He was suspended, investigated, and fired. See, even cops become criminals.

[Dora]

15. Jeebus -

That's a scary story.

[Maddy McCall]

8. NO! Dial 911 or *HP (My story of being "pulled over" by a fake)

In Mississippi, *HP connects you to the Highway Patrol. ANYWHERE in the United States, 911 will connect you to central dispatch for the county in which you are driving.

The best thing to do is to dial 911. That's the quickest remedy--it will alert all emergency personnel of the problem, so whether you are in a city or out in a rural area, the proper people will respond immediately.

I was driving through Alabama. I was on the outskirts of Birmingham when a black car raced up behind me and stayed on my tail. The guy attempted to motion me over to the shoulder. I kept driving. He pulled up beside me in the left lane and held up what looked like a badge. I still refused to pull over. I dialed 911. When he saw me on the cellphone he fell back behind me and took the next exit.

I was scared to death, and MMjr. was just a little kid then. We were traveling alone. I still wonder what might have happened had I pulled over for someone just becuase he had what looked like a badge.

I don't know if he was ever arrested. We drove through B'ham as fast as one possibly can drive through that traffic-clogged city.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. That is scary

"he held up what looked like a badge"

I was just wondering what kind of super human vision you would have to have to be able to look over and tell for sure if it was a real badge - all the while keeping your eyes on the road.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

10. I was just talking about this with a friend the other day...

I told her that if it was night, or I didn't feel comfortable about the car that was asking me to pull over, I'd put on my flashers, call the police, and ask for directions to the nearest station, where I'd be glad to talk with a police officer.

I'm so glad to know this service is available! I hope men will take advantage of it too, because a robber could pose as a cop as easily as a rapist.

[ForrestGump]

11. The address 11 doors down from the AntiChrist's pad

Right?

[DS1]

14. Then you get ticketed for driving while talking on a cellphone

x( When it turns out to be a real cop

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. I would hope

that most real cops would understand why you are reluctant to pull over.

Even though this story is a myth, I like the idea of waiting for the next exit or gas station, etc to pull over.

[Shell Beau]

17. It is kind of freaky. I have always

been told to pull over in a gas station or somewhere well lit. Even for a marked car. My brother is a cop and has always told me that.

[LynneSin]

18. Before cell phones I was always told to drive to the local police station

or at least pull over to a public place and not get out of the car until you see his badge