What does "Hey, Siri, 108" do? The latest viral prank is actually an emergency call

Siri is known to say "boots and cats" on repeat when asked to beatbox and give her sassy two cents about Game of Thrones. The latest Siri Easter egg is saying "108" to her — but you should stay far, far away from this trick.

If you're active on platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr, then you'll see posts baiting a user into saying "Hey Siri, 108." Some say it enables a three-way FaceTime, while others promise something hilarious will happen.

Siri calls 911 when you say "108"

Sorry. The result is a joke, but it's not very fun. Saying "Hey Siri, 108" will instruct Siri to call emergency services for you. The phone assistant will give users a five second time span to cancel or make the emergency call.

This prank is problematic because it uses resources that are vital for others trying to receive help in real emergency situations. Roughly 240 million calls are made to 911 in the United States each year and placing prank calls can be considered a crime.

According to the National Emergency Number Association:

It's a prank call when someone calls 9-1-1 for a joke, or calls 9-1-1 and hangs up. Prank calls not only waste time and money, but can also be dangerous. If 9-1-1 lines or call takers are busy with prank calls, someone with a real emergency may not be able to get the help they need. In most places, it's against the law to make prank 9-1-1 calls.

Why does "108" call 911?

Depending on the country you're in, "108" can mean something else. For example, in India, the number 108 is equivalent to calling 911 in the U.S. or 112 in the European Union. As such, pranksters who tell their friends to say "108" to Siri are effectively having their friends call emergency services without reason. The lesson here is to know your country's emergency service number and not say it to Siri unless you're really in an emergency.