Have you ever gotten an e-mail forward from a friend that contained a story so wild or strange or unusual that you found it hard to believe? InventHelp’s Invention Girl got one last week that told a tale so far fetched that I decided to do some digging.

The email I received states that a young woman evaded an attack by a predator pretending to be a police officer by dialing #77 on her cell phone. The email goes on to claim that calling #77 from your cell phone in any state connects you directly to highway control dispatchers.

Luckily for the amateur investigative reporters of the world, there’s a website called Snopes.com. The Snopes crew researches popular email chains and debunks internet rumors. On the homepage, you’ll find the “25 Hottest Urban Legends” as well as pages and pages of information on new, old and obscure legends from the internet and beyond.

It turns out that this particular email had a few small truths and a lot of big lies. It’s true that perpetrators can pose as police officers, but dialing #77 is not the way to go if you need to reach police for help. The code does work in a few states, but it’s far from universal. Police generally recommend dialing 911 if you feel you’re in danger.

Although I don’t want to be viewed as a “know-it-all,” I felt I had to share what I learned with the woman who sent me the email. I’d rather look like a know-it-all than have her take the email’s bad advice if she’s in a dangerous situation!

So, before you hit that “forward” button again, be sure to do your homework. Most stories that sound too strange to be true usually are!