LAPD Warning: Do Not Charge iPhones in Microwave

A hoax floating around the internet telling consumers that the new iPhone 6 can be charged by being placed in a microwave for a few seconds appears so legitimate that it has caused for the Los Angeles Police Department to issue warnings against the dangerous act. 

A tweet sent out by the LAPD this week warned users, “This #Wave capability is a #hoax. Don’t be fooled into microwaving your #iPhone6. #Apple #Smartphone.” 

One Twitter user was even surprised that the hoax would go so far as requiring a statement by law enforcement authorities:

Wow.LAPD had 2 jump in! “@911LAPD: This #Wave capability is a #hoax. Don’t be fooled into microwaving your #iPhone6. pic.twitter.com/SkGO4lmqkF“

— Sandip Kamat (@sankam) September 25, 2014

A fake, photoshopped ad claims the most recent iOS8 software includes a feature known as the “Wave,” which allows for quick charging by placing the iPhone inside of a microwave and heating it up, according to the Los Angeles Times. 

The directions, which are also a hoax, call for the phone to be “charged” (i.e. heated) for 60 seconds at 700W or 70 seconds at 800W. The fake ad also says the charging time should not exceed 300 seconds.

Placing any metallic device inside of a microwave never ends well. In fact, “No metal object should ever be placed in the microwave. Even a little tin foil can cause a fire, so that much metal from a phone could lead to some manner of explosion,” said Brian Humphrey, who is a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department, to the Times. 

While the LAFD reportedly receives routine phone calls about microwave-related fires, they have yet to receive a call about a fire caused by an iPhone.

Another Twitter user tweeted this:

Proof that microwave shit don’t work on #iphone #wave http://t.co/wB0ToYUkk8

— tre page (@andrewswagpeper) September 26, 2014

Here are a list of the top 10 science hoaxes that have duped people.