ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (WHAT THE TECH?) — If you see Facebook posts with advice on what to do if you get lost in the wilderness, maybe think twice before taking it as it may be false.

It could even put your life at risk. It’s advice for if you ever get lost somewhere with a dying battery and/or poor cell reception. You’ve probably seen it.

It says you should change your voicemail. Recording where you are, what’s happening, and any additional information to help someone find you. The idea is anyone calling your phone will hear the message. The truth is, that’s a terrible idea. Here’s why:

Changing your voicemail requires uploading a message to a server. That won’t work with a weak cell signal. Secondly, any voice call is going to use the battery so your phone loses power more quickly.

It’s best to text your friends your location. A text uses less battery and you can even send it with a weak cell signal. Set up “emergency contacts” in settings. If you need immediate help, on an iPhone press the on-off button 5 times. It’ll call 911 and text your emergency contacts with your GPS location. On Android devices, hold down on/off button until you see this screen and choose emergency.

And everyone should have the app “What 3 Words” on their phone. Most 911 call centers use it. What 3 Words tells someone precisely where you are within a few feet.

An option for iPhone users with iOS 18 is using emergency SOS via satellite. That’ll text emergency services and contacts with your location, even if you have no cellular connection at all.

Don’t share those false Facebook posts with your friends.

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