Burner Numbers: Purpose and Importance Explained

In today’s digital world, when you never know who could be watching your activity online. You may wonder how to best keep your information safe. One way to stay relatively anonymous is with a temporary phone number or burner number. When you consider how often you use your phone number to sign up for online accounts — which usually contain identifying information like your name or email address — it doesn’t seem so ridiculous to get a second number. A burner number is a temporary cell phone number you can use for a while then easily discard. (Getting rid of it is the “burning”). This gives you a number to use for a one-off situation or provides you with a second number when you don’t want to give away your personal one. You can obtain a burner number by using a smartphone app that gives you a second secret phone number , purchasing a physical burner phone, or getting a temporary SIM card. Each option has pros and cons, and each comes at a different price. How you go about getting a burner number is up to you. It depends on what you use the number for and how much you’re willing to spend on a second number. The three primary methods for obtaining a temporary phone number are: Let’s look at each one in more detail. Burner apps work by assigning you a real phone number after you sign up and pay for a monthly subscription. Some apps require the purchase of credits instead of regular subscription payments, which might be more beneficial if you don’t use your number that often. A virtual phone app is a popular option because it doesn’t require extra hardware, like another phone or a SIM. An app is usually your only option if you want a phone number based in another country as well. Some popular burner apps are: With these apps, keep in mind that some value privacy more than others. CoverMe, for example, uses military-grade encryption standards. If you’re trying to stay off the radar, look for an app with higher privacy standards. Another thing to remember is that some apps may have limited features. Perhaps you can receive calls and SMS messages for free, but you have to pay to send your own. Always check out the full list of features and read reviews before downloading a temporary phone number app. The classic way to get a temporary number that’s unattached to your identity is to buy a burner phone, like they do in spy movies. They’re usually cheap with limited functionalities. They also may or may not already have a prepaid SIM installed. You can buy a burner phone from just about anywhere that sells phones. A burner phone is the costliest option to get a temporary phone number because you have to invest in a phone and a SIM card. If you want to keep using your phone regularly, you’ll have to reload the SIM card each month with calling minutes and SMS messages. Keep in mind that if you’re trying to remain mostly anonymous, you should NOT reload your SIM card with your credit card because your credit card has your name attached to it. Instead, you can pay with cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, use cash or gift cards. A burner phone can be useful if you want to keep your burner number separate from your primary phone. If someone else gets a hold of your primary phone and snoops through it, they could see a burner app installed. The final way you can get a burner number is with a temporary SIM card that you insert into your existing phone. This method is common for traveling abroad, so you can have a local number while you’re staying in a foreign country. These SIM cards work like a burner phone, but without having to buy another phone. You purchase the SIM, then you purchase a subscription or credits for calling, sending SMS messages, and using mobile Internet. You don’t have to travel to use a temporary SIM card, however. You can pick one up at grocery stores, gas stations, or convenience stores, then add credits online and start using it with a different number. The downside to a temporary SIM card is that you may have to remove your main SIM card to use it, unless your phone can hold two at once. Also, in some countries, you have to furnish an ID to purchase a temporary SIM card, which defeats the purpose of getting an anonymous second number. Although it may run counter to why you get a burner number, know that burner numbers can be traced to their owners. Whether you use a virtual number app, burner phone, or temporary SIM, the number goes through a cellular carrier or network operator. These carriers keep call logs, track data usage, and even know your approximate location. For this reason, you should always read the fine print when signing up for a virtual number app. Look at the company’s policies to see which information they can see and how much of it they hold on to. If their privacy policy is not forthcoming about this info, it’s best to avoid creating an account with them. Also, don’t use your burner number for anything illegal. It’s for protecting your personal privacy, not for conducting covert activities. If you do something illegal with the number, the authorities will be able to trace it back to you. While there are privacy advantages to using a burner number, it comes with some downsides as well: There are several situations where a temporary phone number would come in handy, or you may just prefer to have a second phone number to screen the calls you get. Burner numbers are ideal for the following situations: A temporary phone number won’t cloak your identity completely, but it will add another layer of privacy between your personal life and the outside world. Having a burner number comes in handy in many situations — more than you’d think. If you want to protect your privacy, consider getting yourself a temporary phone number.