Prepaid phones are becoming more and more popular in movies and TV shows, as they offer a convenient and cost-effective way to stay in touch. Whether a crime drama or a spy thriller, prepaid phones are the perfect solution.
What Is a Burner Phone?
The term “burner phone” usually refers to an inexpensive feature phone or “dumbphone” that does not connect to the internet and has no smartphone features. A phone does not have to be such a cheap phone to be a burner phone. But since the idea is that the phone can be discarded anytime, people usually want the most inexpensive phone possible. The intention is to only use the phone for a limited period after activation, so quality matters much less than price.
The popularity of burner phones has led to a rise in the prices of these devices. A cheap burner phone with a new number is desirable for various reasons. The most popular reason for buying a burner phone is to make phone calls, given that they don’t support apps or only support limited apps.
Why Use a Burner Phone?
Smartphones are increasingly being used by criminals to evade law enforcement. This is because smartphones collect massive amounts of trackable information that can be linked to your real-world identity. ..
There are many legitimate reasons to have a burner phone, such as using it as an anonymous whistleblower or evading a repressive government. In other words, criminality is not the only reason to want one.
iOS smartphones often require registration with companies like Apple or Google, and even if you use false information, there are still data breadcrumbs that can be linked to you. Smartphones contain wireless technologies that can be traced. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi can leave a trace with other devices as you pass by them, which can later be extracted through data forensics.
The burner phone solution is to use a prepaid SIM card. This will allow you to use your phone without having to worry about your data usage.
How to Get a Burner Phone (The Right Way)
There are a number of ways to get a burner phone, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Here are three ways to get your hands on a burner phone:
- Use a prepaid SIM card: This is the simplest way to get your hands on a burner phone, as you don’t have to worry about getting a new SIM card or buying one specifically for the phone. Just use a prepaid card that works with your current network, and you’re good to go.
- Use an online service: There are plenty of online services that offer prepaid cards for burner phones, so you can easily buy one without having to worry about compatibility or compatibility issues. Just enter in the type of phone you want (e.g., Android or iOS) and the amount of money you want to spend, and the service will provide you with a prepaid card that works with your current network.
- Use an app: Another option is to use an app like T-Mobile’s MyTouch App or AT&T’s U-verse App . These apps allow you to buy prepaid cards directly from the apps, which makes it much easier than using any other method mentioned above.
To use a prepaid phone in the United States, you will need to purchase both the phone and SIM card using cash. Alternatively, you can pay with cryptocurrency, but be aware that currencies such as Bitcoin aren’t truly anonymous. Buying anything with a credit card or bank transfer can be easily traced. ..
You will need to load your prepaid SIM with airtime or data. The best solution is to use a prepaid debit or credit card purchased cash from a store.
Burner SIM Cards Are Illegal in Most Countries
Since anonymous SIM cards are so commonly used for criminal activity, most nations have made them illegal. Except for the United States, Canada, and a small handful of other countries, you must register your prepaid SIM in most of the world. ..
The registration requires an official ID and proof of residence. False information provided in the registration process generally leads to criminal charges. This measure was implemented to reduce certain types of crime and terrorism.
As you might imagine, buying a SIM card with a fake registration would also be a crime.
Burner Phone Privacy Can Be Defeated
The biggest problem with burner phones is the idea that they offer complete privacy. Although there’s no official paper trail between yourself, the phone, and the SIM card, you still use the cellular network. That network keeps logs that can be accessed by law enforcement.
The phone service provider can record and keep records of everything that is sent and received using a burner phone. This means that the content of the messages and calls can be used to expose your identity.
burner users must apply additional measures such as voice changers or codewords to communicate anonymously via text or voice. To communicate anonymously, burner users must use sophisticated voice recognition and identification software to match their voices or listen for keywords spoken during calls or written in text messages.
Smartphones that use a SIM card and can be tracked by their approximate location using triangulation between cell towers. Even without GPS or Bluetooth, it is still possible to track smartphones to some degree. ..
Using a Burner Phone App
There are many different burner phone apps available, each with its own set of features and benefits. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Wickr: This app is perfect for sharing photos and videos with friends and family. You can easily share photos and videos using Wickr, without having to worry about the security of your data or the privacy of your friends.
- Facebook Messenger: Facebook Messenger is a great app for messaging with friends and family. You can easily message your friends using Facebook Messenger, without having to worry about the security of your messages or the privacy of your friends.
- WhatsApp: WhatsApp is a great app for messaging with friends and family. You can easily message your friends using WhatsApp, without having to worry about the security of your messages or the privacy of your friends.
The best-known app for communicating within the USA and Canada is probably Burner.
Hushed is a popular iOS and Android app that offers numbers in the UK, the USA, and Canada.
While burner apps like these are perfect for protecting your actual phone number from telemarketers or separating business from private calls, they probably aren’t as secure as a true burner when it comes to law enforcement and privacy.
Signal Blocking Bags
If you’re concerned about being tracked when you have your phone with you, consider using a signal-blocking bag. This will protect your phone from being tracked in both cases - when it’s in a burner phone and when it’s your primary phone. However, once the phone is out of the bag, it will return to normal. ..
A signal-blocking bag ensures that your phone won’t betray your location or activity until you’re ready to do so.
Using a VPN Instead of a Burner
If you primarily use your burner phone to hide your location while communicating, then a VPN is a more convenient and effective solution than using a second phone. ..
By using a VPN to tunnel to a server from another region or country, you can make VOIP (Voice Over IP) calls while hiding your actual location. You can combine a VPN with a burner number app for even better security.
End-to-End Encrypted Apps
There are many great messaging apps with end-to-end encryption. This means that only the participants in the chat or call have access to the message contents; not even the app provider knows what’s being said. Signal is the best overall choice for most people, as it’s used by Edward Snowden! ..
Use a Dual-SIM Phone
Dual-SIM phones allow you to have two different phone numbers, one for private use and one for work. This can be useful if you want to have two separate phone numbers, one for work and one for personal use. Dual-SIM phones are more elegant than having just one phone with just one SIM card.
Dual-SIM phones are almost always network-unlocked since they wouldn’t be very useful.
Should You Use Burner Phones?
There are better and more secure ways to communicate anonymously without being tracked or spied on. A Nokia 225 is a great phone to take with you on a hike or to keep in your car for an emergency, but it’s not the best way to hide from anyone, least of all the government!
