{"id":180397,"date":"2021-02-17T09:40:49","date_gmt":"2021-02-17T06:40:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/what-is-a-burner-phone-and-when-should-you-use-one\/"},"modified":"2021-02-17T09:40:49","modified_gmt":"2021-02-17T06:40:49","slug":"what-is-a-burner-phone-and-when-should-you-use-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-a-burner-phone-and-when-should-you-use-one\/","title":{"rendered":"#What Is a Burner Phone, and When Should You Use One?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a34d3ed15744\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a34d3ed15744\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-a-burner-phone-and-when-should-you-use-one\/#What_Is_a_Burner\" >What Is a Burner?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-a-burner-phone-and-when-should-you-use-one\/#Why_Would_You_Use_a_Burner\" >Why Would You Use a Burner?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-a-burner-phone-and-when-should-you-use-one\/#A_Burner_Doesnt_Guarantee_Anonymity\" >A Burner Doesn\u2019t Guarantee Anonymity<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-a-burner-phone-and-when-should-you-use-one\/#Where_to_Get_a_Burner_Phone_or_SIM\" >Where to Get a Burner Phone or SIM<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-a-burner-phone-and-when-should-you-use-one\/#What_About_Google_Voice_and_Other_Services\" >What About Google Voice and Other Services?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-a-burner-phone-and-when-should-you-use-one\/#Burn_After_Reading\" >Burn After Reading<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>&#8220;#What Is a Burner Phone, and When Should You Use One?&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-713522 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/feature-phone.jpg\" alt=\"A hand holding an old feature phone.\" width=\"650\" height=\"302\" data-crediturl=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/sao-paulo-brazil-may-31-2018-1135532135\" data-credittext=\"Tacio Philip Sansonovski\/Shutterstock.com\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/sao-paulo-brazil-may-31-2018-1135532135\">Tacio Philip Sansonovski\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A \u201cburner phone\u201d is a cheap, prepaid mobile phone that you can destroy or discard when you no longer need it. In popular <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>, criminals often use burner phones to evade detection by authorities. You might use a burner phone for privacy reasons, as a last resort, or during an emergency.<\/p>\n<p>A \u201cburner SIM\u201d is a related term, and refers to a cheap, prepaid SIM card that you can insert into another phone. You may plan on only using the SIM card for a limited period of time and not linking it to your real identity.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_a_Burner\"><\/span>What Is a Burner?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A burner phone is a cheap, prepaid mobile phone that the owner <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a>ly doesn\u2019t intend to use long term. These phones have traditionally been purchased with cash to avoid any kind of paper trail that would tie the phone number to an individual.<\/p>\n<p>The term was popularized in the hit 2002 HBO <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">series<\/a> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hbo.com\/the-wire\"><em>The Wire<\/em><\/a>, where \u201cburners\u201d were used to avoid detection by authorities. Once a number was suspected of being compromised, the device was discarded or \u201cburned\u201d so that the trail would go cold.<\/p>\n<p>Since the rise of iPhones and Android devices, burners are more commonly referred to as \u201cfeature phones\u201d or \u201cdumb phones,\u201d since the smartphones of today didn\u2019t exist in the early 2000s.\u00a0While the term \u201cburner phone\u201d is still common, SIM cards could also be used in such a manner.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of purchasing an entirely new device, a burner SIM can be used in a smartphone to switch between numbers for a variety of reasons. Some smartphones can even accommodate more than one SIM at a time for this purpose.<\/p>\n<p>With that in mind, some of the <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>lications of a burner phone rely solely on having a second dedicated device you can use.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Would_You_Use_a_Burner\"><\/span>Why Would You Use a Burner?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You might use a burner phone or a SIM to protect your identity. If you can manage to procure a handset or SIM card that isn\u2019t linked to your real-world identity, you can use the number without the risk of being identified.<\/p>\n<p>There are all sorts of reasons that someone might want to remain anonymous. Maybe you\u2019re phoning in an anonymous tip to an employer. Maybe you would like to use a secure messaging service like Signal or Telegram without disclosing your primary phone number.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe you\u2019re trying to avoid giving your main phone number to marketers who will likely send you follow-up messages\u2014like when you\u2019re viewing a real estate listing or looking for insurance quotes.<\/p>\n<p>Since burner phones are feature phones, they are severely limited in their abilities. Most lack cameras or access to a modern browser, and are instead limited to phone calls and text messaging. Since they are relatively lightweight devices, they have excellent battery life, too.<\/p>\n<p>Many such devices will last for days on a single charge, and sometimes even months if you use the battery sparingly. This makes burner phones ideal for use in an emergency. They are often found in emergency survival kits since they can be charged and turned off until they are required. A burner phone is a spare phone with long battery life that doesn\u2019t need an expensive cell phone plan\u2014what\u2019s not to like?<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>Signal vs. Telegram: Which Is the Best Chat App?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Burner_Doesnt_Guarantee_Anonymity\"><\/span>A Burner Doesn\u2019t Guarantee Anonymity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re buying a burner phone for privacy reasons that extend beyond simply using the number to send anonymous Signal messages or avoiding spam, be aware that no cell phone provides you with true anonymity.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s all about your \u201cthreat model\u201d\u2014what threats are you trying to protect your privacy from?<\/p>\n<p>Just think about the process of getting a burner phone from the store. Let\u2019s say that you drive to a store, buy the burner phone with a credit card, drive home, and turn it on.<\/p>\n<p>In the process of this: If you took your normal phone with you, your cellular carrier will know that you were at the store at the time the phone was purchased. License plate cameras on the route may have captured your license plate and recorded your movements. A camera in the store may have recorded you buying the phone. Your credit card company will have a record of you buying the phone. When you turn the phone on at home, the cellular carrier your phone uses will have a pretty good idea of where your home address is.<\/p>\n<p>And if you carry your burner phone and normal phone at the same time and both are powered on, anyone looking at cellular phone records can get a pretty good idea that those phones are owned by the same person.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, that\u2019s a lot of ways that you could be traced by an adversary with serious resources. If you\u2019re really trying to evade government authorities\u2014well, good luck. You\u2019ll need it.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, if you just want a new phone number that isn\u2019t directly and easily linked to your identity by the companies you deal with and the people you call, that\u2019ll do just fine.<\/p>\n<p>And if you\u2019re not looking for anonymity and just want a secondary cell phone with long battery life for use in emergencies, this doesn\u2019t really matter.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>Can Anyone Really Track My Phone&#8217;s Precise Location?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_to_Get_a_Burner_Phone_or_SIM\"><\/span>Where to Get a Burner Phone or SIM<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Convenience stores and electronic retailers will sell prepaid SIM cards and burner phones. Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and other similar stores will have a good selection of cheap devices or SIM-only plans that allow you to call and text, and not much else. You can often buy prepaid SIM cards from corner stores like 7-Eleven and drugstores like Rite Aid.<\/p>\n<p>You should expect to pay between $10 and $50 for a cheap burner, depending on the features you want. Plans start at around $10, but ultimately, it depends on your intended usage. Most burners are used purely for texting and calling, and any additional features on top of that (touchscreens, cameras, etc.) may be surplus to requirement and a waste of battery life.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-713331 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/nokia_110_edited.jpg\" alt=\"Nokia 110\" width=\"650\" height=\"295\" data-credittext=\"Nokia\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Nokia<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Nokia-110-2G-Unlocked-Feature-Phone\/dp\/B08L5K1D6L\/?tag=hotoge-20\">Nokia 110<\/a> is a simple 2G feature phone that provides up to 14 hours of talk on a single charge. The <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/BLU-GSM-Unlocked-Dual-Black\/dp\/B07MZDNBDJ\/?tag=hotoge-20\">BLU Z5<\/a> is similarly priced and even has a camera. The <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Nokia-Unlocked-Smartphone-AI-Powered-Charcoal\/dp\/B087V61QD7\/?tag=hotoge-20\">Nokia 1.3<\/a> is one of the most \u201cadvanced\u201d cheap handsets, though it will cost you around $100 and runs Android 10.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re really looking for anonymity, how far you want to go in anonymizing your purchase is up to you. You could ask someone else to buy it for you, or ask them to purchase you a gift card, which you then might use to buy the phone. You could also use cash in person. For the sake of anonymity, you probably want to avoid using your credit or debit card, so purchasing from an online retailer is probably not the best idea.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re only purchasing a burner to throw into a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lifesavvy.com\/1499\/how-to-create-a-72-hour-emergency-kit\/\">survival kit<\/a> or to keep in the car for emergencies, you can comb the web for the best deals without worrying about privacy implications. Amazon, eBay, or your preferred local service provider are great places to start.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_About_Google_Voice_and_Other_Services\"><\/span>What About Google Voice and Other Services?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re simply looking for a second number that you can use to call and text from a computer, or to use with a service like Signal or Telegram, consider VoIP services. Google Voice, Skype, and other internet telephony providers can give you a number that you can use for basic texting and calling.<\/p>\n<p>Google Voice only works in the U.S., but it\u2019s free and easy to sign up for. You can register a new Google Account to use with your new number and take precautions like hiding your IP address using a VPN. Other providers exist, but they will likely charge you for a number (and that may require linking your card).<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-713203 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/google_voice.png\" alt=\"Google Voice\" width=\"650\" height=\"398\" data-credittext=\"Google\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Google<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>What Is a VPN, and Why Would I Need One?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Burn_After_Reading\"><\/span>Burn After Reading<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re using a burner for privacy reasons, make sure that you take appropriate steps to distance your identity from your purchase. If your interest in a burner is purely for emergency or backup use, make sure that you charge the phone before you stow it (and consider an <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com.au\/Emergency-Battery-Charger-Travel-Festival\/dp\/B00V86JT2U?tag=hotoge-20\">AA battery charger<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Wondering how you can charge your burner while away from a power outlet? Learn how to charge your phone in the middle of nowhere. If you\u2019re wondering how police have tackled this phenomenon in the past, consider watching\u00a0<em>The Wire<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>How to Charge Your Smartphone While Camping<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/712588\/what-is-a-burner-phone-and-when-should-you-use-one\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#What Is a Burner Phone, and When Should You Use One?&#8221; Tacio Philip Sansonovski\/Shutterstock.com A \u201cburner phone\u201d is a cheap, prepaid mobile phone that you can destroy or discard when you no longer need it. In popular media, criminals often use burner phones to evade detection by authorities. You might use a burner phone for&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":180398,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/feature-phone.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-180397","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180397","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=180397"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180397\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/180398"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=180397"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=180397"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=180397"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}