Activating a Hobby Phone anonymously?

[guest040711-1]

If you use Google Voice be SURE not to activate voice mail on your true number, it will say your Google Voice name to any calls you don't answer.

[GP]

Trac phone was simple and painless. completely anonymous

[satyr77@live.com]

I use SKYPE for $30 a year all in. Plus $5 to clone my cell number.
I just use a Desk Microphone and Head phones at home and my cell phone when I am on the way to her house.

Satyr

[nebtex1]

I use NET10 (it runs me $15 a month + tax, I buy 300 minutes for 2months @ $30, and I never run out of minutes since I don't use it much, btw the minutes rollover) as a hobby phone and my online account I have set my communication preference to only use e-mail. Of course it is a "hobby" e-mail on-line like yahoo, gmail etc.

I activated my phone from my work # and they only e-mail me or text my hobby phone (when my time needs to be renewed).

Musts ... if you have a SO:

Hobby phone (prepaid)
Hobby e-mail
Hobby bank account (on-line acct no paper mail). Hobby PO Box ... if they send paper mail.
Hobby Credit card if you must (I never use CC for hobbying ... only cash).

[sexymaid_69]

Most "disposable" phones can also be activated using the internet at your local library as well.
No need for any ID or CC information to use that option.

[Likinikki]

So, on the Net10 phones what would come up if you trace the number through reverse telephone directory? I did a search on a Net10 phone number recently, and got someone's name and income & value of that person's house...but the hobbyist who has the number told me that the information that is listed is incorrect...strange.

Can anyone shed some light?

[AustinBusinessTraveler]

Reverse searches of throwaway phones are absolutely pointless. Typically, you'll pull up the number of whomever had the number before it was assigned to one of the pre paid companies.

[JohnnyFarangly]

T-Mobile store was happy with cash from 'John Smith'.
$100 for a year

[grtrader]

Originally Posted by sexymaid_69

Most "disposable" phones can also be activated using the internet at your local library as well.
No need for any ID or CC information to use that option.

If you activate it at a library ask them for a guest login and don't use your library card to use their PCs or you just failed.

[rgvpapi]

Originally Posted by Likinikki

So, on the Net10 phones what would come up if you trace the number through reverse telephone directory? I did a search on a Net10 phone number recently, and got someone's name and income & value of that person's house...but the hobbyist who has the number told me that the information that is listed is incorrect...strange.

Can anyone shed some light?

Nikki, if you don't give them your real name, you wont have anything to worry about. As mentioned before, the info that popped up on your reverse search was probably another persons info (someone who probably wasn't using the phone to hobby and tied it to their personal info).

[Lazy]

Tracfone and NET10 can be activated online if you look at the bottom of the page there is a decline box below the personal info page. T-Mobile website you can enter a fake name on the pay as you go activation page. If you have an unlocked gsm phone buy the T-Mobile Nokia 1661 at Walmart for 14.88 last I checked for the SIM card so you can SIM swap so SO wont find hobby phone because regular phone is hobby phone. Just remember to swap back SIM.

[atlcomedy]

Originally Posted by sexymaid_69

Most "disposable" phones can also be activated using the internet at your local library as well.
No need for any ID or CC information to use that option.

Originally Posted by grtrader

If you activate it at a library ask them for a guest login and don't use your library card to use their PCs or you just failed.

What gtrader said...but to elaborate on what used to be great for anon (&free) internet access (in just about any locale/great when traveling)....most are now requiring a library card....and yes you probably can get one under a fake name/addy at some point it just seems like an awful lot of work

As an aside if you haven't been to a public library in say 10-15 years, be prepared for a shock. In many, maybe half of the space is devoted to open access (for members) computers/internet access, which makes sense if the mission of the place really is serving the community's needs which includes internet access. In many the most popular titles are DVDs, etc.

Originally Posted by Likinikki

So, on the Net10 phones what would come up if you trace the number through reverse telephone directory? I did a search on a Net10 phone number recently, and got someone's name and income & value of that person's house...but the hobbyist who has the number told me that the information that is listed is incorrect...strange.

Can anyone shed some light?

Originally Posted by AustinBusinessTraveler

Reverse searches of throwaway phones are absolutely pointless. Typically, you'll pull up the number of whomever had the number before it was assigned to one of the pre paid companies.

Yep - In general any of these online background search services are of questionable value unless you can establish a real identity (& from that are looking to vet)

Originally Posted by nebtex1

I use NET10 (it runs me $15 a month + tax, I buy 300 minutes for 2months @ $30, and I never run out of minutes since I don't use it much, btw the minutes rollover) as a hobby phone and my online account I have set my communication preference to only use e-mail. Of course it is a "hobby" e-mail on-line like yahoo, gmail etc.

I activated my phone from my work # and they only e-mail me or text my hobby phone (when my time needs to be renewed).

Musts ... if you have a SO:

Hobby phone (prepaid)
Hobby e-mail
Hobby bank account (on-line acct no paper mail). Hobby PO Box ... if they send paper mail.
Hobby Credit card if you must (I never use CC for hobbying ... only cash).

Such a careful guy accessing from work??? lol -- Actually probably not a big deal although I personally take a 100% seperation between work/hobby from a communications standpoint. And many big companies/office complexes have outgoing lines in conference rooms, so if you are too lazy to go to a pay phone, you could easily activate a phone from your office without it being tied to a # associated with you.

I don't know what you need a hobby bank account for...some variation of "cash under the mattress" (altough obviously not literally if you are sharing a bed with the SO) should suffice

Should you need/want a cc I suggest using a high denomination gift card without your name on it (that you pay with cash)

If you don't have anything in your name I don't know why you would need a physical mail addy (PO Box)

[charlestudor2005]

Originally Posted by atlcomedy

Should you need/want a cc I suggest using a high denomination gift card without your name on it (that you pay with cash)

Just a note: current federal law requires CCs to be registered in your name (or at least a name). When I recently needed to pay my membership to P411, they stated they only accepted Green Dot cards now. Well, when looking into the GD cards, I discovered that they now needed to be registered w/ name and address. I think this is a Patriot Act thing, but not sure. I wound up going to a local grocery and getting a money order. No names, no addresses, etc. The cost for the GD was nearly $5 while the cost for the MO was under $1. Just my .02 (but not on a CC).