Burner phones

[Starry69]

Jasmine's lost contacts thread got me thinking about phone options. I used to use Google voice as an "anonymous" phone but Google has become so intertwined with everyday life I doubt there's anything really anonymous about it now.


My question is, is there really a good phone to use now in the hobby similar to the old Trak phone?



One other thing is I don't get out very often so a pay when you use it phone would be ideal, but I'm not sure anything like that even exists.

[KCGator]

Why worry about a physical phone? Just use an app like Google Voice. It helps maintain anonymity.

But to focus on your question (assuming location is of concern)...grab an old phone and set up a T-Mo account. I only say them because at $35/mo unlimited everything, it’s hard to beat. You can pick up an iPhone 7/8 for next to nothing...or if you’re a Droid guy, those are a dime a dozen as well. eBay, any of these phone fixit spots should have what you want.

KCGator

[yourdesire]

There are pay as you go plans but not sure if there's anything like track anymore. Any phone provider will give you month to month service. But you'll have to pay regardless of how often you use it. This place cames $14 a month plans on a Tmobile network & you can take your own phone & current # if you have an unlocked phone you would like to use
https://www.mintmobile.com/

[hungkcwolf]

I worked at Verizon ages ago, and they way prepaid balances work is based on the threshold you purchase. If you add less than ~$30 to a phone it expired in 30days if more wasn't added to the account. However, when you loaded $100 onto the account it didn't expire for an entire year. This brings your "per month" down to a little over $8/mo.

[jakestone]

There are some dirt cheap smart phones on https://shop.tracfone.com/shop/en/tracfonestore/phones. You can get a plan with 30 days service, unlimited talk & text for $25, renew as you like.

[dumars]

I have my iPhone and Magic Jack for my "real" phone numbers. From there I have two GVoice accounts and on top of that I have TextNow on my iPhone and iPad and Talkatone on my iPad only. With a few taps I can talk/text on the first 5 numbers through my iPhone. I can do the same with Talkatone but just haven't bothered! I also still have my old 6+ which still works fine. If so inclined I could add another two numbers to the list.

What I'm saying here is there is no reason for a burner phone! Many alternatives in abundance and FREE! From the list the only number I'm paying for is the iPhone! Of course, if you want to pay, each of the freebies above have a "no advertising" option too.

[TailHooked]

Well just how anonymous are these apps? I really don't trust big tech. They know more then they say. I have a second phone I bought with cash and buy a prepaid card. I can remove the battery when not in use.

[dumars]

Don't rightly know but I'm pretty sure CIA, FBI, NSA, FSB or GRU are not too concerned about what I'm up to. Pretty sure KCPD, IPD and OPPD aren't spending a lot of time checking me out either. Could be wrong on all counts though!

As long as it keeps all them, and mentally/emotionally unstable providers too, away from my "real" number and email I'm fine with it. I do have two biz emails out there. One gets nuked daily, the other almost none at all.

Originally Posted by TailHooked

Well just how anonymous are these apps? I really don't trust big tech. They know more then they say. I have a second phone I bought with cash and buy a prepaid card. I can remove the battery when not in use.

[JRLawrence]

Originally Posted by jakestone

There are some dirt cheap smart phones on https://shop.tracfone.com/shop/en/tracfonestore/phones. You can get a plan with 30 days service, unlimited talk & text for $25, renew as you like.

I got a trackphone for $50 and it runs less than $20 per month, sometimes much less. It depends on how much you use it and how much you pay in advance.

I always pay cash, never with a credit card, for the phone and minutes.

Got it at Target. All of the others seem to want you to use a credit card.

[SweetSuzanna]

T-Mobile quoted me $75 for 1 unlimited line!






QUOTE=KCGator;1062450773]Why worry about a physical phone? Just use an app like Google Voice. It helps maintain anonymity.

But to focus on your question (assuming location is of concern)...grab an old phone and set up a T-Mo account. I only say them because at $35/mo unlimited everything, it’s hard to beat. You can pick up an iPhone 7/8 for next to nothing...or if you’re a Droid guy, those are a dime a dozen as well. eBay, any of these phone fixit spots should have what you want.

KCGator[/QUOTE]

[SweetSuzanna]

Wow you know your stuff. I wish I was that technologically advanced. I don’t know what to do with my situation my phone. And I think finally I’m going to have to get a computer there’s just too many things you can’t do on a phone. But if you’re using your real phone even in private mode can’t that information still be pulled off of it by a jealous spouse or le?

Originally Posted by dumars

I have my iPhone and Magic Jack for my "real" phone numbers. From there I have two GVoice accounts and on top of that I have TextNow on my iPhone and iPad and Talkatone on my iPad only. With a few taps I can talk/text on the first 5 numbers through my iPhone. I can do the same with Talkatone but just haven't bothered! I also still have my old 6+ which still works fine. If so inclined I could add another two numbers to the list.

What I'm saying here is there is no reason for a burner phone! Many alternatives in abundance and FREE! From the list the only number I'm paying for is the iPhone! Of course, if you want to pay, each of the freebies above have a "no advertising" option too.

[SweetSuzanna]

Originally Posted by jakestone

There are some dirt cheap smart phones on https://shop.tracfone.com/shop/en/tracfonestore/phones. You can get a plan with 30 days service, unlimited talk & text for $25, renew as you like.

Are you able to transfer all of your contacts, photos, videos, text messages and emails over to this phone?

[SweetSuzanna]

Originally Posted by jakestone

There are some dirt cheap smart phones on https://shop.tracfone.com/shop/en/tracfonestore/phones. You can get a plan with 30 days service, unlimited talk & text for $25, renew as you like.

This seems like a good idea simple

[Kansas City Traveler]

Same, track phone is still going strong. You can by the phone with cash and minutes on a card with cash so nothing is ever attached to you personally.

[dumars]

Don’t know about spouses but if LE wants to know something about you that bad they’re gonna find out if you’re infamous enough!

I’m not a MAFIA hit man nor am I hiding from the FBI/CIA/NSA/GRU/whoever! I’m just an old ass trick staying out of sight! Anything more elaborate beyond what I do is simply paranoiac overkill! Then again, I have room to talk shit from the situation I’m in!

Originally Posted by SweetSuzanna

Wow you know your stuff. I wish I was that technologically advanced. I don’t know what to do with my situation my phone. And I think finally I’m going to have to get a computer there’s just too many things you can’t do on a phone. But if you’re using your real phone even in private mode can’t that information still be pulled off of it by a jealous spouse or le?