re affirming the obvious

[taggert]

Although its been said here many times before, I thought it might be worth mentioning again, especially for the newbies. Buy a damn hobby phone! I have one but didn't when I first started. No problem until today when i received a text saying "I'll be in rochester all week". I googled the number to find it was a lady I had seen a year ago. No problems came of it but the point is it could have. While I'm annoyed that she sent it out I'm more pissed at myself for not heeding the good advice of others. I haven't used that phone to hobby in almost a year. Didn't figure I needed to worry about it anymore...

[Chloe]

Taggert that is something that needs to be stated over and over. I have had clients get busted by their wives BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE A HOBBY PHONE. . . .

Not only will you get in deep sh*t over this but some SO's decide to take it out on the provider you saw and proceed to have it in their heads to ruin her life as well. Calling LE and putting this whole community at risk, finding out her true identity and harassing her and her family, offering to pay her for her time to help f*uck up her SO's life . . .you don't think that happens??? I made a list of my experiences not my thoughts about what could happen . . .

[BrookeButtons]

I get what the provider was trying to do, but your right, having a hobby phone is the best idea for any guy. Get a pay as you go phone. Turn it off when you’re not hobbying and keep it somewhere where your SO won't find it. I know many gents leave it in their car's trunk or glove box. Hell, leave it at the office if you want!

I think an email would have probably been better for this lady to send out a "friendly reminder" that she would be in town visiting. I don't think I would text/call anyone whom I haven't seen in a year... actually I only keep numbers in my phone for about 3 months. After that, if we haven't met up I delete and only keep them on my client/reference list so I can match up if a lady does ask about a gent. There are a few exceptions and it’s just been guys I have seen since day one and know they only hobby certain times of the year.

Glad to hear this didn't get you into trouble... and Chloe you have pretty much experienced it all. The book you could write on this business lol

[Jon Colden]

All of the above is true.

However, how does the story go when the SO accidentally finds the second phone and asks why you need two phones? Not an easy way through that morass.

So, better to worry about deleting texts (which is fairly easy to do) or keep a burner phone, go to lengths to keep it anonymous, and try to hide the device from everyone?

I've done both, and continue to do both; deleting texts is easy, hiding calls is somewhat harder, but hiding a second phone is quite hard, too.

Bottom Line: This "hobby" ain't as easy as it looks.

[youngatheart]

I use google phone. I still get to use my phone only now I have 1 made up contact you I call occasionally. (as in, yea I called Bob from bowling) From there I can discreetly call anyone I want. A nice inexpensive alternative.

[Jon Colden]

I'll have to look into that.

Thanks for the insight.

[BrookeButtons]

Just so you know Jon, you can delete texts all you want and call logs, but your SO can go onto Verizon, Sprint, AT&T and request or look into the detailed bill and see EVERY text/call that you "deleted".

Just because it's deleted off your phone.... doesn't mean it's deleted forever. Much like deleting contacts/files off of computures or work emails. Everything can be brought back from the dead technology wise.

That's why many gents who have 2 phones will suggest keeping the hobby phone no where in site or in finding from the SO. Hence keeping it locked/hidden in your car. Or leaving it at the office in your desk. Plus if it's pay as you go, there will be no bill.

I highly suggest any gent with an SO not to just delete texts/calls when they are ddone hobbying for the day. I know many wifes when they suspect cheating go straight to their husbands cell phone bill/account and pull up every number they don't know and start dialing....

Plus like the OP brought up.... the provider texted his personal phone out of the blue... how are you going to explain to the SO why Candy is in town visiting and wants to see you so badly because it's been a while?

[naughtyfun]

WOW................I didnt know providers sent out texts to inform they are in town. I would think that there would be a better alternative. Why a text and not a phone call? Why a text and not an email? Is the provider purposely trying to get the hobbiest in trouble, or test the waters of his relationship? If I dont call a provider first I dont expect a call or text from her out of the blue.
Just my thoughts and opinions.

[cnyred]

Had a provider once send me a pic of her, ahem, moneymaker with the message that it was really wet and she was taking incall until 11 pm. I never actually talked to her. I called, got her VM, hung up and she started texting like nuts. The best $50 I ever spent was to have AT&T change my number. Now I use Google voice and Skype through my iphone.

[offshoredrilling]

Courtney does that. But she does ask first. To bad she never in town when I have time. And if you PM or email her. you can be added or deleted at any time. But she does ask first. I'm ok with it as I am single. The 3 I see the most call and text all the time.

I did have a provider call that I saw once. I was not asked if that was ok. Told her that it was not a good idea unless you ask first when in person. And why. But I meet her from another that called me and asked if we could meet. She was still newbie at the time. She said, but provider X called you. And provider X and I had to explain that she knows who she can and can not call or text. And at what times call or text are ok.

A few provider I have meet and even a few I have not call me from time to time. That do have my number. and its ok

But!!!!!!
its not a good thing to do unless ya know better.

Newbies and I would think Travelers would be ones that do this without knowing if ok. Or errr hate to say but also desperate and or dumb non pro.

So please do not unless you know its ok.

problem: The ones that need to know this will not read this thread. For whatever reason. So it will come up again.

[Jon Colden]

Brooke,

The cell phone provider companies won't disclose that sort of stuff to someone who isn't on the account. If the SO isn't on the account, even if she uses a phone on the account, they're precluded from disclosing those details.

Plus, the world texts so much that, my understanding is, text records are only stored for a few days. Teens can text 8-12,000 times a month.

Paperless billing, sent to a private e-mail account covers a lot of it, too.

But a phone, forgotten in a coat pocket or not kept sufficiently well-hidden, is not an easy thing to explain away. Who legitimately needs two phones?

And I'd have deleted that text as soon as it came through. Plus, texts can be sent to the wrong numbers if the sender mistypes, and there's an increase in spam texts these days.

Originally Posted by BrookeButtons

Just so you know Jon, you can delete texts all you want and call logs, but your SO can go onto Verizon, Sprint, AT&T and request or look into the detailed bill and see EVERY text/call that you "deleted".

Just because it's deleted off your phone.... doesn't mean it's deleted forever. Much like deleting contacts/files off of computures or work emails. Everything can be brought back from the dead technology wise.

That's why many gents who have 2 phones will suggest keeping the hobby phone no where in site or in finding from the SO. Hence keeping it locked/hidden in your car. Or leaving it at the office in your desk. Plus if it's pay as you go, there will be no bill.

I highly suggest any gent with an SO not to just delete texts/calls when they are ddone hobbying for the day. I know many wifes when they suspect cheating go straight to their husbands cell phone bill/account and pull up every number they don't know and start dialing....

Plus like the OP brought up.... the provider texted his personal phone out of the blue... how are you going to explain to the SO why Candy is in town visiting and wants to see you so badly because it's been a while?

[BrookeButtons]

Plus, the world texts so much that, my understanding is, text records are only stored for a few days. Teens can text 8-12,000 times a month

Just logged onto my account on VZW.com... I pulled up ALL the text messages that were sent/recieved from Aug of 2010! And calls too!!!

JUST GET A DAMN HOBBY PHONE GENTS... DO YOU REALLY WANT YOUR WIFE TO KNOW WHO YOU WERE SCREWING A YEAR AGO?????????

[LynnT]

Hobby phone or not I dont thinks is proper to text clients like that. If you didnt sign up for an email/notification list you'll never get that from me.

I have ads for a reason..

But you guys have to remember not all ladies are the sharpest tool in the shed and just dont get it.. so the hobby phone is in order.. I dont even store your number only a few I know for sure have a hobby phone and or see me on the regular. Have a code name attached, never a real name. I dont leave stuff in my phone in case LE/someone gets my phone. Its also on a pass code lock in 15 seconds..

[pineappleguy]

Any suggestions on a pay-as-you-go phone that works well internationally? I hobby in Canada a bit and have a tracfone but you have to dial an 800 number to make an international call and the phone cannot be used outside of the US.