CLIENTS: Burner Phone vs Primary Cell vs Google Voice vs ???

[jockstrapdaddy]

On 8/9/2025 at 11:13 AM, JamesB said:

I use a VoIP number app that only requires an email to register an email I created solely for this purpose. If I see someone multiple times and become a regular, then they’ll get my real number. I have no interest in giving every provider I try my personal phone number. For the same reason, first meetings are always at their place or a hotel, I don’t want every provider I meet to know where I live.

Do you mind sharing the VoIP number app that you use? 

[jockstrapdaddy]

On 8/9/2025 at 11:46 AM, ApexNomad said:

I have my personal assistant make all my arrangements.  So much easier than burner phones. Bad experience, no problem. Hire another assistant.

is this for real? 😅

[jockstrapdaddy]

On 8/12/2025 at 1:43 PM, Chien Andalou said:

I have always had to use my phone for work and didn’t want text bubbles about meeting at some hotel that afternoon to pop up on my screen.

I used to have a crappy burner; now I use the Hushed app on my phone. It provides a phone number with domestic calls and texts for something like 50 bucks a year. It allows me continuity without using my actual phone. Works like a charm. (After reading about it here, I do wonder what Mr. Number says about that number.)

I used to have WhatsApp tied to the burner number. Now it’s attached to my personal number and I don’t use it for “the hobby.” I have considered trying WhatsApp Business with my alternate number but haven’t bit the bullet.

I recently signed up for Signal, which is purportedly the most secure, but none of the providers I’ve tried to contact are registered. 

Think that using a prepaid number for as a secondary sim and attaching it to a whatsapp business account is going to be my route. 👍

[jockstrapdaddy]

SUMMARY of the responses I’ve seen:

1) Primary Phone - “I’ve got nothing to lose” or “I don’t see any real danger in it”

2) Burner App - seems to be THE preferred option by a good contingent!

3) Prepaid Number - Third option appears to be a prepaid sim to use for texting

4) Whatsapp Business - Using a Burner or Prepaid number to setup a whatsapp business as a secondary whatsapp messenger. 

There were a few other one-offs so I apologize if I didn’t identify yours, but these seemed to be the front runners! 

[+ JamesB]

13 minutes ago, jockstrapdaddy said:

Do you mind sharing the VoIP number app that you use? 

TextNow

Android

IOS

[+ ApexNomad]

24 minutes ago, jockstrapdaddy said:

is this for real? 😅

Of course not… I have them hire their replacement first then I fire them.

[+ SirBillybob]

1 hour ago, jockstrapdaddy said:

SUMMARY of the responses I’ve seen:

1) Primary Phone - “I’ve got nothing to lose” or “I don’t see any real danger in it”

2) Burner App - seems to be THE preferred option by a good contingent!

3) Prepaid Number - Third option appears to be a prepaid sim to use for texting

4) Whatsapp Business - Using a Burner or Prepaid number to setup a whatsapp business as a secondary whatsapp messenger. 

There were a few other one-offs so I apologize if I didn’t identify yours, but these seemed to be the front runners! 

Good summary; you didn't just phone it in.

[jayjaycali]

I find it's gets tricky with the address book / contacts list.  On the same phone, one misclick on contacts permissions and your 'fun' contacts get shared to the rest of your apps and LinkedIn is recommending them as people you may know and probably vice versa.  

Burner app I think keeps its own contacts list, but others not sure (WhatsApp I think asks for contacts lists to work). 

Separate phone comes in handy.  

 

[jockstrapdaddy]

On 8/15/2025 at 7:58 PM, jayjaycali said:

I find it's gets tricky with the address book / contacts list.  On the same phone, one misclick on contacts permissions and your 'fun' contacts get shared to the rest of your apps and LinkedIn is recommending them as people you may know and probably vice versa.  

Burner app I think keeps its own contacts list, but others not sure (WhatsApp I think asks for contacts lists to work). 

Separate phone comes in handy.  

 

Totally forgot about this. Your are so right! The shared contacts issue is legitimately one of my big nightmares.

You are correct What's App wants your device contacts to sync to there servers and link you to other people.  I hate it. lol

Google Voice does use the google contacts associated with that google account so it uses a separate source. That's how I'm currently making it work. I recently had to go through a process to create a hobby google account and port my google voice number over to the new account JUST to accomplish this. 

Back to the drawing board. A burner of some kind is sounding more and more likely. 😞 It just seems like there should be a better way. 

Feel like I've wanted a way to keep work and personal separate for years and there still isn't a good solution for that. Something that truly separates and silos the two without requiring a second device. The same concept would be perfect for this. 🙃

*sigh*

[jayjaycali]

Actually that reminded me, Android now has something called Private Space where you can partition apps away and with a different Google login so it's treated like a separated account and can't share.  At least i think that's what it does.  Haven't tried it myself. 

[The Dude]

On 8/14/2025 at 6:50 AM, mikefl81 said:

I’m also a big fan of the Burner app and recommend it. 
 

My only complaint is I sometimes don’t receive a text if the provider is sending a picture, often a photo containing their rates/services. It’s happened a few times causing a miscommunication but the message will come through on the second try.  Not sure if it’s a glitch or not. 

I think Burner also looks for certain words and blocks them. For example, if I use the word "outcall" it sometimes doesn't go through and the guy thinks I never responded.

[+ bashful]

On 8/9/2025 at 11:13 AM, spidir said:

I purchased a burner phone years ago and add minutes/data as needed. All paid for with cash.

Me too.  Too bad i had to upgrade the phone when the second one died, and the current one now is to new to get the 3x min, text, data  that Tracfone used to give when purchasing the 1 year card.   Luckily, I would buy the 1 year card some times twice a year and the amounts would accumulate, and roll over.  I should check my balances. Haven’t done for some time.

[Bokomaru]

On 8/16/2025 at 10:18 PM, The Dude said:

I think Burner also looks for certain words and blocks them. For example, if I use the word "outcall" it sometimes doesn't go through and the guy thinks I never responded.

This is a great point. The fact that they block certain words points out the fact that they don’t encrypt end-to-end. WhatsApp, iMessage, Signal and Telegram all do.  That’s why I use my Burner number for WhatsApp. 
 

[Chien Andalou]

On 8/12/2025 at 12:33 PM, MikeBiDude said:

I setup a second WhatsApp account, one “business” and one “hobby”. My Burner App is on the personal and my primary phone for the WhatsApp business account.

The WhatsApp Business terms of service state that it can only be used for business and cannot be used for personal communications. Have you encountered any issues? That is what has been keeping me from signing up. 

[MikeBiDude]

2 hours ago, Chien Andalou said:

The WhatsApp Business terms of service state that it can only be used for business and cannot be used for personal communications. Have you encountered any issues? That is what has been keeping me from signing up. 

No I’ve never had an issue. Mind you the “business” account is on my “real” personal phone. I’ve used WhatsApp business while traveling with friends in group chats etc., never a problem. I do get a lot of spam group invitations for investor groups etc.

[jockstrapdaddy]

Have been messaging a couple of providers for next weekend and this happened this morning. 🙃