What is a Burner Phone?
As the name suggests, a Burner phone is a phone that can be easily burned/destroyed. Such phones were called “Feature” phones and were the means of communication back in the day. These are extremely cheap (starting from $20) and have very basic features. Burner phones are small in size, especially the flip-designed ones. As they are mostly used for making, receiving, and sending messages, they are viewed as the anti-smartphone. Burner SIMs is another co-related service often used alongside a Burner phone. Like the latter, this can also be easily ditched and, if handled properly, has no connection to your identity. Often in movies, we see someone getting a call from an anonymous source, which, when traced, has no links with anyone; that is, a Burner SIM number.
Functionalities of Burner Phones
Privacy and anonymity are greatly compromised using a smartphone. No matter how cautious you are, some of your data still ends up with companies like Google. On the contrary, Burner phones are incapable of doing this. They do not have an internet connection or wireless transmission capabilities, keeping info such as your location, contacts, and images safe. This also means that you cannot be traced by authorities and be bothered by marketing calls etc. This is only possible if you use the Burner phones and Burner SIM combo. Your carrier network still has all info, such as call logs and IMEI of your device. If you place your original SIM in your burner phone and make calls, the carrier will identify this as your device, and that anonymity is compromised. Also, if you only use a Burner SIM on your original smartphone, then again you are further traceable through your Google/Apply account and multiple other things.
Uses of Burner Services
Although from the functionalities of these services, you may feel like only criminals use these. Still, an ordinary person can also benefit from these as Burner phones, and SIMs make a great secondary device. Some of such beneficial uses are listed below:
Purchasing Burner Phones
Here are some tips you should keep in mind while buying a Burner phone or SIM:
Purchase these items from a physical shop rather than ordering from online stores.Use cash to buy these, do not use credit/debit cards, as you can be linked back to the number.Buy from a store you do not frequently visit or ask someone else to buy these for you.After buying, do not load minutes into the sim from your banking application; rather, do this from a mobile store using cash.
Should You Buy a Burner?
If you are not going to do something that will get you in trouble with authorities or do not fear your mobile getting stolen or damaged, then there is no reason to have a separate phone. You can use VoIP services like Google Voice (currently works in the US only) or paid apps like Burner that provide you with an alternative number; this ensures your basic need for privacy from telemarketers or spam callers without having to carry a separate phone.
