What’s a Burner Phone and How Do They Work?

What's a Burner Phone and How Do They Work
What's a Burner Phone and How Do They Work

It’s common to see burner phones on television, but where can you find one and how does it work? Is it worth using a burner phone?

Most people purchase phones for their long-term enjoyment. However, there are times when they may need to be used as “burner phones”. Why do people buy phones for short-term use?

Let’s look at the idea of burner phones and how we might use them in the future.

What is a Burner phone?

A “burner phone”, also known as a “burner phone,” is a phone that someone buys but doesn’t intend to use. The buyer will usually get a prepaid phone that has credit on it. They can then dispose of the phone whenever they like without worrying about ongoing contracts.

A burner phone buyer will typically look for the lowest price deal, which offers only the essentials. Although phones with touchscreens and 4G are great, these features can increase the cost and make it less affordable than a regular burner phone.

Burner phones look a lot like early 2000s models. They can receive and make calls, but it is perfect for the job.

5 Reasons to Use a Smartphone with a Burner Battery

Burner phones are often associated with illegal jobs. A criminal will buy a burner phone and use it for illegal activities. Then, they get rid of the device before police can track them down. There are many legal reasons to own a burner phone.

1. You can redirect spam messages away from your main phone

You’ll be familiar with the annoying spam that spammers can send to you if you own a smartphone for a while. Marketers can start sending spam to your phone to get you to purchase anything, from new windows to compensation for injuries.

A burner phone solves this problem. To sign up for a service you will need to provide your phone number. You can also give them your burner number. If your burner phone rings off the hook, then you have two options: swap out the SIM card or turn it off until the next time you need it, or get another one.

If you need people to call you when selling something, this is a good idea. You can, for example, give out a burner number to sell a car or house and then get rid of it after the sale.

2. Travel to another country without roaming charges

It’s a smart idea to bring a phone with you when you travel abroad. Some SIM carriers are not friendly to other countries and charge a high roaming fee or offer no data at all.

These problems can be avoided by using a burner phone. Grab a cheap phone before you go. Load it with a SIM card that is compatible with the carrier in your destination. This phone can be used to call taxi drivers and businesses within the country, without incurring a large bill.

3. Use your phone to reach dangerous places

Do you feel uncomfortable about the idea of carrying a Samsung or iPhone on your back as you hike up a mountain? Are you averse to carrying a smartphone on a boating trip but don’t want it to be stolen?

You can leave your expensive phone at home, and bring a cheap burner phone with you on your adventures. You can also replace your phone if it falls into a ravine, or gets submerged.

4. Protect your main phone from theft or seizure

If you are worried that someone will steal, break or otherwise damage your phone, a burner phone is a good idea. If someone steals your phone, you only lose a phone that has no information.

A burner phone is a good option if you plan to travel somewhere rough. You lose very little if someone steals your phone.

You can’t predict how violent a protest will turn out. Protesters have lost their phones in the past while recording events from either disapproving members or the police.

To review the data, police can also take your phone. You can surrender your phone if you are on the burner phone.

5. Stop dating creeps from contacting you further

You have found someone you like and want to meet them in person. But you are worried about sharing your number with anyone. What if the person you like turns out to have a toxic personality and stalks or harasses you?

You can give a burner number to someone you like to swap numbers with. Although WhatsApp is no longer available, you can still text and call a burner phone.

However, if you decide they are not a good match, you can either get rid of the SIM card or the phone, while still keeping your trusted contacts on your main phone.

How to get a burner phone

You’re looking for a burner telephone, but where can you find one? You can easily find the most flashy, expensive phone money can buy by looking at the ads. It’s a bit more difficult to find a $30 phone.

Reuse an old phone

Do not rush to get a new phone. Instead, open the “old electronics” drawer. You may have an older model that you used long ago if you are a frequent smartphone user.

Check that it is still on. Order a SIM card if it turns on. If your phone is carrier-locked, ensure that the SIM card matches the network it is connected to. To save money, you can use the phone as a regular burner phone.

Where to buy a burner phone

You can browse the range of phones at your local phone shop if you don’t already have one. Many of these stores carry phones in the budget range and will often sell them with credit loaded and ready for use. There are many good burner phones.

You can also buy one from Amazon if you don’t find one. Amazon offers a complete range for as low as $50. At the time this article was written, you can either purchase a cheaper smartphone that is locked to a carrier or an unlocked regular cellphone. The latter allows you to add additional features while the former can be useful if your phone is being used to protect yourself.

Addition of additional numbers to your main phone

You can add another number to your primary phone if you don’t wish to purchase a new one. You can add a number to your existing phone but it won’t protect it from theft or damage. It’s a simple and inexpensive way to create or delete numbers without having to change phones.

You can add another SIM card to your dual-SIM phone. This will give you another number that you can freely give and then discard after it has completed its job.

You can also grab a burner app. These apps allow you to quickly create and delete phone numbers without the need to swap SIM cards or phones. This method can be used to create a temporary phone number .

How to keep your primary phone safe

There are many reasons to get a burner telephone, whether you’re in the dating scene or mountain climbing. You now know what a burner phone is, how to use it, and where you can buy one.

Mark Funk
Mark Funk is an experienced information security specialist who works with enterprises to mature and improve their enterprise security programs. Previously, he worked as a security news reporter.