Legitimate Uses and Benefits of Mobile Burner
Despite the sensational mainstream movies and media reports, you might believe, burner phones and disposable phone number have plenty of legitimate use cases. And these are:
1. Privacy
One of the main reasons for using a burner phone is privacy. Disposable phones can protect your identity because the number is not associated with your real-world identity. That means you can use the device without risk being identified. This is especially true in cases of massive anti-government protests, especially in countries with authoritarian governments. In this case, any involvement in such activity could jeopardize your life or liberty.
2. Anonymity
You can also use the burner phone on certain occasions where you want to remain anonymous. You can also use secure messaging services without revealing your primary phone number. Journalists who interact with their sources for potentially explosive news often use burner phones. This is true not only in countries with oppressive governments but also in western countries. Well, that’s because the last thing you want is to reveal the identity of your source.
3. Avoid Spam Calls and Messages
While many countries around the world, including the US and India, have implemented National Do Not Call registries to exempt citizens from unsolicited marketing calls, this does not solve the problem of unwanted texts and robocalls from services you have voluntarily signed up for. A burner phone solves this problem. You can easily use your burner number to sign up for a service you know you won’t be using for long. Then, once you start receiving spam calls or messages, you can swap SIMs or get a new phone.
4. Protect Your Primary Phone Number
Hikers or adventure junkies also often prefer to carry a cell phone burner with them on their trips. The idea of climbing a trail or rafting on a ravine with an expensive iPhone is enough to confuse many people. They may also be useful when visiting a particularly tough environment where you think you might be robbed. Using the burner in this case makes sense because you can replace it without punching a hole in your pocket.