What Are Alias Phone Numbers? 

Have you ever had to carry around two phones to keep your work life separated from your personal life? Maybe you’d like a way to differentiate when a friend or family member calls you versus a solicitor? 

Well, this stops here, and a one-stop shop replaces it, thanks to the new age of technology and the ability to have one or more alias phone numbers. With Burner, having a second phone number has never been easier — it also hasn’t been as affordable. 

What Is an Alias? 

The term alias derives from the Latin dictionary. Alias translates to “another time” or “otherwise.” When an alias and a phone number hook up, we refer to it as a secondary identity — a more concealed, secret one or even a disguise.

Everyone can be a movie star in the real world with an alias phone number, except most will not be using it to solve a mystery or escape trouble. Instead, it’s popular for protecting what makes you who you are, your identity!

Oh, and don’t worry - alias phone numbers are legal. Now, let’s dig a bit deeper into what they are.

What Is an Alias Phone Number?

Take out the fancy word alias and replace it with a word like “disposable” or “temporary.” An alias phone number is a disposable number you have control of. It works off your current device, so there is no need to take the extra trip to purchase another one and carry extra baggage. 

When To Consider Using an Alias Phone Number and Why?

When and why tend to go hand in hand here. How about we walk through a few scenarios about this topic to better understand why having an alias phone number is beneficial? 

Accessing an e-commerce site for the first time

It’s like a bad dream. How often do you click on a link from your email, routing you to a website you have never visited? Then, your device or computer locks up for a moment. 

A pop-up haunts your screen, requesting you to enter your email first. Next, you are persuasively asked to provide your phone number. 

Everyone loves an incentive, so why not? You can spin the wheel and get 30% off your purchase price! Oh, and did you know you’ll now be spammed with text messages enticing you to make more purchases with additional coupons or sales that are taking place? Brace yourself for a wild ride because these can quickly flood your inbox.

Wouldn’t it be great to have phone number options? An alias phone number gives you the power to filter your own life. This way, you get the best of both worlds. You get the sale and can still handle spam messages because they are not getting mixed with your friends’ and family’s messages.

Online dating and social media 

The ’90s created a footprint on society, changing how people move about their day-to-day lives. People used to gather and meet new faces in the club or at an in-person social event. 

In 1995, the first dating website was launched, morphing from a PC-based to an app on a cellular device. Have you used one? Whether you have or not, let’s say you are using it now and are rapidly exchanging information with someone who could be your soulmate. 

What do you know about the person on the other end of the message box if you met through a social media or dating app? Our best guess is not much or not enough to trust yet.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue the conversation — it may be legit. There is nothing wrong with being overly cautious and having an alias by your side, acting as a protective shield. 

The minute you get that itch or want to seize communication, you can do so at the touch of a button with apps like Burner, where you stay in control. You could be the hero of your story, stopping unwanted calls before the person on the other end gets on your nerves or says things that can make you upset or self-conscious.

Sharing on social media

Maybe you are spring cleaning and posting a few items up for sale on Facebook Marketplace or Nextdoor. You never know the response you are going to get. 

Scenario one, “people” may respond who are robots or AI. They can leave responses that may have zero relevance to your ad. 

Scenario two is you’ll get a response that sounds real, but your spidey senses are telling you to take precautions, just in case. There is too much uncertainty today, and the conversation should seize after the handoff of the goods.

Feel safer providing your phone number using an alias, especially if the person on the other end is deceiving and attempting to steal your personal information versus purchasing the item you’ve listed.

Who are you handing your number out to? 

If in doubt, don’t hand it out! Especially if it’s your personal phone line. Or, hand out an alias if your gut is torn and you want to continue until you know the answer for certain.

Giving your phone number to the wrong person or business results in a breach of your security and data privacy. You may set yourself up to be the dartboard, as the stranger on the other side practices until they hit the bullseye.

Ready To Sign Up? Here Is How To Get an Alias Phone Number

Change is good. New is refreshing. It’s time to call in the exterminator. Keep those bugs out — well, hypothetically. We aren’t talking about the creepy-crawly type, but the professionals who always look for the loophole or glitch in the design that allows them to step in.

Getting an alias phone number is not difficult at all. It all starts with an app. The power is in your hands which Burner app you’ll choose. It may help to first list out how you want to use your alias phone numbers before making your final decision.

The Bones of Burner Apps: How Do They Work?

VoIP and MVNOs

Voice over IP (VoIP) and mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) are climbing the mountain and prospering. They aren’t as foreign as you think when reading the technical terms. 

VoIPs require an internet connection to make calls, including video calls. Examples of service providers include Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Voice. Burner apps also utilize VoIPs, which can’t be traced.

MVNO service providers include Xfinity Mobile, Boost Mobile, Cricket Wireless, and more. These carriers' services do not function on their network but are shared by a major cell provider, making them more affordable for consumers. 

What Are the Benefits of an Alias Phone Number?

Remember when your parents told you over and over again not to take candy from a stranger? Apply that to today’s world: Don’t take the bait from a hacker or a scammer.

Hackers and scammers love to phish. They are creative, doing their research to trick the person on the other of the phone into giving them valuable, private information they are not privy to, putting you at risk. 

So, here’s a bit more on how you can make sure your phone number stays in the right hands.

Pull the Brake on Robocallers

Caller ID is a great invention. It typically identifies the caller, whether it is a solicitor, an unknown caller, or your best friend. It helps identify those pesky robocalls, but it doesn’t stop them from calling over and over again. 

Robocalls are calls that send the receiver a recorded message when the phone is answered, not directing them to a real agent. You must have received a call letting you know that your car warranty is expiring at least once before. That is just one example. 

Alias phone numbers won’t create miracles here, but they can re-route these calls to a secondary number leaving your main line free and clear to receive the calls you are expecting.

Send Hackers on a Wild Goose Chase 

Hackers use any tool they can lay their hands on to try and trick the receiver into providing them with the information they need to get into personal accounts. They prefer the “easy” life, versus the “hard” life you are going through.

You’ve heard of phishing before, where the attacker sends an email hoping to deceive the receiver into revealing private data. This technique through text messages is called Smishing. It is an improved form of phishing. 

Depending on the generation, many leverage the Caller ID to screen calls and rely on texting as a primary form of communication versus speaking to the other party directly. How can an alias phone number help, you ask? 

You’ll know to whom you’ve provided each phone number. Some Burner apps allow you to set up multiple alias phone numbers and contact lists to stay organized.

Having an alias phone number helps you divide the text messages received from scammers using smishing and those received from trusted peers. 

Does Someone Else Have My Identity? 

Identity theft is not a new practice. It turned into a substantial risk in the 1960s, specifically over the phone. They haven’t changed since then; they have only evolved.

To begin the process, all the hacker needs is your phone number. If they have a disposable phone number, though, you are placing the roadblocks between yourself and the hacker. This practice does not only target phones; it extends to emails, too. 

That Does Not Sound Like My Friend on Social Media 

If you have to ask that question, there is a strong possibility that your friend’s information has been stolen. In place of the social media account, the hacker now has access to all of their friends and uses that as leverage to lure other people into their grand scheme of stealing.

Unsure of how this works? Let’s scale back to when the hacker first attempts to log in to your friend's account. All they have to do is select “Forgot Password,” and the process is kicked off.

Depending on the security settings, the next step in validating who the person requesting the password or change of password is to enter the two-factor authentication code. This code is sent either to an email inbox or sent as a text message.

If the hacker has access to one or both, they are in. They can’t get in, though, if the email and phone number are temporary aliases. Use this to your advantage and employ cybersecurity.

Survey Says, Have an Alias, Maintain Your Privacy

Don’t open the floodgates to your personal life and be subjected to harassing phone calls that may ring off the hook non-stop!

Not only can you make outgoing calls and receive incoming calls, you can receive SMS text messages and even send pictures with an alias phone number. It is no different than sending them from your primary phone number.

Take the time to explore an alias phone number or other Burner options to keep your sanity, as hackers and scammers know how to get under the receiver's skin. 

Use of Aliases - an Overview | FamilySearch

10 Risks of Giving Out Your Cell Phone Number | All About Cookies

Infographic: What is SIM Swapping? | Asis

What Is Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)? | Microsoft Security