recommendations for hobby phone?

Use a virtual phone line. Vumber.com. pay with gift card credit card. Make up your own information.

Funny thing is I just got a new hobby phone today. Had a Boost mobile Kyocera but I didn't like boost's monthly plan at $35 monthly.

I got a tracfone LG 840G that seems to be good. Only problem is I got it at RadioShack and they wanted an email and name and address for their records. I gave them my hobby email and a fake name and address.

I'm curious why so many people prefer to get a separate physical phone. Why not just use a service like Google Voice? Isn't that anonymous enough?

I'm curious why so many people prefer to get a separate physical phone. Why not just use a service like Google Voice? Isn't that anonymous enough? Originally Posted by luckyk

The point for me is.. if LE shows up at Google with a court order, can they get a link between the "Google voice" number and your actual number? Figured, why risk it? With a separate burner phone, I can smash it on the ground and stomp on it or toss it in the trash and walk away if needed. And yes, my teach one just needed an email so I used my hobby email.

I guess it's possible for LE to go to Google with a court order... but you really think they will go through all that trouble just to book you for misdemeanor?

I guess it's possible for LE to go to Google with a court order... but you really think they will go through all that trouble just to book you for misdemeanor? Originally Posted by luckyk

No telling what a do-gooder LEO (especially at the higher level- elected) would do to make themselves look good and effective to the ignorant general public. I'd much rather have a separate phone that cannot be traced to my RW phone..

I'm curious why so many people prefer to get a separate physical phone. Why not just use a service like Google Voice? Isn't that anonymous enough? Originally Posted by luckyk

I find it much easier to hide a phone than to clean all evidence from my main phone. Also I can keep pics and texts etc. Surf eccie.net and click with no worry. All for 35 or 40 per month

I'm curious why so many people prefer to get a separate physical phone. Why not just use a service like Google Voice? Isn't that anonymous enough? Originally Posted by luckyk

If you are using Google Voice on a flip phone, yes.

If you are using Google Voice on your personal Smart Phone, you will NEVER be anonymous.

EVERY APP you download is tied permanently to your personal phone number. Google Voice is an APP. The Google Voice APP and your GV number will be permanently tied to your personal number.

Now we all know from past history of Facebook, and now Google and their recent weird changes, as they roll out more changes and improve their marketing outreach (APPS are marketing tools; GV is an APP) you can be anonymous one day, then BAM, completely exposed the next day.

Not worth the risk... just get a separate discreet flip phone, no apps. Get GV# to forward to it (attached to your hobby email for convenience). GV texts assign a "check number" so use that number as a contact number on the phone, rather than the real number of your provider, and use code names not her Name. Keep the phone disassembled in a box of electronics somewhere in a man-cave area that your SO shies away from. Receive and make texts when checking your email, online. Only assemble/use your hobby phone on days of appts to coordinate your meetings. Keep data, logs deleted from the phone itself. If the phone is lost, stolen, confiscated, you simply replace it, your GV# maintains its integrity - you just forward it to your new hobby phone. Never give out the phone's actual number. If someone gets your phone and starts calling your ladies (angry wife, LE) will be from actual phone and ladies will be tipped off by the strange number.

At least, thats how I'd do it

If you are using Google Voice on a flip phone, yes.
If you are using Google Voice on your personal Smart Phone, you will NEVER be anonymous.
EVERY APP you download is tied permanently to your personal phone number. Google Voice is an APP. The Google Voice APP and your GV number will be permanently tied to your personal number.
Now we all know from past history of Facebook, and now Google and their recent weird changes, as they roll out more changes and improve their marketing outreach (APPS are marketing tools; GV is an APP) you can be anonymous one day, then BAM, completely exposed the next day.
Not worth the risk... just get a separate discreet flip phone, no apps. Get GV# to forward to it (attached to your hobby email for convenience). GV texts assign a "check number" so use that number as a contact number on the phone, rather than the real number of your provider, and use code names not her Name. Keep the phone disassembled in a box of electronics somewhere in a man-cave area that your SO shies away from. Receive and make texts when checking your email, online. Only assemble/use your hobby phone on days of appts to coordinate your meetings. Keep data, logs deleted from the phone itself. If the phone is lost, stolen, confiscated, you simply replace it, your GV# maintains its integrity - you just forward it to your new hobby phone. Never give out the phone's actual number. If someone gets your phone and starts calling your ladies (angry wife, LE) will be from actual phone and ladies will be tipped off by the strange number.
At least, thats how I'd do it Originally Posted by Solitaire

Exactly, a separate phone. For which you can have more than one hobby phone # using GV, etc. And which can go down a hotel trash chute, sewer grate, etc. Solitaire's synopsis is probably the best I've seen on this topic. Note the part about deleting data after use.

Fantastic explanation.

One question: how do you set up the flip phone to make outgoing calls with GV?

You wrote " if some gets your phone ...."

That is the part I dont understand how to fix.

I can't answer that question...but, I do want to add some related information. Consumer Reports, the November 2016 issue has a big article on internet privacy. It's a very big article, so I will just say read it. If you don't get Consumer Reports, you should be able to find, and perhaps borrow it to copy it, at your local library. One of the things they recommend is to get VPN (Virtual Private Network) software. It hides your IP address by sending all your activity to one of their servers - perhaps in another city or country. (Without a VPN, your internet provider knows every web page you visit, and probably is selling that information for targeted advertising.)

In addition to Consumer reports, check out www.eff.org - the Electronic Frontier Foundation. It describes itself as "The leading nonprofit defending digital privacy, free speech, and innovation". Also the ACLU, which often works with the EFF on privacy issues.

There's so much more. That Consumer Reports article is a good starting point.

Fantastic explanation.

One question: how do you set up the flip phone to make outgoing calls with GV?

You wrote " if some gets your phone ...."

That is the part I dont understand how to fix. Originally Posted by ireland39

I'm 99% sure that was meant as an impossible hypothetical. A flip won't be able to run the Google play services you'll need to download and run the GV app.

The way to fix the problem with someone getting your phone, as everyone keeps repeating, is to have a prepaid burner that cannot be identified as your phone that you used to solicit escorts.

Also, as many others have suggested, you are far more likely to get in trouble with an SO than LE if your device gets in the wrong hands. So single guys might not even need burners. I still use one, but I don't want to leave my phone unattended and have that awkward convo with anyone, SO or not.

My flip from tracfone cost me $20 and it costs $20 for 3 months of service. It's not tied to my name, email or anything related to me. Go to your favorite big box store and pick one up today. Probably don't go to RadioShack though. I dunno who they think they are asking for name and email addresses on burner purchases.

I'm 99% sure that was meant as an impossible hypothetical. A flip won't be able to run the Google play services you'll need to download and run the GV app. Originally Posted by archfiend

Not a hypothetical. GV works perfectly on a flip phone, sans app.

Everything is set up thru the website. A few items are confirmed on the phone.

I just got this from Amazon for a hobby phone --- https://www.amazon.com/TracFone-Sams...msung+tracfone

It has everything you need in the bundle (phone and minutes). You just have to get a new airtime card for it every 90 days or 3 months to continue the service.

which one has a good pay-as-you-go or daily plan? also, should i just buy a sim card and use an old phone? or just buy a new phone altogether? Originally Posted by donuts

Don't use an old phone that you have used before on a paid account. The EMEI number may still be traceable by the cell company, and lead back to you. Too many digital finger prints on an old phone used by you in the past, best to get a new, clean one.