iEditorial Note: These blog posts represent the opinion of DoNotPay’s Writers, but each person’s situation and circumstances vary greatly. As a result, you should make sure to do your own independent research. Because everyone is unique, our self-help tools are never guaranteed to help with any specific situation. DoNotPay is not a law firm, is not licensed to practice law, and is not equivalent to the services of a licensed lawyer. DoNotPay provides a platform for legal information and self-help, and does not offer legal services. Third party news articles mentioned on our website do not necessarily reflect the views of the company, or the current services that we offer.
ByAndrew Kim i
Have you ever signed up for an app or online subscription that requires you to use your actual phone number for verification? If so, then you probably received countless numbers of spam texts, emails, or calls afterward.
A burner phone is what you can use now as a workaround. However, not all burner phones are the same.
Learn about how this works for the site, Fetlife, and how we can help at DoNotPay.
Why People Use Burner Phones
When burner phones were invented in the mid-1990s, they offered a way to buy a prepaid phone that allowed temporary numbers to avoid being detected. In the internet era, burner phones became more critical for those wanting to dodge an onslaught of spam from online companies.
Most people use burner phones now to sign up for sites needing number verification to avoid numerous issues. Those same people sometimes hunt down fake phone numbers online.
What issues might you face if you gave your actual phone number?
- You might receive harassing messages from users on dating apps.
- Spam, texts, and robocalls often come in from most apps or websites.
- Possible data leaks or identity theft.
In a place like Fetlife, you might be hesitant to use your actual phone number since it's a social network devoted to BDSM, fetishes, and kink communities.
Why Fetlife Asks for Phone Verification
Based on the provocative sexual content of Fetlife, you can see why many people want to protect their privacy. The site requires verification of your simply because you need to be over 18 years of age to join.
The site says many underage people try to join, though they continue to reinforce the over-18 terms and conditions. Even then, those who join are likely to be inundated with spam after giving out a phone number.
Due to Fetlife being a social media site, it 's already risky to give out personal information.
How Else You Can Avoid Phone Verification
Rather than give out phone numbers, many people who try to join controversial sites like Fetlife seek out alternative methods. Burner phones are one of those, as mentioned, even if often expensive. You can waste a lot of money using the wrong burner phone service.
A few other workarounds users often seek out:
Using Google does find fake phone numbers sometimes, though not always. | |
Use Google Voice | You can use it to hide a phone number. |
Use another person's phone | Using your parents' phone or one belonging to a friend. |
Potential Issues With Phone Verification
Several other issues often pop up when sending out your phone number to verify your identity. DoNotPay can help you solve many of these common problems:
- Not being able to use Twitter because they ban sites that let you acquire free phone numbers.
- Not having your phone available all the time. Maybe your phone was stolen, making phone verification even more inconvenient.
- The app or site doesn't send a verification code. Your phone may not accept those, or maybe the app has a flaw in its verification system.
One way to solve the above problem is to use DoNotPay's Customer Service feature to help you get through without complications.
Use DoNotPay to Sign Up for Any Service Without a Phone Number
Stop wasting money buying other burner phones to verify your every time you sign up for an app. DoNotPay offers an easier and cheaper way to use a burner phone , thanks to our burner numbers.
These are fake phone numbers that you can use for a limited time before they're deleted. You can use these to bypass all verifications for apps and other subscriptions.
Simply use the number we provide in texts during the verification process. If you don't use the number within 10 minutes, it's deactivated, and a new one becomes available.
To use this:
- Open our burner phone product.
- Choose the company you want and select "Create a temporary number."
- We'll then send you a temporary text with the number to use within the 10-minute time window.
Best of all, you can do this as part of our $3 subscription service. It saves you a lot of money, considering other burner phones cost up to $50.
A Virtual Credit Card
Another way to take on phone verification using our service is to use our virtual credit card (VCC). These are temporary cards that are usable for a limited time to access services requiring credit.
You'll find these useful for ongoing subscription services in particular. Consumers often sign up for certain services that charge credit cards automatically each month. You may forget you have various subscriptions on your card, hence wasting money on services you might not use regularly.
A VCC is deactivated after a specific time, so you don't have to worry about ongoing charges. Plus, you're securing any private information about yourself.
What Else Can DoNotPay Do?
DoNotPay 's services are very comprehensive in helping you keep your identity private, with fake phone numbers only a part of the list. You'll see how we handle many other issues related to credit cards or subscription services as well.
Visit us at DoNotPay to learn more about our burner numbers and virtual credit cards.
- Jumping the phone queue when getting in touch with customer service reps
- Fighting speeding tickets
- Getting revenge on robocalls
- Suing people and companies in small claims court
- Scheduling a DMV appointment fast and easy
- Getting compensation and refunds for delayed or canceled flights
- Contesting parking tickets
- Dealing with bills you are unable to pay
- Protecting yourself from stalking and harassment
- Getting refunds from companies
- Signing up for free trials risk-free
- Helping you free yourself from spam emails forever
- Stopping text spam
- Applying for clinical trials
- Protecting your work against copyright infringement
- Getting in touch with your incarcerated loved ones
- Signing up for other services without phone verification
- Dealing with issues with credit cards
- Canceling subscriptions or memberships
- Disputing traffic tickets
- Finding any unclaimed funds under your name