I’m looking into getting a flip phone with a separate number so that I can sign up for a few apps that without associating them with the complete identity profile in the data marketplace that is linked to my actual phone number.
To be clear, the apps will still be downloaded and utilized on my primary smartphone. But the phone number through which I receive verification codes during registration will be a separate device.
Has any one done this? Tips for selecting a cheapo phone and prepaid service?
Honestly, if you don’t want a separate device, I’d sign up for a VoIP number. I use voip.ms, it’s a dollar or two a month for the number, and you pay per minute and per text (about a penny each, IIRC). You can forward calls to your primary number, or set up a SIP app (I’m using one called ZoiPer). I usually load it up with $20 per year or so.
The problem I have with this is that it still links to my primary number through data profiling. Seems like a good option if I just want to keep my personal number separate from my work clients. But for data privacy, idk.
Through data profiling? Not sure what you mean.
Every person has a massive profile (table / database) built all about them. This isn’t conspiracy. This is big business. There are a few data brokerage companies focused on people:
-Acxiom (worlds biggest broker, pretty much every piece of junk mail you get drives from a company purchasing data from them)
-TransUnion (credit, such as if you pay the minimum bill or are late on payments)
-CoreLogic (all real estate purchase information)
-FourSquare Labs (location broker which i find to be particularly insidious)
There are also databases built specifically for business entities, such as Data Axle.
And companies will purchase packages from ALL of these data brokers when they want to target a specific audience.
A bit out there, but I plan on doing this soon:
- Get a SIM
- Grab an old Android phone
- Relay SMS to Matrix via the SMS bridge
I already use Matrix bridges for Signal, Discord, IRC, etc, so this means the number is never tied to my location, but I can use it for things like banking 2FA.
Depends on country. In the United States, you might look at something like the T-Mobile Connect prepaid plan and the Nokia 225 4G. And yes, prepaid numbers absolutely do work for app registrations. I’ve been on prepaid for years and had no issues. It’s voice over IP numbers that have problems.
A way around that is to port a prepaid number to a voip service. I’ve kept old numbers that way when moving
This is standard practice for me. You don’t even need another flip phone. Most phones come with a dual sim tray. I keep the 2nd sim in my phone and keep the sim switched off in the settings. I do all signups with this number.
This is the answer I was looking for! Thank you!
Just be careful about the sim expiring. Each network will have its own rules. The sim I have stipulates that it needs to be topped up at least once every 6 months and a call or SMS sent every 3 months to keep it active.
The IMEI number on the phone is essentially locked to the device, swapping sims won’t change it. So a phone activated under your real name on one network could technically get traced back to you even when using a different SIM card.
Also, carrying a phone with both SIMs active is completely unprotected from correlation attacks by anyone with access to the cell tower data. It’d be blatantly obvious that the location of one SIM is the same as the other all the time.
All depends on the threat level you expect, but if you’re worried about a VOIP account being compromised to get your real number, you are talking about pretty sophisticated actors.
