How to Get a Second Phone Number to Protect Yourself While Online Dating

At best when we use apps like Tinder, Bumble, or Coffee Meets Bagel, we often just passively accept the risks of sharing information with people we’ve never met. As if online dating wasn’t stressful enough, when choosing to share your personal phone number you also open yourself up to some risk. The internet has lots of stories about receiving unwanted pictures, harassing calls or text messages, or worse.

Giving somebody your phone number leaves you more vulnerable than you might think. Your phone number is probably attached to a lot of sensitive information about yourself: your name, employer, address, email, maybe even banking information might all be available with a quick search online. Why would you give that out to a stranger on the internet? And cancelling or changing a phone number has been very difficult because it’s tied to so many services.

Fortunately, with second number apps like Hushed, you don’t have to take this risk. Hushed allows you to get a second, temporary phone number you can give out to anyone you’re still getting to know without giving them the ability to creep information about you that you’re not ready to share.

While your Hushed number is active, you are protected with an anonymous phone number that allows you to text, call, and share pictures (US, Canada, and UK only) just like you would with your regular phone number. You also get a voicemail for every number you use that you can customize as you like. It’s also far cheaper and more convenient than getting a second SIM card or another phone.

Speaking of cheaper and more convenient, you can get started with a new number for free and plans start as low as $1.99 per month. The process is simple:

1. Download the free Hushed app
2. Sign up with an email address and create a password
3. Select ‘Get a New Number’
4. Select the country and region you want your new number to be
5. Choose your new number
6. Select a calling plan that fits your needs
7. Start calling and texting with peace of mind!

If things start getting serious with your online romance you can simply disconnect the number and give the person your real one. The same is true if things don’t work out – just burn the number and move on in a matter of seconds. All your messages and calls will be deleted, and there’s nothing that they will be able to trace back to you.

We can’t guarantee that Hushed will help you find your next date or true love, but Hushed can help keep you safer while you’re navigating the jungle of online dating!