6 Reasons why a 10 minute phone number is for you

|a 10-minute phone number is ideal if you need a phone number short term. You might need a number short term for different reasons such as sales calls

What’s a 10-minute phone number? Our phone number is used for more than just contact nowadays. Regardless of whether you’re trying to update your banking details or sign up for a social network, there will be times where you can go no further unless you supply your phone number.

While you will need a genuine phone number in place for some services, there are other platforms we use where we’re effectively giving away our personal information in exchange for access or information. This is fine for those who don’t mind receiving mailshots or sales calls, but what about those who aren’t as keen in handing over their personal information?

One solution is to is a separate phone number, but if you’re using another SIM card, you’ve still got to use a phone with a dual SIM function or purchase an additional handset. Although this will work, it can be frustrating and time-consuming, not to mention costly in some instances.

Even if you were to consider purchasing the cheapest mobile phone there is, you’re probably going to spend at least $20.00. Sure, this isn’t a large amount of money, but you need to look at the value you’re getting if you only need the number for a brief period.

Download hushed here IOS and Android. 

cell phone face down with sim card next to it

The same can apply to SIM cards. Although they can be picked up relatively cheap, you often have a minimum top-up to consider. And if you need a SIM and a mobile phone, then the cost escalates again.

Another approach would be to avoid signing up for services that ask you to disclose your phone number, but you really need to be looking for a solution that makes life easier, not harder. The Internet is becoming a way of life for many people, and there will be instances when we need to give genuine details in relation to our identity. This can include our bank details, our tax details and the details held at your children’s school.

If we’re simply looking to connect with others online, then there’s no real requirement to supply our phone number unless we want to make some form of contact outside of the platform. There can be instances where we can be asked for a phone number, and find that we can’t progress with an application without one. How the information is used will depend on the platform you’re using. While some feel safe with some of the more common social networks, others may feel a little nervous about handing over their details to a social network that still has to prove its trustworthiness.

Fortunately, there is a solution in place, in the form of a 10-minute phone number which can be easily created via Hushed, an app that can generate temporary numbers with a few simple taps.

What Is a 10 Minute Phone Number?

photo of someone using their phone, on the dialing screen

A 10-minute phone number is just as you’d expect, a phone number that can be used for a particular task and disposed of within minutes.

Need more than one 10-minute phone number? No problem, Hushed has you covered. Numbers can be created quickly within the Hushed app, regardless of how many you’re looking to use. As well as allowing you to create multiple 10-minute phone numbers, the Hushed app will also ensure that you’re able to identify each 10-minute phone number you have created, allowing you to assign names and pictures to each number.

A 10-minute number will work in the exact same way a conventional number would but offers you the chance to dispose of the number easily, regardless of the reason why.

The Benefits of a 10 Minute Number

photo of woman with her arms up in celebration

In the past, we’ve been used to a fixed phone number, especially before we were met with a series of smartphones. Although a phone number could be changed if anything happened, it would often involve a lot of time and stress. This can still be the case today, even with the latest smartphone technology.

When we’re assigned a number from a mobile provider, the only real way to change the number is if we run into issues when using it, such as unwanted calls. Although effective, it does come with the inconvenience of having to inform friends and family of your new phone number, all because your details fell into the wrong hands.

The way to avoid this would be to have Hushed at your disposal to ensure that you’ve always got a way to create a 10-minute phone should the need arise.

Buy and Sell Items Privately Without the Risk

photo of a man with his hand outstretched ready to shake hands, business!

Second-hand and unwanted goods can prove to be very valuable to others, which is why so many l sell their wares online. This could be through a trusted auction site like eBay, or through more conventional methods such as CraigsList and other private sale forums.

Although you can purchase many items via e-mail, there will be times when you need to have a discussion with the seller to find out more details about the item. This is especially true when purchasing second-hand vehicles and computers. As the models available are varied and can be altered to user specification, it makes sense that there would be questions that needs to be asked before committing to a purchase.

You should find that you’re able to converse with a majority of online sellers with little issue, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t put safeguards in place, especially when it comes to our telephone number.

The use of a 10-minute phone number allows you to ask the questions you need to ask, but retreat should the call become confrontational. Once a sale is complete, there is no real reason for the number to be used any further, so you simply dispose of the number, safe in the knowledge that your phone number isn’t going to fall into the wrong hands.

The same can apply to those selling items online. You want to make use of the traffic sites like CraigsList receives, but you don’t really want to be putting your personal information in front of the whole world. If you have an item for sale and it is sold-as-seen, then you can simply omit your number from the classified ad and generate a number should anyone wish to make a purchase. Should you find the conversation uncomfortable or threatening, you simply end it and dispose of the number, knowing you won’t have to put up with any more nuisance calls.

2) List Job Roles Minus the Hassle

There are many ways of employing people these days. Some businesses may fully embrace what the Internet can offer, while others may use a more old-fashioned approach. Regardless of the way you headhunt, there will often be a time where you need to speak to candidates, but if you’re operating a small business or start-up, it stands to reason that you may not have the time to offer a flexible interview schedule when it comes to filling a role. Although you can advise candidates what time to call, this doesn’t always go to plan, and can become a hindrance.

For example, some people may have misunderstood the job listings, and will continually phone for another chance. Similarly, there may be some who were deemed suitable for the role and may have taken offence at this.

Not only is Hushed great for creating a dedicated business line should you need it, but you can easily set up an additional number to use for telephone interviews. Regardless of whether you need one 10-minute number, or several Hushed offers a reliable number that ensures that should anything go wrong, you can dispose of the number immediately.

3) Make an Uncomfortable Situation More Bearable

Our lives can often come with series of bumps in the road, and there will be time when things don’t always work out with family and loved ones. However,  A couple who have split on bad terms will probably not want to speak to each other, and it’s often the case the contact details are changed as a result.

There could be situations where you need to converse with them in relation to a house sale or how contact with the children will be maintained. Although this is something that has to be dealt with in an adult manner, this doesn’t mean that we have to hand over our new contact details in the process. The use of a 10-minute phone number offers the same feature any other number would but is kept away from our private life. No one should ever be in a position of having to hand over their phone number if they don’t feel comfortable, but a 10-minute phone number can be the ideal solution to making contact easier.

4) Stay Safe When Dating

Photo of a woman laying in an enormous sharks mouth, she seems safe so it must be a fake shark

Regardless of whether we’re online dating, or meeting potential dates out and about, there can be times when you’re put in an uncomfortable situation, where handing over your phone number seems to be the only resolution. This can include meeting up with a date that isn’t what we had in mind, or just someone persistent at the local bar.

However, if you were to give your genuine phone number, then you could be potentially setting yourself up for a series of unwanted calls and texts. A 10-minute phone number is the ideal solution for getting you of awkward situations quickly, with all the benefits of an actual phone number.

Consider this. You hand over a phone number that you have literally created in your head, and then relay this to the person you want to get rid of. If they were to enter the number into their phone and try to call it, the number would obviously not work, which could mean that the situation become more hostile.

A 10-minute phone number works just like any other, except for the fact that you can dispose of it within minutes. So, should they try to ring a 10-minute phone number to check its authenticity, then it will ring. Once you’re more comfortable in your surroundings, you can just access the Hushed app and dispose of the number quickly.

As well as helping you contend with uncomfortable situations, you may not know that in some instances, your phone number can be used to find you via social networks. This does depend on what privacy settings you have in place, but the most reliable solution is to give a number that isn’t going to exist within minutes, thus keeping your personal information safe.

5) Protect Your Identity

Opening a social network account and protecting our identity don’t always go together, and there can be times when online users can find out more information about us, just by having access to one minor detail, especially if it’s a phone number.

There are prominent social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as more business-focused platforms such as LinkedIn. Although there will be instances when you will want to provide a genuine phone number, more often than not, you’d probably prefer to keep details private when possible.

The Hushed app can create a 10-minute phone number that can be used to confirm any details, and then disposed of when finished with. Should there be a time when you do want to provide your phone number,  you can update your details to reflect this. However, if you’re a little skeptical at first, then a 10-minute phone number is the ideal solution.

An example of how easy it is for your details to fall into the wrong hands can be seen with the example of landlord who advertised an apartment for rent. When the person looking to rent the apartment contacted the landlord, the landlord’s social network information was presented, as they had friends in common, and the landlord had her phone number publicly listed. Although nothing sinister occurred, it does show how easy it for information to fall into the wrong hands, all because a genuine phone number was used.

6) Search for Quotes Without the Sales Calls

Regardless of whether you’re looking for a great deal in relation to your insurance, or looking for a credit card with a better rate, there are many platforms that can be used to search for a deal that suits you.

When entering your requirements, you will be asked some questions, and this is because the site will need to know what kind of product you’re looking for. In some instances, it may also ask for a phone number, and this is normally so companies can speak to you directly. Although they are doing nothing wrong, you may want to just get quotes from the website, as opposed to talking to a series of different companies.

Not every site works in this way, some will simply divert you to the relevant site and make their commission via an affiliate link, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. One or two sales calls may not seem too problematic in the interim, but as more and more companies become keen to sell you their wares, it can all become a little overwhelming. Not to mention, Your data can be hacked or some companies share or trade your personal information for other peoples for marketing opportunities.

The use of a 10-minute phone number means that you can enter the number, safe in the knowledge that the number can be easily rid of within minutes. This allows you to find the right deal, without your phone ringing off the hook unnecessarily.

Why Use Hushed for a 10-Minute Phone Number  

Hushed logo in red

When acquiring a phone number, it shouldn’t matter whether you need the number for 10 minutes or 10 days, the service should be the same regardless. Hushed understands this, which is why it takes such a professional approach to both the user experience the app offers, partnered with the robust security solutions in place.

Hushed not only provides 10-minute phone numbers, it also offers a slew of other services, such as  SMS and MMS, but this is only the tips of the iceberg.

Although some Hushed users will only need a 10-minute phone number, there is the option to create a number and use it for as long as you want. There’s even an option that allows you to converse with other Hushed users completely free of charge, in the guise of Hushed messenger.

As well as having the ability to set messages to automatically disappear once they have been read, you can also create usernames, which are perfect if you’re looking for a Messenger solution with End to End Encryption.

Of course, there are other services online that allow you to acquire a second phone number. An example of this can be Skype, and while this service serves a purpose for many, those who are looking for complete privacy may be hesitant about using such a service.

Skype is operated by Microsoft, and like many players in the industry, make a lot of money from sharing some user information for advertising purposes. For the most part, its intentions are to keep customers abreast of products that may be of interest, a familiar business model that many other companies follow.

Most of the time, we can omit certain details when registering for an account, but as the service is under the Microsoft umbrella, it’s often the case that the account will be tied up to any other service or product you have.

Used in the right context, Skype is a great tool, but those looking to safeguard their information need to use a service that more tailored towards their needs.

Hushed is Cost-Effective

Imagine needing access to a phone number within a matter of seconds for less than the price of a cup of coffee? Well, this is exactly what Hushed offers. What you pay for your phone number will all depend on what you’re looking to use it for, but those who need access to a 10-minute phone number that comes complete with voicemail can obtain one for as little as $1.99.

Not only does this price include your number, it includes access to the latest technology, a strong encrypted platform, phone calls with clarity and an excellent user experience.