When’s The Right Time To Remain Anonymous

|Why an anonymous phone number? There’s no denying how essential our phone is in today’s world. Whether we’re checking on the children or ordering a takeout. However

When’s The Right Time to Remain Anonymous?

There’s no denying how essential our phone is in today’s world. Whether we’re checking on the children or ordering a takeout, most of our daily endeavors can be taken care of using our phone. However, there will be times when we want to keep information private, especially if it’s our phone number.

Giving out our phone number can seem like the normal thing to do is many situations, but not everyone is aware of the risks of doing so. Of course, family and friends are fine, but what about those people you don’t know so well? Should we really be so keen to hand over our number?

Fortunately, we can ensure that there are safeguards in place by using an anonymous phone number app. Using an app such as Hushed allows you to create a number that can be used for conversations where you don’t really want to be handing over your personal information.

Reasons to Use an Anonymous Phone Number App

Although privacy can be the prime reason for using an anonymous phone number app, there are also several other reasons as to why you may want to create an anonymous number.

Stay Safe When Dating

a man and woman on a romantic date, sitting at a table holding hands and staring into each others eyes

The world of online dating allows us to make connections with people easily, especially when compared to more conventional methods. What’s more, most dating apps will ensure that there is protection in place to ensure that you’re not put in any danger or awkward positions when using the site, but there will come a time when you want to extend contact outside of the dating website.

Of course, some of us may be a little wary of handing over our private phone number to someone we don’t know, especially if things don’t go as expected. This is where an anonymous phone number app can come in useful.

The Hushed app allows you to create an anonymous phone number easily, and you can still enjoy the same benefits as a conventional number, including SMS, voicemail and phone calls.

Download Hushed on IOS and Android

A Dedicated Business Line for Start-Ups and Small Businesses

When starting a business or running a small empire, it stands to reason that we want to keep our work life separate from our personal life. However, the cost of setting up a business line can be expensive, depending on the avenue you take.

Many business solutions will come with a minimum term and a monthly cost, which isn’t the most cost-effective when starting out in the business world, especially if we’ve only just started the business.

The Hushed app allows you to hold as many anonymous numbers as you’d like. So, even if you’re already using an anonymous number for something else, you can generate a new one to be used with your business with very little effort.

If there is a requirement for more than one phone line, then this can be easily managed within the Hushed app. This allows for a more professional image for your brand, without having to invest hundreds of dollars in a business infrastructure.

Create a Safer Social Media Environment

People will use social media in different ways. Some like to just add people they know, whereas others may like to add new people from around the world. There’s no real right or wrong approach to using social media, but it’s important that our information doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Although friends and family having access to your personal details is fine, it might be a different story when it comes to a complete stranger.

When people add us on social media, we never really know their true intent. Some may be looking for a genuine friendship, whereas others may be looking to harvest your personal details while posing as a friend.

We are often required to input certain information when signing up for social media platforms, and some may think of nothing of including their address and telephone number. However, if we’re adding people we don’t really know, this could be inviting all sorts of problems. For example, a Facebook profile that has full address and telephone details listed could be a potential target for thieves looking for properties to rob when people aren’t home.

Even only listing your phone number on your profile could mean that a person has all they need to find out more details about you.

Of course, not all online activity has sinister intentions. For example, musicians may be looking to make connections with others, while those looking to sell products via a social network platform may want to list a phone number for inquiries, so what’s the answer.

Using an anonymous phone app such as Hushed allows you to create a fully effective and reliable phone number that can receive incoming calls, SMS and MMS. However, should you have the misfortune of the number falling into the wrong hands, you can easily dispose of the number and create another within seconds.

Avoid the Inconvenience and Stress of Changing Your Phone Number

If you’ve experienced threatening or nuisance telephone calls in the past, then you will know how simply ignoring the calls just isn’t enough anymore. Although there are apps that can block certain incoming calls, these numbers must be entered into the app, so if you’re receiving calls from a series of different numbers, then this type of solution may not be as effective as you’d like.

Of course, we always have the option of contacting a service provider in order to change the number, but even this can be problematic. Many providers may offer to change the number for free, whereas others may apply a charge.

For example, Sprint offers a free number change, but will only allow for three mobile number changes, Verizon also offers a free number change. However, those, on the T-Mobile service could be charged $15.00. There is also the following to consider when you have to change a phone number.

  •         The amount of number changes you are allowed with a service provider is often limited.
  •         People are still able to search for your personal details using your old number.
  •         There is a likelihood of losing your voicemail and SMS when changing your number.
  •         You will have to inform friends and family members of your new telephone number.
  •         Some devices running the Android Gingerbread (version 2.3.) operating system, or older, could find that their device also goes through a factory reset.

So, while it’s possible to change your current number with very little effort, there’s still a lot of legwork to be done to ensure that the relevant people have your contact details. You will probably also need to start afresh when building your contact list.

Wouldn’t a Second Line Be More Viable?

When looking at ways at safeguarding our details, some may consider the leasing, or the purchasing of a second SIM card. This solution may not seem too costly in the first instance, but the costs can soon pile up.

In some instances, you may need to ensure that the number is regularly being credited to ensure it stays active. If you decide to lease a second line, then you may have to find another handset, or use a handset that has dual-SIM capabilities.

This isn’t to say that phone contracts hold no value, because of course they do. However, it is important that we’re getting the value of what we’re paying for, and in many instances, an anonymous phone app can offer the same benefits as a secondary phone number, at a fraction of the cost.

Using an Anonymous Number Can Ensure We’re Safeguarded Straight Away

screenshot of hushed app

There are a lot us people who use an anonymous phone app following an incident. While not always severe, there will be times when people receive phone calls that just make them feel uncomfortable. It could be sales calls, a call from a date that didn’t quite go to plan or hostile phone calls should you decide to purchase an item from some online traders.

There are literally hundreds of reasons as to why someone would want to benefit from an anonymous number but using one straight away can ensure that we’re kept safe from the start.

Regardless of whether we need the number for a few hours or a few months, using the Hushed app can ensure that you’re never having to contend with any unwanted phone calls or annoying messages, as the number can simply be disposed of.

Making Sure We Use the Right Anonymous Phone App

screenshot of android phone home screen

When using an anonymous phone number app, it’s of the utmost importance that we use the right one. When searching the app stores, it’s common for us to be met with several different solutions, but not all of them work in the way we would like.

An example of this can be Google Voice. Although it does offer users a free phone number, the implementation isn’t necessarily the best.

For example, depending on where you live, there will be restrictions on downloading the Google Voice app, regardless of what device you’re using. The app may show as non-compatible with your devices, and the desktop site may not allow you to create a Google Voice account at all.

This will normally occur if you’re trying to set up a number outside the United States. So, if you’re looking to use an anonymous phone number app abroad, Google Voice may not be able to provide what you’re looking for.

Another issue that has affected Google Voice users is the lack of a contact list within the app, especially with iOS versions. This means that users have to save contacts within the iPhone itself. This means that if you have other services connected, such as Facebook, then you may find that your private number doesn’t stay private for long.

It’s also worth noting that Google hasn’t updated its service in five years, which means that the user experience could be a little lackluster when compared to other offerings.

The dedicated apps for Google Voice have also proved to be an issue, especially for those who using the iOS app. Even those making a payment for phone calls using the service report the service to fail more often than not.

This isn’t to say that Google Voice doesn’t have its benefits, as its ability to offer users access to a free number. However, when looking for complete anonymity and reliability, it would be advisable to use a service that has its focus purely on privacy.

Introduction to Hushed

Although some comparisons can made to the Google Voice service, the Hushed anonymous phone app operates in a more effective way. For example, the anonymous phone numbers you’re able to obtain via the app aren’t just restricted to the United States. This allows for more flexibility, depending on what you need the number for.

The straightforward user-experience allows those looking for an effective anonymous phone app to create several different numbers and be able to name them, so they can easily be identified.

The Hushed app is not limited to phone calls alone and offers users several different services. The sending of SMS and MMS is possible, as is the connection of third-party solutions such as Slack and Dropbox. This means that regardless of whether you’re using the number to work on a project with other freelancers, or merely looking to save incoming media to a dedicated platform, it can all be done via the Hushed app.

Furthermore, if you have the app installed on more than one device, then you can be confident that you will never miss an important call or message, as all devices will ring when there is an incoming call, regardless of whether it’s a tablet or smartphone.

The app can be used regardless of what type of connection you’re using. So, if you’re out an about, taking a phone call is just as easy as sitting at home connected to your Wi-Fi.

Why Use Hushed?

Hushed app logo in red

Hushed is one of the few anonymous phone number apps with privacy at its core. Although solutions like Google Voice state there no identifiable information is retained, it does state that some of the information remains active on the servers. It states that while some of this is for billable purpose, the information is used for other business endeavors.

As to what these business dealings are remains unclear, when you consider that this is a free service, the only other way for monetization to occur for Google is to use the information garnered to help propel its other business ventures likely by using the information about in its marketing efforts.

Another factor to consider is that Google Voice will only allow you to change your number following the payment of a $10.00 fee, so it’s not the most cost-effective, nor is it the most private.

Hushed offers a straightforward user experience with a vast choice of options depending on how long you need the number:

  •         60 SMS/MMS and 20 Mins for 7 Days:            $1.99
  •         150 SMS/MMS and 50 Mins for 30 Days:             $3.99
  •         250 SMS/MMS and 100 Mins for 90 Days:          $9.99
  •         Unlimited SMS/MMS for 30 Days:                          $4.99

Need the number for longer? Then simply renew your term as and when you need to. No longer need the number? Then simply dispose of it and there will be no charge, regardless of whether you need a new number in the future or not.

What’s more, you don’t have to go through a series of obstacles when changing your number, all you have to do is open the app and your information is retained.

As well as offering all the feature of a conventional phone number, the Hushed app is also able to offer users access to Hushed Messenger, a fully encrypted chat service with no discoverable or searchable userbase. You only get a username if you know someone’s username.

Another feature is disappearing messages. You set a timer and the messages are gone forever. A benefit that adds that additional layer of security when trying to keep your information private.  

The Hushed Messenger feature also allows users to contact other Hushed members completely free of charge.

Overall

Although there are times when a genuine phone number must be used, this doesn’t mean we should feel obliged to hand it out to everyone who asks. Using a anonymous phone number app like Hushed allows you to generate a number that comes with all the features of a genuine phone number, plus a few additional perks.