What Is A Burner Phone And How Do You Buy One?

When you hear the phrase "burner phone," you're probably going to picture devices used for all kinds of illicit or mysterious purposes. It's understandable, really, considering that the phrase is pretty ubiquitous in thrillers, detective procedurals, and courtroom dramas. In reality, burner phones can be useful for totally innocuous and legal reasons, like adding a layer of protection to your personal data or helping to avoid losing your precious smartphone on a trip.

A burner phone is a minimalist mobile handset with limited bells and whistles that is entirely separate from your personal device. They're meant to be equipped with a burner prepaid SIM card bought with cash. These cards are bought up front without any kind of a contract attached to them. You can get them loaded up with a certain amount of calls, texts, or data — if your burner is actually mobile data-enabled — which you can then top up later if you wish. However, when the term is used more colloquially, burner phones can be any kind of secondary cell phone that uses a different phone number.

Since you can use most phones as burner phones, you can pick them up from most retailers. What you really want to look for is a straightforward, cheap device that you won't mind losing. Target offers several prepaid cell phones for under $50, which you can pick up in-store. Other box stores, like Best Buy, also have options. You can also grab second-hand mobiles and get a pre-paid SIM separately from most outlets, including convenience stores, garages, and even airports.

How you go about buying a burner phone really depends on the reason why you're buying one in the first place. If you're buying it to bolster your privacy, then you should consider how and where you buy your new device carefully. If you pick one up online, for example, you're most likely going to pay with a method that is attached to your name and address. You'll need to either have it delivered to your house, or to a pick-up point, which will most likely require your ID for collection anyway. Buying a device in person obviously isn't entirely anonymous, but it does give you the slightly more private option of paying cash.

Another thing to keep in mind is your budget. Picking up a second device to free yourself from the fear of losing your smartphone? In that case, you're going to want to make sure your second phone is a cheap one you're not afraid of losing. Thankfully, if you're only looking to send texts and make calls, then there are a few different affordable and practical phones to choose from. For instance, the Blu Tank Flip comes in at less than $70.

You should also make sure that whatever handset you go for is unlocked or compatible with the network your SIM card is associated with. Phones are generally locked to only be compatible with specific networks, meaning that SIMs from other networks won't work with them. Some phones are already unlocked, though, or you can look for a service that unlocks them.

In some cases, burner phones can offer slightly more anonymity than your personal device, since they don't have a contract with your name and address attached to them. You're also unlikely to have all of the personal data on them that you might have on your usual handset, like login details, browsing records, and personal contacts. This is especially the case since you're likely to use your normal phone regularly, while your burner might only come out once in a blue moon. However, the privacy of burner phones is limited, meaning they aren't always anonymous. It's easy enough for cell carriers to ping where a handset is used, as an example.

Burner phones can also be useful for setting up social media accounts that you don't want linked to your regular phone number. Some social media platforms require your mobile number to sign up or for security purposes, which can then draw a link between other accounts or your contacts. So, if you want to keep your profile private, then using a second device or number is an effective way of doing so.

Another alternative reason you might want to use a burner is as a way of getting tech-ready while preparing to travel. Using a cheaper, secondary device for travelling helps to make sure that your main device doesn't get lost, broken, or stolen. Similarly, you might want to prepare a cheap backup device to use in the case that something does happen, or to stick in your go-bag for emergencies.