Create temporary, disposable mobile numbers with iPhone app.
Want to illegally order ivory over the phone, or simply place some crank calls to your local takeaway? You may be interested in Burner - another step towards regaining mobile anonymity.
Fans of The Wire will already know all too well what a burner is, but for the rest of you, here's a crash course: a burner is a cheap pay-as-you-go mobile phone that is used for nefarious purposes before being disposed of.
Now, Ad Hoc labs have created the Burner iPhone app, which gives your phone a temporary additional number you can use to call or text. It can also be used to share contact info on social media and set specific notifications settings separate from your actual number.
Ad Hoc founder and CEO Greg Cohn, said: “Burner is for anyone who has more than one life — or who simply values their privacy. People are using their mobile phones all the time, and using SMS more and more for day-to-day tasks. Protecting your privacy is harder than ever.”
While Ad Hoc obviously doesn’t endorse criminal activity, it's clear that Burner will definitely find a market in sector. Frankly, it's amazing the app doesn't exist already.
Burner costs $1.99 from the App Store and includes one temporary number. One purchase buys seven days of anonymity, but additional credits can be bought.
Once you do decide to get rid of the Burner number, it’s gone forever and anyone that tries to reach you will be greeted with an out-of-service message.
Cohn added: “Phone numbers are part of an old network that is getting dumber, in relative terms, by the day.”
“You give out your number, and it’s all or nothing; it’s out there forever. And in the era of Facebook and social networking, we know the phone can be a lot smarter. Burner is the first piece of this vision.”
Burner is US-only just now, although the creators say is also has some functionality in Canada.
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