These days, most websites and applications require too much personal information when registering. For example, to register on social networks or messengers, you need to provide a personal phone number that will receive a text code to confirm your identity, otherwise it is impossible to register. Of course, this feature helps large companies avoid botfishing and spam on their platforms, but what about regular users? This can pose a serious threat to your privacy. This is the reason why many of us wonder how not to disclose our personal information such as, personal phone number, but to use the right website or service.
One way to bypass the SMS verification step is to use a temporary phone number. We’ll look at this in more detail later in this article.
What is a Temporary Cell Phone Number?
A temporary cell phone number for receiving SMS is a disposable phone number that looks just like a regular cell number on a SIM card. The only difference is that it works only over the Internet and has a number of restrictions, including time of use. Such phone numbers can only be used to receive one-time SMS confirmation codes from various websites or applications.
Often such phone numbers are provided by specialized online marketplaces. They usually have a limited validity period (for example, a few minutes or a few days) and a limit on the number of messages received. When the validity period expires, the number becomes unavailable and is deleted from the database.
A number of advantages of temporary phone numbers:
- Increased privacy. Using such mobile numbers allows the user to remain anonymous when registering on websites and applications without revealing personal data such as phone number.
- Getting rid of spam. The type of these numbers allows you to keep your personal cell phone number private and avoid receiving spam and unwanted messages from scammers. This will not only save your time but also your nerve cells.
- Accessibility and flexibility of use. Now you don’t need to have a physical SIM card and you don’t need to rearrange them in your smartphone. All temporary phone numbers are stored in the cloud and you can access them from any device using a regular browser.
- No geo-location. The online service is available for use in any country, the only requirement is internet availability.
- Saving money. Using temporary numbers is a more economical way to receive SMS than buying an additional SIM card or paying for additional services from your service provider.
However, keep in mind that some services may block such telenumbers, and you may find it difficult to regain access to your account if you can’t receive text messages on your real number.
What are some disadvantages of this option?
Here are some disadvantages of temporary phone numbers for text messaging:
- Short duration – they are usually only valid for a short time, usually a few hours or days. After that time, the number stops working and you’ll have to find another number if you want to continue using the service.
- Blockability – Some services may block them, preventing you from using them. This may be due to suspicion that the number is being used for activities that do not comply with the terms of service. But this happens quite rarely, as it is impossible to distinguish them from the real ones.
- Limited functionality – This number is usually only available for receiving text messages.
How to Use the Service?
To use the service of renting a temporary phone number, you just need to follow the link sms-man.com, and then pay for the purchase of a certain phone. On the site you can find numbers for thousands of different social networks and applications, which will give you a guaranteed opportunity to pass the registration procedure where you need.
Once the payment is made, the system will give you a unique phone number that you can when you register. After that, the system will send you a verification message that can be seen on the website with a temporary number. This is how easy the registration procedure is.