The Simple Trick That’ll Keep Spam Callers Away From Your Real Phone Number

If you’ve heard or felt a notification buzz on your phone, only to look and see an annoying incoming spam call or sketchy text message, just know you’re not alone. An increase in these bothersome and potentially dangerous calls has led many people to ignore requests from unfamiliar numbers.

However, there are ways to combat these spam attacks without changing your primary phone number, disrupting your daily communications, sacrificing your privacy, or missing important calls. Learn about why a virtual phone number might be a good option for you, how they reduce spam calls and texts, and how to get one.

What Is a Virtual Phone Number?

A virtual phone number works through an app or other online service to create a secondary phone number not associated with a traditional cell line. Depending on which provider you use, a virtual phone number can allow users to make calls, text, receive verification codes, receive voicemails, and more.

They can be used for many purposes, but some of the most popular reasons to get a virtual phone number include:

• Business
• Online marketplaces
• Travel
• Secondary line to share instead of a primary number

Popular virtual phone number providers include Google Voice, Burner, Hushed, TextNow, and Sideline. Unlike a traditional mobile phone number, a virtual phone number isn’t tied to a physical SIM card or dedicated phone line.

How to Use a Virtual Phone Number

After creating an account and purchasing a virtual phone number through a credible provider, you can start enjoying the benefit of additional digital security. And while a virtual phone number can reduce spam, it works best as part of a complete digital security strategy.

Instead of providing your personal number for signups, purchases, or inquiries, give a virtual number to retailers, loyalty programs, contests, online marketplaces, and other nonessential services as an extra layer of digital protection. This protects your primary number for marketing or nefarious purposes.

However, any phone number, including a virtual one, can end up on marketing lists if it’s shared widely enough. Telemarketers, robo callers, marketers, and scammers won’t distinguish between virtual and traditional numbers. Also, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) notes that scammers often use spoofed numbers to reach consumers.

If a virtual number starts getting bombarded with spam, it’s easier to mute, filter, block, or even replace than a primary phone number that close contacts or businesses use regularly.

Additional Ways to Protect Yourself From Spam Calls and Texts

A virtual phone number works best alongside a primary phone number, not as a replacement. Banks, healthcare providers, schools, government agencies, insurance companies, employers or employees, close family members, and anyone likely to need immediate contact, should have access to your main number.

Virtual phone numbers, especially during urgent situations, are not as reliable as an immediate source of contact as your primary phone number. That’s even more true if you plan on changing your virtual phone number regularly if it becomes inundated with spam.

Some virtual phone services also allow users to create multiple numbers on the same account, which can be used for different types of uses like shopping, memberships, travel, or something else. Keeping those activities separate can make it easier to identify where unwanted calls and texts are originating, and can make it easier to fix the issue.

The Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission also recommend blocking suspicious callers and reporting spam texts or scam attempts instead of responding to them.

Many virtual number providers include built-in tools such as call screening, spam filters, voicemail controls, and caller blocking. You can also find similar protection features already on your mobile devices, too.

Sources

• Federal Trade Commission: Phone Scams
• Federal Communications Commission: Stop Unwanted Robocalls and Texts
• Federal Trade Commission: How to Stop Unwanted Calls

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