Ask HN: Is there a temp phone number like temp email?

#1

Post by piratesAndSons » Tue, Aug 26, 2025, 7:29 PM UTC

A service where you pay $5 per month, and in exchange, you get a temporary phone number to provide to websites and apps that require phone number verification. This helps cut down on spam, since many of these websites and apps resell your phone number immediately.

I don’t see why this would be illegal, since you still retain the identity of the subscriber.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a temp phone number like temp email?

#2

Post by JohnFen » Tue, Aug 26, 2025, 7:32 PM UTC

In the US, you can approximate this with a cheap prepaid service like a Tracfone.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a temp phone number like temp email?

#3

Post by borderprepper » Tue, Aug 26, 2025, 7:34 PM UTC

[dead]

Re: Ask HN: Is there a temp phone number like temp email?

#4

Post by piratesAndSons » Tue, Aug 26, 2025, 7:34 PM UTC

JohnFen wrote: post #2

In the US, you can approximate this with a cheap prepaid service like a Tracfone.

Don't get it? Can you explain further ?

Re: Ask HN: Is there a temp phone number like temp email?

#5

Post by dabinat » Tue, Aug 26, 2025, 7:35 PM UTC

There are apps like Hushed where you can generate a working phone number for a pre-determined period of time.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a temp phone number like temp email?

#6

Post by JohnFen » Tue, Aug 26, 2025, 7:42 PM UTC

piratesAndSons wrote: post #4

JohnFen wrote: post #2

In the US, you can approximate this with a cheap prepaid service like a Tracfone.

Don't get it? Can you explain further ?

For about $20, you can buy a phone that comes with 10 minutes of talk time and has its own phone number. You can use that as a temp number. If you don't buy more time for that phone, the number will go away and you can then buy time for it and get a different number.

Or, what I do, is just keep it loaded with a minimal amount of minutes and use the same number for all such registration purposes.

I started doing this when I needed a whatsapp account, but didn't want to give facebook my phone number. I just keep that phone number alive, but never use it for anything else, and never even turn the phone on.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a temp phone number like temp email?

#7

Post by kirito1337 » Tue, Aug 26, 2025, 7:55 PM UTC

[dead]

Re: Ask HN: Is there a temp phone number like temp email?

#8

Post by Ar__Aj » Tue, Aug 26, 2025, 8:02 PM UTC

[flagged]

Re: Ask HN: Is there a temp phone number like temp email?

#9

Post by ricardonunez » Tue, Aug 26, 2025, 9:11 PM UTC

I use google voice, and in the past other virtual phone numbers but many services don’t fully work. When you request a code, you never receive it and in some cases they tell you they don’t accept the virtual number.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a temp phone number like temp email?

#10

Post by madamelic » Tue, Aug 26, 2025, 9:34 PM UTC

JohnFen wrote: post #6

piratesAndSons wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't get it? Can you explain further ?

For about $20, you can buy a phone that comes with 10 minutes of talk time and has its own phone number. You can use that as a temp number. If you don't buy more time for that phone, the number will go away and you can then buy time for it and get a different number. Or, what I do, is just keep it loaded with a minimal amount of minutes and use the same number for all such registration purposes. I started doing this…

Sometimes won't work, especially larger sites.

I used to run a service that was using Twilio to do exactly what OP is asking. These sites often flag and block all phone numbers that are virtual or prepaid.