Over the past few years, texting has become an extremely popular form of communication. Many people, especially younger generations, prefer using text messages over phone calls. After all, texting is more flexible. You can answer a text, whenever it’s convenient for you. Sitting in a public, noisy place will not form any obstacles to sending or receiving text messages.
All this means you’ll probably have to text more people than ever. Sending all these text messages will give people access to your number. Today, a phone number can reveal everything about your personal information. It’s connected to almost every part of your life, from social media platforms to bank accounts.
So, how do you benefit from all the advantages of texting, without compromising your privacy? Can you text someone without showing your contact details? In short, the answer is yes. There are many options for sending anonymous text messages. Here are some of them:
From your mobile device
For your peace of mind, mobile software offers the option of hiding your mobile number. You can use this privacy feature when making phone calls and sending text messages. Here is how:
iOS (iPhone, Mac, and iPad devices)
- Open “Settings” from the home screen.
- Scroll down and choose “Phone.”
- Tap on “Show My Caller ID.”
- To hide your cell number, turn the button off. It should be grey, not green.
Android (Samsung, Oppo, Google, etc…)
- On the home screen, choose “Settings.”
- Scroll down and tap “Phone.”
- A “Caller ID” drop-down menu will appear.
- Select “Hide My Number.”
This option depends mainly on your mobile network carrier. Unfortunately, not all carriers offer this service. If you did not see the “Hide my Caller ID” option in your phone settings, try to contact your phone carrier. Ask them about their “Caller ID” services and how to access them.
Use an Email account
First, you’ll need to determine which carrier service the recipient uses. Nowadays, there are many free websites that can help you figure this out. All you need to do is enter the recipient’s mobile number. The website will show if this contact detail belongs to Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, or any other carrier.
If you do not want to reveal your identity, use an email account that’s not associated with your name. The email address should not also be linked to any of your social media accounts. Otherwise, the text could be traced back to you. In case you do not have such an email, you’ll need to create one first.
From your anonymous email address, start writing a new mail. In the “To” field, write the recipient’s phone number. Make sure you enter the digits only, without any dashes or spaces. Next to that, add the carrier’s handle.
The handle of each mobile network carrier is different. It also varies if you’re sending text only (SMS) or other attachments as well. If your message contains images, audio, or video attachments, you’ll need to use the MMS handle. You can simply Google the SMS or MMS handle of any carrier you want.
Here are the handles of some of the mobile carriers in the US:
- T-Mobile (SMS & MMS) ー @tmomail.net
- AT&T (SMS) ー @txt.att.net
- AT&T (MMS) ー @mms.att.net
In the body section, type the text you want to send. You can leave the “Subject” field empty. Clicking the “Send” button will send your email as a text message. The recipient will see your email address in the sender field. Be aware, though, that some phones have the option of automatically blocking any text message received from an email address.
Try anonymous texting services
Another option would be to try an anonymous texting website. Most probably, you’ll need to pay a fee for every text you send through these websites. You might also be required to enter your information to sign up for these services.
That’s why you need to choose a trusted anonymous texting service. Otherwise, it could be a scam, and the website could steal your money and personal information. You can try anonymoustext.com, for example. It’s one of the most used texting websites.
Fake texting services might also try to install malware on your device or the mobile phone of the recipient. That’s why you should never click on any links sent from a strange number or anonymous senders. It can seriously compromise your information and the privacy of the device you’re using.
Get a burner phone
If the past few options did not work, you’ll need to go back to basics. This is one of the most traditional ways to hide your personal number. You can buy a burner phone, which is a device you’ll only use for sending anonymous texts. If you do not want to buy a phone, you can purchase a secondary cell number and use it on any device you have.
When you send a text from your “burner number”, the recipient will see contact digits. However, they will not associate it with you. This will protect your privacy. Consequently, your personal number will remain unknown. Save yourself the hassle of carrying two mobile devices all the time. You can set a temporary contact way to forward the calls and messages to your regular number.
Why Isn’t it advisable to show your number?
If you’re sending these messages to friends and family, then it’s fine. You can use your personal phone number. However, nowadays, we all need to send messages to strangers or people we do not know well. In this case, sending anonymous texts would be a safer option. It will protect your privacy and personal information.
Here are some examples of when to send anonymous text messages:
One way messages
Not all text messages require a response. Without showing a sender’s number, the recipient of the message will not have the option of replying. This strategy is usually implemented in marketing. In this case, the text will serve as an advertisement or an announcement. It can be used to send sale reminders, coupon codes, or delivery alerts. You can also include your email or a website that the recipient can visit for more information.
Contacting strangers
Protecting yourself digitally should always be a top concern for you. Installing anti-virus software is not good enough nowadays. You need to think twice before giving away any personal information about yourself. A small piece of information that seems harmless, like a cell number, can give people access to almost everything about you.
In today’s digital age, a mobile number is not just digits anymore. It’s linked to so much more online. Using your mobile contact details, people can find your social media accounts, your address, the websites you have signed up for, and much more. Consequently, you should not use your personal number for work, online socializing, or any other form of communication with strangers.
For scammers and hackers, a phone number is enough. Over the years, they have become much smarter and more skilled. Now, all they need is your mobile number. The rest is up to them. You can expect anything from spam calls to identity theft. Therefore, it’s safer to keep your personal details like mobile contact information private.
Business text messages
To keep a professional distance, it’s preferable to send texts without revealing your number. Another option would be to use another number just for business. This way, you can separate personal texts from professional communication. It will also help you keep the work-life balance you need. You can switch off the business burner phone when you’re home.
Sending business text messages was also proven to be more effective. Many emails end up in the junk mailbox. Also, people tend to check their text messages more regularly than their emails. Texting also keeps communication flowing more smoothly. However, to protect your space, you need to keep your personal number hidden.
Keeping up your anonymity is your right. It just needs a bit of work. However, it’s worth the effort. Texting is a great form of communication at work or to promote your business. That does not mean you should compromise your safety and personal data.
Conclusion
The options above can help you keep your personal number protected. Staying anonymous, however, is a privilege you should use wisely. Never try to use these tips to abuse, threaten, or harass anybody. Your privacy should never violate the safety and comfort of others.
After all, these tools can help you protect your identity. However, they’re not fully untraceable. So, you might get into serious trouble if you misuse the power of anonymous texting.
Stay safe in today’s digital world. Protect your privacy with anonymous texting options!
