Sometimes, we need to text someone but would prefer they don't know our phone number. Fortunately, there's a way to protect your privacy by displaying only a certain email address. Show
Send an Anonymous Text With SMS GatewaysThe simplest way to text anonymously is to use SMS gateways, which only require an email address. All major carriers offer a service where your phone number also serves as an email address, and any emails sent to that address are delivered to your phone as a text. For example, if your friend's number is 555-867-5309, and they're on Sprint, you can send an email from your email address to [email protected]. Even better, they can reply to you via text and you'll get the response in your email, allowing you to treat your email account as a sort of texting machine. This is particularly useful if you've been emailing someone you don't know well, or can't remember their email address. Only send an anonymous text when you're absolutely sure it will be well-received. However, there are two disadvantages:
With text-to-email, your email address will appear as the “sender” of the text message. To make this more anonymous, you can create a “burner” email address, which is an email account with no ties to your identity. Consider writing out these email addresses and saving them in your address book for close friends and family. It's a useful way to text them without needing to switch to your phone. Here are the major carriers and their email formats. Just substitute their ten-digit number in place of [NUMBER]:
Remember, if you want to send a picture or video, use an MMS (multimedia messaging service) address. For just text, use an SMS address. Send an Anonymous Text via Instant Messenger AppsYou may remember chat programs like AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) or iChat on older Macs. These also support sending messages directly to phones. There are several modern services that will let you send messages to phone numbers, usually by typing the number into the “send” field. Depending on the app you use, this will also offer features like end-to-end encryption and self-destructing messages. To preserve your privacy, you'll need to create a new account with no ties to your identity, and possibly a new email account. You should also check the rules of the app, which may limit certain features such as sending pictures. How to Block Your Number When TextingAnother technique is to set your phone to withhold your number. This is best if you want to keep your number as private as possible and don't want it shared with strangers. However, this won't disable functions like calling back a number that sent a text, and depending on the phone and carrier, it may disrupt other functions on your phone. Generally, you'll receive an alert on which functions are impacted when you select this option. Be sure to let people know your number is withheld, and expect a few of your first texts to go unanswered. Many people still associate withheld numbers with scam calls. Withhold Number on Android
Withhold Number on iOS
Use a “Burner” Number for Anonymous TextingYou can also use a disposable phone number, generally called a “burner,” to send text messages without identifying yourself. They're very useful for people who don't want to give out their phone number or would prefer to keep communication one-way. Burner numbers can also be kept and used for other purposes, such as a number used to fill out contest entry forms or to redirect unwanted calls to a voicemail box you can check later. There are several ways to secure a second phone number that's functionally anonymous, but the simplest is to sign up for a Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, number. VoIP services include Google Voice and Skype and will issue you a phone number at your request. Some will require you to “buy” a number, like Skype, while others, like Google Voice, will simply give it to you for free as part of your Gmail account. Before you sign up for the number, carefully read the fine print. Google Voice, for example, will issue you a free number tied to your Gmail account, and will even allow free calling and texting, but only to numbers in the U.S. or Canada. If you want to correspond anonymously with someone in other areas, you'll need to figure out the overall cost. How can I text someone without showing my number?You can hide your phone number when sending a text on an Android with a few easy steps.. On the home screen, tap “Settings.”. Scroll down and tap “Phone.”. From the “Caller ID” drop-down menu, select “Hide My Number.”. How can I send an anonymous text for free?Here are the best sites to send free text messages to cell phones.. TextEm.. SendSMSnow.. OpenTextingOnline.. txtDrop.. Send Anonymous SMS.. TxtEmNow.. Globfone.. Textport.. Can a text be sent with * 67?In most jurisdictions, you can hide your caller ID if you preface your call with *67. This does not work with SMS, but there are ways to take advantage of anonymous texting. However, you should not use the technologies to send anonymous text messages for illegal purposes.
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