How to register anonymously on any website with a virtual phone number?

Cybersecurity is one of the most important areas of our lives. Every day we visit many websites, download apps, register on different platforms. With such a large flow of information, it is very difficult to remember where we have entered our personal data. And very often fraudsters, taking advantage of our carelessness, can use the data of our accounts to steal money and duplicate SIM cards.

So how can you protect yourself and stop spreading your data, at least on sites where you plan to register only once? The answer is very simple – use a virtual SIM card and remain an anonymous user in any services and social networks.

A virtual number is a phone number that works over the internet with the help of a chip built into your smartphone. With the help of virtual number, you can receive calls and SMS messages. It is very easy to get a virtual number, you just need to download an application to connect the number, choose the number of the country you are interested in and pay for it. When registering a number, you can decide your own  phone number rates and services included in your number, for example, you can buy a virtual number with support for SMS messages only.

Why is it better to get a virtual number for registration on various sites and services?

The first reason is the cost. A temporary number will cost less, and its purchase can be done online.

The second reason is anonymity. When purchasing a virtual SIM card, you do not specify your personal data, and the phone number is not tied to you, so registration on sites will be anonymous.

The next reason is convenience. You don’t need to perform any unnecessary actions with your smartphone because installing a virtual card doesn’t require installing a physical carrier.

The last reason is the ease of registration. If you need to create numerous accounts, it will take minimum time.

A possible disadvantage of connecting a virtual number is that they are intended for one-time or limited time use. In addition, it is very important to keep an eye on the site where you buy a virtual number. Some sites can be hacked by fraudsters, so it is essential to avoid specifying bank card or account related data on such sites.

So how do I start using a virtual number?

Firstly, you will need to buy a virtual number. If you buy a number to receive SMS, there is a difference from a regular number. It consists in the fact that the messages will not come to the smartphone itself, but will come to the application of a particular service. If the platform used is free, you can choose any number from the list, but most likely it will be disposable and the text of your message will be shown on the service’s website.

If you purchase a paid number, you will first need to specify the category in accordance with the purpose, so that the virtual number you receive will be unique. The price of the service will be based on your request. Also, many sites will require you to register by entering your e-mail and coming up with a password. After that, an individual link to the virtual number will be issued.

Sometimes it is not enough just to get a virtual number and thus maintain anonymity. Therefore, below, we list important points that will help you protect your personal data and stay safe on the Internet.

1. Set up your social media profiles to be private. Every social network is a source of your personal information for fraudsters who collect personal data. Therefore, it is very critical to hide your data and set up two-factor authentication on your accounts.
2. One site – one password. Very part of us set the same password on different social networks and sites. And in case of hacker attack on these sites, the attacker can easily try to enter the same password in your other social networks.
3. Your personal email stores passwords from most of your accounts, as the password recovery procedure is most often done via email. Therefore, it is necessary to secure your main email address, to which the most significant sites and, for example, banking are linked.
4. Be careful when posting documents on social networks. Do not post photos of your documents, tickets and payment vouchers, as typically your passport data can be read on them.
5. Don’t connect to public Wi-Fi. Such networks may look like trustworthy ones, but you’ll have a hard time distinguishing a good Wi-Fi from a fraudulent one. A criminal would only need a laptop and a Wi-Fi adapter to set up such a network. Cyber crooks do use this method to intercept logins and passwords of users trying to connect to the Internet using their Wi-Fi networks.
6. Set insecure passwords. Obvious keyboard combinations or numbers in a row protect against almost nothing. It’s actually not that hard to memorize a strong password, but it will protect all of your account information.
7. Be careful when shopping online. Besides the fact that they use your data to sell you more products through personalized advertising, they are also very prone to hacking. Therefore, get a separate bank card for online shopping.

Thus, if you want to register anonymously on a website or application, you can use the registration of a virtual phone number. In addition, it is very important to follow the rules of security of your data on the Internet, in order not to become a victim of fraudsters and not to lose your accounts in social networks.