What exactly is a burner phone, and are they truly untraceable?

You may have come across them in the news: "The suspect used a burner phone to contact the family after the kidnapping." Or perhaps you've seen them in a nearby store. But what exactly are burner phones? In simple terms, a burner phone is a low-cost device that comes with prepaid minutes. These phones, often resembling older flip models, may also have touchscreens and smart functionalities. The phones are preloaded with a certain amount of talk time or text messages, which can be topped up once depleted.

"Individuals who seek privacy or anonymity for various reasons—such as journalists, activists, or those involved in illegal activities—often rely on them," explains cybersecurity expert Shanal Aggarwal in an email. Aggarwal, who currently serves as the chief commercial officer for the software and web development firm TechAhead, adds, "Other common users are those who prefer to keep their identity concealed."

Even if you pay with cash for a prepaid phone and minutes, it doesn’t guarantee your privacy. Cell phones are easily traceable, and app developers, third-party advertisers, and even local governments can extract data from them.

In the U.S., laws like the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the notorious Patriot Act have granted federal and state governments substantial authority to monitor and retrieve wireless communications. Though these laws are framed around national security concerns, they’ve often been used by law enforcement to surveil everyday citizens. In many cases, these agencies don’t need to get a formal search warrant. Some advocacy groups, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, argue that this infringes on the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Recently, law enforcement has incorporated a tool known as the "Stingray" into their operations. These devices have been reportedly used during large protests, including the 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstrations. The Stingray acts as a temporary mobile phone tower that interferes with the communication networks, tricking phones into connecting to it.

When in the vicinity of a Stingray, your phone will connect to it as though it were a legitimate tower. You can continue to use mobile data as usual, but calls, text messages, and even passwords might be silently intercepted by whoever controls the device.

Private corporations also have free reign to harvest your mobile data. When using smartphone apps, you've likely granted permissions for things like your location, contacts, or microphone. Unscrupulous developers can then sell this data to advertisers or government agencies as a way to generate additional revenue.

Benefits of Burner Phones

Standard cell phones typically require a wireless service plan tied to the user’s legal name, making it easy to link any data gathered from the device to your identity. In contrast, prepaid phones offer an additional layer of privacy, as they can usually be purchased with cash and without a contract.

"Burner phones can be useful for maintaining privacy and anonymity in certain situations, such as when a journalist is communicating with sources or when traveling to a new country where local SIM cards may be required," says Aggarwal. "Moreover, using a burner phone for non-illegal activities and avoiding sharing personal details helps preserve one's anonymity."

To maintain continued anonymity, users of prepaid phones often choose to disconnect or 'burn' the device after a certain period. Alternatively, they may discard it. When further anonymous calls are needed, they replace the old phone with a new prepaid number. If a third party is extracting data from the device, this method ensures their data collection will stop once the phone is burned.

Drawbacks of Burner Phones

While burner phones provide a degree of anonymity when purchased, they share the same vulnerabilities as regular phones. "Although burner phones offer more privacy than standard phones, they aren't entirely untraceable," explains Aggarwal. "Law enforcement can track burner phones using methods like call detail records (CDRs), location tracking, surveillance, and Stingray devices."

If a third party has access to your phone’s call and text records, they might be able to identify you by using contextual clues or even the sound of your voice. Law enforcement agencies also have access to voice recognition technology that can match voices to individuals. Due to these constant surveillance techniques, it's crucial to burn the phone regularly to maintain anonymity.

"These techniques can provide details about calls made or received on a burner phone, including the time, duration, and location. Authorities have successfully identified individuals using burner phones on several occasions," adds Aggarwal.

Naturally, if you log into your Facebook or TikTok account from your burner phone, or make purchases on Amazon, your attempt at remaining anonymous will quickly be compromised.

Alternative Secure Phone Options

Burner phones are effective, but they represent just one of many tools that can enhance your cybersecurity. They're not foolproof and are most effective when combined with other security measures.

"For example, encrypted messaging services like Signal provide end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only the sender and recipient can read the messages—app providers cannot access the content," explains Aggarwal. "Additionally, using a virtual private network (VPN) can help prevent third parties from tracking your location and online activities."

Layering various methods of data obfuscation can significantly enhance privacy. However, it's essential to acknowledge that none of these methods are flawless. Ultimately, data can be traced, encryption can be cracked, and the only truly secure form of communication is a direct, in-person conversation with someone you trust.

Burner Phone Apps

Instead of using a physical burner phone, some individuals opt to download a burner app on their smartphones. Instead of offering anonymity through a prepaid phone, these apps generate a second phone number for calls and texts. However, this service typically comes with a fee.