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Fun Fact: Two of the most popular tips on my website over the years are to block your number and reveal the identity of blocked or strange numbers calling you.
I get curiosity. It’s not always an automatic caller calls you from a number that you do not recognize. Tap or click here to discover four ways to find anyone’s cell phone number online.
If you want to block your own number (and you should!) Tap or click here for all temporary and permanent steps to get the job done. This is a little-known fraudulent call deterrent.
The more widespread your number, the more vulnerable you are to hackers and other bad actors. A secondary phone number protects your primary phone number, but it can do a lot more, too.
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First, get your new free number
When you get a new phone number, your old one doesn’t just disappear into the ether. It’s scary if you think about everything related to your number. Tap or click to see how someone else who gets their hands on it can seriously compromise your privacy.
Google Voice is a free service that gives you a phone number to use as you see fit for domestic and international phone calls, text messages, and voice messages. Google Voice is available for iOS, Android, and your computer. All you need is a Google Account to get started.
- Download the app for iOS or Android or go to voice.google.com/u/0/signup to get it for your computer.
- Then, sign in to your Google account.
- Review the conditions and go to the next step.
- Choose a phone number from the list. You can search by city or area code.
- Verify the number and enter a phone number to associate with your Voice account.
- You will get a six digit code to enter for the next step. Made!
Now it’s time to dive into how you can use this number.
1. Keep your old number if you change
Let’s say you need to change providers because you are moving to a new state or country. Maybe you’ve found a better deal elsewhere. You probably want to keep your old phone number, right? The good news is that you can probably port it to Google Voice for a fee of $ 20.
Not all providers or phone numbers are eligible, but you can try. You’ll need your account number and PIN, so have your billing account information handy.
- Open Google Voice and click on the hamburger menu icon. Go to Old version of Google Voice, then click the Settings gear icon go to Settings.
- Select the Phone (s tab, then Change / Port next to your phone number.
- To select I want to use my mobile number and follow the onscreen instructions to set it up and pay.
Stalkers and creeps can do a lot of damage with your number. Tap or click the steps to take if someone is harassing you online.
2. Send certain calls directly to voicemail
You have to talk to a specific person, but you don’t want them to have your real number. When you don’t want to block someone up front, you can send them to voicemail.
You can do the same for all incoming calls with Google Voice. It’s smart when you use that second number as a recorder that you really don’t intend to take calls on. Here’s how to do it on your computer:
- Open Google Voice and click on the Settings gear icon.
- Click on Calls.
- Switch off your devices under Incoming calls.
- Deactivate your linked numbers under Call forwarding.
Here’s how to send calls to voicemail through your phone.
- Open the Voice app and tap the hamburger menu icon, then Settings.
- Tap Devices and numbers.
- Press the Remove the X icon, then Remove next to your devices and associated numbers.
Sometimes Do Not Disturb is the answer. Tap or click the steps to set it up on your iPhone or Android.
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3. A safer way to give your contact details to strangers
When you are asked for your phone number by a new social or professional acquaintance, you give it. It might be on your business card. The same happens when you create a new account or want to sell something online.
One bad actor can get hold of your number and make your life miserable. Spam and robocalls can come from phone calls or text messages. A hacker can use your phone number to access any of your accounts and gain access to your information. A burner phone number minimizes your risk.
This step is simple. Instead of giving your real number, pass your Google Voice number.
4. Try it for your business or side business
There are many ways to make money online. Got some old gadgets lying around? Tap or click here for tips on selling your technology.
Whether it’s a side business or a full-fledged business you’re trying to start, you need a phone number. The problem is, you will never know who is going to call. Beyond the legitimate customer base, you will have strange people asking strange questions.
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5. Record calls (as long as it’s legal)
Google Voice also allows you to record conversations. It’s easier than jotting down notes when you need a recording of a call. Be sure to check your local laws before recording a conversation. In some states, you must get the consent of everyone involved before you break a record.
How to record a Google Voice call on your computer:
- Go to voice.google.com and click the button Settings gear icon.
- Click on Calls.
- Light up Incoming call options.
- During a call, press 4 to start recording. All call participants will be notified that recording has started.
- Tap 4 again to stop recording. All participants will be notified.
Here’s how to set up recording on your phone:
- Open the Voice app and tap the hamburger menu icon, then tap Settings.
- Light up Incoming call options under Calls.
- Tap 4 to start recording during a call. All call participants will be notified that recording has started.
- Tap 4 again to stop recording. All participants will be notified.
Bonus Tip: A woman was being harassed and stalked. How we found the guy.
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Check out my “Kim Komando Explains” podcast on Apple, Google Podcasts or your favorite podcast player.
A woman called my national radio show for help with a malicious stranger who was following her daughter’s every move. Over time, the abuse intensified; the creep has targeted her entire family, even posting photos of the mother on risky dating sites. Listen and find out how we unmasked the stalker!
Tap or click here to hear how a stalker took charge of their life and the steps to find out who they were.
What digital lifestyle questions do you have? Call Kim’s national radio show and tap or click here to find it on your local radio station. You can listen or watch The Kim Komando Show on your phone, tablet, TV or computer. Or tap or click here for Kim’s free podcasts.
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Check out all the latest tech on The Kim Komando Show, the nation’s biggest weekend radio talk show. Kim takes calls and gives advice on today’s digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacking. For her daily tips, free newsletters and more, visit her website at Komando.com.
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