Having a local phone number in the Dialappify app was a huge help for a Canadian family on vacation.

Victoria, Andrew, and their three children were exploring Costa Rica on a 10-day adventure when one family member fell ill.

Luckily, their Dialappify app was loaded with Nova Scotia (902) phone numbers tied to international phone plans. They were able to dial a doctor back in Nova Scotia to get medical advice, which saved them from having to trek to a local clinic or hospital for assessment.

After a phone consultation with the doctor from back home, Victoria says they were able to use their Costa Rica eSIM from aloSIM to snag an emailed prescription, look up a local pharmacy, and send the prescription to be filled.  

“Within just a few hours, our trip was back on track,” says Victoria. “A million thank yous for that!”

Using the Dialappify app for international travel

Costa Rica was just a trial run for a much bigger trip. 

The family is preparing to spend more than six months traveling the world, and it’s a trip that will be especially meaningful for their two sons with choroideremia – a rare, hereditary, and incurable eye disease that causes blindness in males.

But it takes a lot of work (and organization) to prepare a family of five for an around-the-world trip. Along with making reservations and booking travel arrangements, there’s also figuring out how to ‘do life’ in more than a dozen different countries.

They weren’t sure about one big question: How would they use their phones while halfway around the world? 

A few months ago, Victoria popped into the mall to speak with her phone carrier about their upcoming travels. She couldn’t believe their ‘suggestion.’

“They said it would probably be $20 a day – per phone, every day, for six months, depending on which country we were in. So minimum $80 a day if we bring four phones,” says Victoria. “They were basically like ‘It’s probably easier to just disconnect your phones for six months.’”

Free international phone numbers from Dialappify

Luckily, there’s a much better option than paying $14,000 to use their regular phone numbers abroad for six months. 

To help everyone stay in touch, Dialappify contacted the family and offered to provide free phone numbers for the whole family. Since Dialappify phone numbers run over the internet, everyone was able to choose a phone number in their local 902 area code for easy calling and texting anywhere in the world. 

“Setting up our Dialappify numbers before Costa Rica was really easy,” says Victoria. “We used them a bit before we left – sending texts to family and friends so they’d know how to reach us while we were away.”

Dialappify’s sister app, is also providing the family with free mobile data in all of the countries they’ll be visiting, which include Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Bali, Japan, India, Dubai, South Africa, Namibia, France, and Norway. 

Preparing for the big trip

Now the family is back home in Nova Scotia, preparing for the big trip this fall. There’s still a lot to organize, but at least they won’t have to worry about how they’ll use their phones internationally.

If they need to make local calls on the trip, their Dialappify international phone numbers will let them call local restaurants, hotels, pharmacies, and any other numbers they may need to dial.

If they need to call or text with family and friends back home, their Dialappify numbers all have 902 area codes so it will be considered a ‘local’ call – even if they’re actually halfway around the world.

“The kids are nervous about leaving their best friends, especially for the majority of a school year,” says Victoria. “So we’re very excited to use Dialappify to keep in touch with each other during the trip, and also keep in touch with our friends and family back home in Nova Scotia.”

How will Victoria, Andrew, and their kids use Dialappify on their around-the-world trip?

1. Shortly before they leave Canada, Victoria, Andrew, and their kids will record their outgoing voicemail messages to say that they’re travelling and can be reached on their Dialappify numbers instead.

2. They’ll make sure family and friends know to contact them on their Dialappify numbers while they’re away. (Since these are 902 area code phone numbers, it will be a local call for anyone calling from Nova Scotia.)

3. Right before they leave Canada, they’ll toggle off their primary SIMs from Canada to avoid roaming charges. The Dialappify app will work perfectly on their phones with either Wi-Fi or data.

4. They’ll use their to activate on the first eSIM they’ll need for the trip, and continue to activate different eSIMs as they move into new countries and regions.

5. When they get back to Canada, they’ll toggle their primary SIMs back on and resume using their regular phone numbers and data plans.

The post Dialappify App to the Rescue: ‘A million thank-yous!’ appeared first on Dialappify | Secure second and temporary phone number app.

Caller ID is handy for making sure friends and family pick up your phone calls, and don’t screen them thinking you’re a telemarketer or a wrong number. It’s especially fun now that iOS includes ‘contact posters’ that we can customize with pictures, colours, emojis, and different fonts.

But you don’t always want to announce your call.

There are times when you want to make a private phone call, and it’s easy to block your iPhone number temporarily.

OPTION 1: Block your phone number on iPhone

No matter what model of iPhone you’re using, you have the option to make a phone call on a blocked/private number without your name and number popping up on somebody’s screen. It just takes a few taps in the ‘Settings’ section, where you’ll tell your iPhone to make calls without using your Caller ID.

How to block your phone number on an iPhone

1. On your iPhone, go to ‘Settings’
2. Scroll down to tap the green ‘Phone’ icon
3. Scroll down to tap ‘Show My Caller ID’
4. Toggle off ‘Show My Caller ID’ to hide your Caller ID

Your Caller ID won’t pop up on anyone’s devices until you toggle this setting back on.

Finished going incognito? Here’s how to re-enable Caller ID on an iPhone

1. On your iPhone, go to ‘Settings’
2. Scroll down to tap the green ‘Phone’ icon
3. Scroll down to tap ‘Show My Caller ID’
4. Toggle on ‘Show My Caller ID’ so callers know it’s you

OPTION 2: Use a temporary phone number instead

If you’re nervous about making a phone call on your iPhone, even after blocking the phone number and preventing your Caller ID from appearing, there’s another option.

What if you could make a private phone call on a totally anonymous phone number?

With the free Dialappify app, you can get a temporary phone number in seconds and start making private phone calls (and sending private texts) right away.

Does using Dialappify block my phone number on iPhone?

All Dialappify calls (and texts) take place within the free Dialappify app, so it’s completely separate from your regular iPhone phone number.

• Not connected to your name
• Not connected to your real phone number
• Not displaying any usable type of Caller ID (just the temporary phone number)

To set up a Dialappify account and get a cheap phone number, all you need to provide is an email address. (We don’t do email verification, so you can put your oldest, junkiest Hotmail account, if you want. We won’t judge the thousands of unread emails and random discount coupons.)

Dialappify phone plans start at $2.99. Once you have your temporary phone number, you can make phone calls from your iPhone (using your new Dialappify number) without worrying about your real identity blasting across someone’s Caller ID.

What will someone see when I call them from Dialappify?

• Their phone won’t see your name
• Their phone won’t know who owns the number
• Their phone will just see your Dialappify number — a random string of digits

Is using Dialappify safer than blocking my phone number on iPhone?

If you’re concerned about privacy, you’ll likely feel better making phone calls from a temporary phone number from Dialappify instead of simply blocking your regular phone number on your iPhone. But it’s absolutely your choice.

Questions about blocking phone numbers? Reach out anytime! Our support team is available 24/7 to help.

The post How Do I Block My Phone Number on iPhone? appeared first on Dialappify | Secure second and temporary phone number app.

Well, sorry to disappoint. (We take our customers’ privacy very seriously, whether they’re a teacher, a retired grandma, or a multimillionaire singer with a gorgeous thick hair and a citrusy unisex fragrance line.)

But we can tell you that Dialappify is a (not-so-secret) industry secret.

The free Dialappify app makes it easy to get private, anonymous phone numbers in 300+ area codes (including Los Angeles area code numbers and New York City area code numbers) and keep the numbers as long as you want them.

We’ve got the scoop on exactly how celebrities maintain a secret phone number … and how you can, too!

They’re always paranoid about leaks

The more famous someone is, the more paranoid they tend to be about their privacy. They know it only takes one person to leak their phone number, and unfortunately, the internet has made it way too easy to share it instantly with hundreds of thousands of people desperate to get their hands on it.

They usually won’t answer unknown calls

Think about it. Phone numbers aren’t gated, or password-protected, or restricted in any way. If you have psychic abilities, you could pick up your phone right now, punch in 10 numbers, and place a direct call to your favorite actor, singer, or sports icon’s secret phone number … and they’d probably answer it. It’s pretty wild.

Celebrities get wrong number calls, just like the rest of us. Only they have something most of us don’t have: a super recognizable voice that might tip off the person who accidentally called them.

Once that caller realizes they’ve struck gold and stumbled upon a celebrity’s phone number, the celebrity is going to want to cancel it immediately.

They might use a ‘public’ number (sort of)

Many celebrities are choosing to have ‘public’ phone numbers that fans can text and call. The calls aren’t answered, obviously (except with a pre-recorded greeting) but fans can opt in to receive periodic text updates from their favorite stars.

Sites like Community list public celebrity phone numbers, so it’s easy to look up your faves.

Dua Lipa’s phone number: (917) 810-3415

Ed Sheeran’s phone number: (917) 909-4498

Tom Brady’s phone number: (415) 612-1737

Shawn Mendes’ phone number: (305) 745-7485

(Fun fact! Dialappify partnered with Shawn Mendes a few years back, and fans had the chance to speak with Shawn via Dialappify.)

They switch up their phone numbers regularly

Unfortunately for celebs, this happens whether they want to or not!

If you’ve ever seen a celebrity documentary, you’ve probably watched behind-the-scenes footage where they talk about a friend (usually a fellow celebrity) and say something like ‘Oh, give them my new number,’ or ‘Do I have their new number?’

While it’s not impossible for a celebrity to hang onto the same phone number for years, or even decades, it’s difficult to keep their number from getting spread around faster than the cream cheese on bagels at the crafty table.

They’ll burn a secret phone number whenever they want

Can you imagine deleting your phone number immediately? (Especially when you’ve had it for years.)

Regular people like us might think ‘Oh, I don’t want to get rid of my number. I’ve had it for ages. What if somebody needs to reach me?’

But celebrities are quick to get rid of ANY phone number that might interfere with their safety or privacy. If their secret phone number falls into the wrong hands and they don’t want a certain person to be able to call or text them again, they’ll burn that phone number without a second thought.

• Starstruck fans
• Former romantic partners
• Toxic frenemies
• Wannabes
• Industry hucksters (IYKYK)

They use multiple phone numbers

Back in the day, when phone numbers were always tied to physical SIM cards, celebrities would have to carry around multiple phones. (Well, okay, their assistants did most of the carrying.)

Juggling different phones meant they’d always have access to their ‘main’ phone number (usually one they’ve had for ages) where they could expect calls from their agent, publicist, manager, and other industry folks, as well as their secret phone number reserved for a select list of friends and family.

When a phone number was leaked, and one of those phones would start buzzing with annoying texts, calls, and voicemails, their assistant would trot off to the nearest mobile store and get them a fresh SIM card with a new phone number.

Luckily, it’s now much easier to have multiple phone numbers without having to carry multiple phones.

But these days, they just need one phone

With Dialappify, celebrities can have as many different phone numbers as they want — all on a single phone.

• They download the free Dialappify app and create an account
• They choose from phone numbers in 300+ area codes
• They pick a cheap phone plan (starting at $2.99)
• They get as many phone numbers as they need
• They delete the numbers whenever they want

Why celebrities love using Dialappify

Alright, to be fair, we can only imagine why celebrities love using Dialappify. We don’t have firsthand testimonials (yet) from anyone famous, but we’re working on it.

MULTIPLE NUMBERS, ONE PHONE

As long as the celebrity has the Dialappify app on their phone or tablet, they can access all of their phone numbers in one spot. No need to juggle multiple phones or mess with different SIM cards.

A SECRET PHONE NUMBER FOR EVERY OCCASION

If a celebrity is very cautious, there’s nothing stopping them from setting up lots of different Dialappify numbers and doling them out to people as needed.

They could have a Dialappify phone line labeled ‘Agents and Managers,’ and give that number only to their agents and managers. They could also have a Dialappify phone line labeled ‘Cast & Crew,’ and give that one out during a specific project they’re working on (and delete the number once the project wraps). Then they could have a Dialappify line labeled ‘Family’ and give that number out only to loved ones, so they keep that communication separate from everything else.

IT WORKS EVERYWHERE

Filming in another country? They don’t have to worry about their phone number not working. Because Dialappify numbers work over the internet (using VoIP technology), celebrities can use their Dialappify numbers anywhere in the world, as long as they have Wi-Fi or data.

NO PHONE BILL SCRUTINY

Celebrities have assistants to pay their bills, which means those assistants could look at their phone bill and see every incoming and outgoing call. With Dialappify, nothing appears on a phone bill and the call history is stored safely within the app. A celebrity could call and text freely, and no one else would know their business.

(And for a very famous person, the greatest of luxuries is their secrets.)

The post Shhh! Here’s How Celebrities Maintain A Secret Phone Number appeared first on Dialappify | Secure second and temporary phone number app.

TikTok is one of the social channels were many of us are shopping these days, and it’s easy (maybe too easy) to make purchases there.

I think my TikTok algorithm knows me better than I know myself. (And sometimes it suggests a bizarre acrylic painting of a yeti draped sensually across an excessively lengthy canvas. Is that what I need to display above my fireplace mantel? Maybe. If the algorithm says so, who am I to argue?)

Regardless of how accurate (or ridiculous) the suggestion might be, it is nearly impossible to resist tapping “See more” when an intriguing product pops up in my feed.

But how do you know you’re …

(A) getting the real deal (Look, if you’re buying the yeti painting, you don’t want a fake, do you?)
(B) getting the best price

From sneaky sign-ups to hustling for bigger savings, we’re rounding up the easiest TikTok discount code hacks …

1. Give ’em a phone number.

More and more companies are demanding a phone number so they can send you a discount code. (Probably because they know we’re inundated with a zillion unread promotional emails.)

So at this point, the TikTok discount code hack that saves me from jumping in with both feet is my Dialappify phone number. It protects you from getting spammed on your regular phone number but still gives a peek at that sweet discount code. 

2. Sign up for their emails.

Signing up for an email newsletter is another TikTok discount code hack that should not be underestimated. Though it might land you on a regular mailing list, trading your email almost always fetches you at least a small discount. Expect 10%-30% off a first purchase from the company. So HOLD OFF on that first purchase until the first email trickles in. (It’s often within minutes of signing up.)

3. Search the product online

This includes checking Google images to see where else it might be listed. If the TikTok ad was posted by a drop shipper, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to procure the item from a variety of sellers, and an even better chance that there will be a range of pricing on the same product. Be sure to check shipping options and locations of businesses to make sure that taxes and delivery don’t end up costing more than the item itself. 

4. Use YouTube

This is a weird one, but we swear, it works. YouTube can be used as a search engine for a TikTok discount code hack to help you discover more information and potential savings. Just enter the company name (or the product name) +discount and see what comes up. 

5. Try a browser extension.

A TikTok discount code hack that is easy to forget about, especially if you’re using your mobile device to purchase rather than a computer, is the opportunity to save money via browser extensions. Installing price-scanning browser extensions like Rakuten or Honey will help ensure that you’re using the best available coupons or codes to use on your item. 

BONUS TIP: Consider where you’ve seen the ad.

Was it a corporate video? Was it a sponsored post from an influencer? Might it have been UGC (user generated content)? Each different delivery of an advertisement can offer a different price or promotion. With a little bit of extra research, that item can arrive on your doorstep for even less than the price at which it first appeared in your feed. 

So, which TikTok discount code hack will get me that ravishing yeti print Temu keeps showing me? Quick, before I think better of it!

The post TikTok Discount Code Hacks For Online Shopping appeared first on Dialappify | Secure second and temporary phone number app.

But my family wasn’t the best at keeping the secret. (Bless their hearts.)

We’re a family of four, and our phones are always nearby. So whenever there was a message about my surprise gift in a group chat, I would hear three separate pings as each family member got the notification. Oops!

Naturally, I wondered why the heck all three of them were getting messages from a thread that clearly wasn’t our regular family thread. I looked away as soon as I realized they were trying to keep a secret about surprise birthday party plans and gifts, but it made me laugh to see how difficult it was for them to keep a secret from me.

It’s hard to hide texts, messaging threads, and social media DMs

If you’re planning a surprise party for someone living in your house, or someone you just spend a lot of time with, they probably see your phone lying around and occasionally look at the previews of messages that pop in, right?

You can’t plan a surprise party for someone if you’re paranoid about leaving your phone unlocked in case they catch a glimpse of one of the messages. (And they might think you’re up to something *no good* if you start acting suspicious and refusing to let them see your phone.)

If you’re trying to plan a surprise party for someone close to you, you might not be able to use your regular channels.

• iMessage will give you away quickly, because iPhone users almost always have these notifications on
• Text messages to your regular phone number will probably result in a cheery PING when they arrive
• WhatsApp messages likely have notifications on, too (and the surprise party recipient might see them pop in)
• Facebook Messenger loudly announces new messages in the app and within Facebook

Surprise party hack: Use a temporary phone number

Instead of relying on your regular phone number or messaging apps, why not get a brand-new app (Dialappify) and set up a temporary phone number that you’ll only use for planning the surprise party?

You can sneakily reach out to everyone via phone or text and prevent the party ‘recipient’ from seeing what you’re doing.

• Inviting friends and family to the surprise party
• Collecting surprise party RSVPs so you know who’s coming
• Reaching out to vendors about party plans
• Communicating with the surprise party venue
• Ordering a cake, food, drinks, linens, etc.
• Scheduling party entertainment and coordinating the details

A temporary phone number from Dialappify starts at $2.99, and you can chuck it as soon as the surprise party’s over. (Unless you’ve gotten used to having a throwaway phone number and want to keep it, of course.)

Get a dedicated phone number for planning a surprise party

If you need to call and text in secret to make sure your surprise party is really a surprise? We’ve got you!

1. Download the free Dialappify app

2. Sign up for an account

3. Choose a phone number (300+ area codes)

4. Pick a phone package (starting at $2.99)

5. Secretly begin planning the party, using your own temporary phone number

Shhh! Keep a secret with Dialappify

How difficult is it going to be to keep the surprise party a secret? Well, that depends on (A) if you live with the person, (B) if the person has regular access to your phone, and (C) how snoopy they might be.

• LEVEL 1 SECRECY: Close your Dialappify app when you aren’t using it, and most people won’t even notice it on your screen
• LEVEL 2 SECRECY: Turn off your Dialappify notifications so there won’t be any pings if you get calls or texts on the surprise party hotline
• LEVEL 3 SECRECY: Change the icon of your Dialappify app, turn off Dialappify notifications, and just re-open the Dialappify app when you want to check RSVPs or party details
• LEVEL 4 SECRECY: Someone snooping on your phone? Delete the Dialappify app entirely, and re-download it whenever you have space to check on your surprise party phone number
• LEVEL 5 SECRECY: Keep your Dialappify account logged in on a totally separate device, like an old cell phone you never use. Keep the phone hidden away and powered off, and only turn it on when you need to check your surprise party hotline

With a little sneakiness, a lot of help from your fellow secret-keeping guests, and a temporary phone number, you can throw a surprise party that’s actually a surprise.

The post This Surprise Party Hack Helps You Keep a Secret appeared first on Dialappify | Secure second and temporary phone number app.

Because, let’s face it: As much as we can get shy and would prefer every interaction to be handled via a low-key email (no pressure, no rush), there are times when you have to suck it up and answer a phone call. *shudder*

Why does the phone number matter?

Organizing a sublease with your real phone number can cause a lot of problems.

• IT’S SKETCHY: You don’t know who is going to come across your sublease ad, and you don’t want random strangers knowing your real phone number
• IT CAN BE DANGEROUS: If you’re still living in this unit, including your real phone number on the sublease ad is just giving away more of your personal information
• YOU CAN’T TAKE IT BACK: Months from now, when the sublease has been organized, your real phone number is still going to be out there somewhere (getting annoying calls from people asking if the unit’s still available)

But using a temp phone number keeps everything streamlined and safe.

• LOCAL: You can pick a local area code, or an area code far away (if that’s where the rental is located)
• AFFORDABLE: You can pay as little as $2.99 for the phone number and phone plan (less than a small coffee in most spots)
• CONVENIENT: It comes with free voicemail, so you can screen the calls first, if you want (and have a custom voicemail greeting that talks about the details of the sublease)
• FAR-REACHING: You can call and text with anyone who’s interested, without long distance fees
• STREAMLINED: All calls and texts about the sublease will go to your temp phone number, so you don’t have to mix those inquiries with your personal calls and texts
• BLASTABLE: Promote the sublease literally everywhere because it’s not your real phone number, and you’ll be getting rid of it soon, anyway
• TEMPORARY: You can cancel the whole phone number as soon as the agreement’s signed, and never have to hear from any of those people again
• SECURE: Your real phone number won’t be floating around forever on fliers and message boards

What is a temp phone number, anyway?

A temp phone number (or temporary phone number) is a real working phone number you only plan on keeping for a short time, usually for a specific purpose.

Here at Dialappify, we offer temporary phone numbers that run over the internet (called “VoIP numbers” or “Voice Over Internet Protocol” phone numbers). They don’t run over traditional phone carriers, which means you can talk and text all over the place without worrying about long distance charges.

Why are they good for a sublease?

Temporary phone numbers are awesome because you don’t have to be precious about who gets ’em, and that’s what makes them perfect for selling something online or subleasing an apartment. Put them on fliers. Blast them over social media. Put them anywhere and know you can delete them whenever you want.

How do you use a temp phone number?

• CALLING: Make and receive phone calls (no one knows it’s a temp phone number)
• TEXTING: Send and receive real SMS text messages with or without pics
• VOICEMAIL: Record a personal greeting and accept voicemail messages

How long do I have to keep it?

Hey, if you sublease your place without a couple of hours, you can cancel your temp number immediately. If it takes a few months of haggling with people, that’s fine, too. You can cancel a Dialappify number absolutely anytime.

How to get a temp phone number

Ready to try a temporary phone number to help organize your sublease? Great! You can use it right away …

1. DOWNLOAD Dialappify: We’re on the App Store and on Google Play
2. CREATE AN ACCOUNT: All we need is an email address — no name or personal info
3. PICK A NUMBER: Choose from 300+ area codes all over the place
4. CHOOSE A PLAN: Decide how long you want your temp phone number
5. START USING IT: Now that you have it, you can use it immediately!

Good luck organizing your sublease, and we hope you find new tenants really soon!

The post Use a Temp Phone Number for Your Sublease appeared first on Dialappify | Secure second and temporary phone number app.

In the past, I’d given out my real phone number so many times without really thinking about it. But now that I had the option to give them a completely separate phone number, and keep my real phone number private, I was shocked by how often people wanted it, anyway.

“Are you a member of our loyalty program?”

“Can I just grab your phone number for the receipt?”

“We’ll need a phone number to complete the refund.”

“That discount’s for rewards members only. Let’s get you signed up …”

Why do so many stores want our phone numbers? Wouldn’t it be just as easy to have us ‘in the system’ using an email address instead? (Most people have a throwaway second email address they use in these situations.)

Nope. They want our phone number.

Why do stores want our phone number so badly?

Why? Well, probably to add us to a spammy list. Why else would they insist on having our phone number instead of our email address? Even if the store itself isn’t calling us about upcoming sales, they might be selling our phone numbers to other companies.

But if you ask the store, they’ll probably tell you they need your phone number for a reason:

Issuing refunds

In order to get a refund in most retail locations, you’ll need to provide a phone number. This could be in case a manager needs to reach out and verify details after the fact, but it’s also probably a way of making sure the same customer isn’t making a ton of returns.

Loyalty programs

Signing up for a store’s loyalty program probably requires a phone number and an email address. Without being a loyalty program member, you might miss out on special offers or discounted pricing.

Return policies

Sometimes when you’re completing a transaction, the cashier will ask for your phone number or email address. Why? In case you want to return the item someday. Confused, customers often tell them their phone number, without really stopping to think about it.

Special promotions

Dangling a sale or discount in front of a customer makes them more likely to agree to a retail employee’s request. After all, why would we (as customers) want to pay more just because we didn’t give them a phone number? Stuff’s expensive enough, as is! #inflation

Why if we don’t give stores our phone number?

A store certainly can’t force you to give them any phone number, but if you don’t want to give them one, they can restrict you from getting a special promotion, signing up for a rewards program, getting a refund, or getting a members-only discount.

Give stores your online phone number instead

I recently told the story of when I was visiting a new pet store in my area, and they asked me for my phone number. I smoothly rattled off my Dialappify phone number, and my husband looked at me, startled.

He thought I was giving them a totally fake phone number! Hilarious, but no. (I could never do that. I’d feel too guilty.)

If they were to call me, I’d see the call. (It’s a very real phone number — it’s just not my regular phone number.) And the next time I go to that same pet store, I can tell them my Dialappify number and they’ll be able to pull up my account. But if they sell my number, or try to spam me with annoying calls, everything will go to my Dialappify number and I can easily ignore it.

What is an online phone number?

An online phone number is probably better known as a VoIP number. (“VoIP” stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol, which is a fancy way of saying “a call that runs over the internet.”) These are phone numbers that don’t rely on traditional phone carriers. They work over the internet, so you can use them over Wi-Fi or.

How does an online phone number work?

An online phone number is typically accessed within an app. So instead of opening up your phone’s regular ‘call’ screen or ‘dial’ screen, you’d open your phone number app and see a dial screen there. You can use an online phone number for calling and texting, as well as voicemail, call forwarding, and all the other features you’d use a regular carrier phone number.

How do I accept the phone calls?

When you receive a call or text on your online phone number, you’ll see it pop up as a notification (if your phone’s notifications allow this) just like you would if you received a call or text on your regular phone number, providing your Dialappify app is running in the background.

(If you’re really into privacy and don’t want anyone knowing you have a second phone number, you can close the app or log out entirely, and just log in when you want to check calls and texts.)

Will stores know it’s not my regular phone number?

If you give your Dialappify number to a retail store employee (or anybody, for that matter), they’ll have absolutely no idea this isn’t your regular cell phone number. A Dialappify number is still a real, working phone number. You can choose a phone number in your own area code, or in 300+ other area codes. There’s nothing weird about the number, and it doesn’t show anything strange on a Caller ID — just the phone number, and probably ‘Unknown name.’

How much does an online phone number cost?

Here at Dialappify, you can get an online phone number for as little as $2.99. Just download the free Dialappify app, pick a phone number and a plan, and you’re ready to begin using it.

What if I don’t remember my new online phone number?

If you’re worried a cashier is going to say “Can I grab your phone number for the refund?” and you’re going to stare back at them blankly, no problem. You can always open your Dialappify app while you’re waiting in line, if you suspect someone’s going to ask you for your phone number up at the register. Then you can discreetly read off your Dialappify phone number when they ask.

Depending on the online phone number you choose, you might memorize it really quickly. I fumbled at first to say mine correctly (I kept swapping a 9 and a 2) but luckily I was just giving it out places that it didn’t matter, anyway. Now I have it memorized perfectly, and I can quickly rattle it off whenever someone asks me for my phone number in a store.

It’s kind of funny, actually, because as soon as anyone asks for my phone number, I now make a split-second decision about which number to give them.

• Registration form for my kids’ camp? Real phone number.
• Loyalty card program at a store? Dialappify phone number.
• New doctor’s office? Real phone number.
• Discount offer at a business? Dialappify phone number.

Dialappify helps when you’re out shopping

If I’m in a store and they ask for my phone number, I happily give them my Dialappify number.

• I will get the calls that matter because it’s a real phone number
• If it seems like a spam call, I can easily ignore it
• It’s not connected to my real cell phone number
• If I’m getting too many spam calls, I can burn the number and get a new one

Now if only I’d start remembering to bring along my reusable shopping bags!

The post Shopping? Give ‘Em Your Online Phone Number Instead appeared first on Dialappify | Secure second and temporary phone number app.

It’s often the smarter, safer choice to make an anonymous phone call—not because you have anything to hide, but because you don’t want to expose your regular phone number.

Making an anonymous phone call doesn’t mean you’re doing anything sketchy or illegal. Sometimes making an anonymous phone call is what’s necessary to protect yourself and keep your identity safe.

Today, we’re breaking down exactly how to get your own discreet, untraceable phone number so you can make an anonymous phone call anytime you need …

If I make an anonymous call, will it actually be anonymous?

When you’re planning to make an anonymous phone call, the worst-case scenario is that something fails and the call isn’t actually anonymous, right?

Don’t use your real number (even if you think it’s blocked)

Sure, there are codes and tricks that work sometimes. But what if you misdial the code at the beginning of the call, you think your number is blocked, but it isn’t? Yikes!

Use a different phone number to make an anonymous call

Instead of looking for ways to mask your phone number, wouldn’t it be a better solution to just … not use your real number at all? Dial from a completely different platform, that has nothing to do with your regular phone number?

Luckily, getting a secondary phone number doesn’t require (A) a second phone, (B) going to a phone carrier, or (C) more than a couple bucks.

VoIP technology lets you make calls anonymously

When you use a secondary phone number using VoIP technology (fancy way of saying “a phone call that runs over the internet, not over a phone carrier”), you can dial within a private app, like Dialappify. This means the call isn’t connected to your regular phone number in any way.

Make calls, and never see them on a phone bill

Your cell phone carrier probably sends you a monthly bill (paper or PDF) that includes a full call log of all incoming and outgoing calls, even if you’ve decided to make an anonymous call the previous month. That’s not anonymous, if there’s a physical record of it.

Maintain complete anonymity for private calls

For the times when you want to make an anonymous call and not reveal your real cell phone number (or your name), it’s easy to use a secondary phone number and keep those calls completely separate.

How to make an anonymous call

1. Download the free Dialappify app (available in the App Store and Google Play)

2. Create an account (nothing’s required except an email address)

3. Choose a phone number (300+ area codes)

4. Pick a phone plan (starts at $2.99 USD)

5. Start calling or texting from your new number

Want to make an anonymous phone call online instead?

If you feel nervous using your cell phone to make an anonymous call, that’s no problem at all. You can always download Dialappify on a compatible tablet, and use that instead. No phone required!

Pssst! You can also use a really old phone

If you don’t want this anonymous call to have anything to do with your regular cell phone (or even your tablet), you can grab one of those dusty old phones you’ve got tucked away in a drawer/closet/storage bin. (It’s hard to know what to do with old phones, isn’t it?) As long as it can download Dialappify (and it probably can), you can use it!

You can even make a anonymous phone call completely free

If you only need to make an anonymous phone call once or twice, you might not want to pay for a Dialappify phone plan. That’s okay. We get it! Luckily, we offer a free trial for new customers, so you can take advantage of that and try Dialappify free for three days.

Here’s how to snag a short-term anonymous phone number:

1. Download the Dialappify app (it’s totally free)

2. From the main menu, tap ‘Add Number’

3. Select the ‘Get a Free 3 Day Number’ option

4. Pick an area code and choose a free phone number

5. Tap ‘Claim’ to create a subscription

(You can cancel anytime within the first three days, right in your iTunes or Google Play account, and then you won’t be charged anything.)

How will the anonymous call display?

If you’re curious how an anonymous call will look on the other person’s phone, let us reassure you for a sec, okay?

• It’s not going to say your name
• It’s not going to say your real phone number

So what will the Caller ID screen say if you’re making a call from your Dialappify phone number? It will show your Dialappify phone number. And remember, you can choose any area code, so you could pick something halfway across the country, or even in another country.

Looking for apps to make anonymous phone calls?

Look no further! Dialappify is your OG app for getting secondary phone numbers that can be used for lots of things, including making anonymous phone calls.

• Choose from 300+ area codes (your own, or any one you choose)
• Keep it as long as you want it (an hour, a week, your whole life, IDK?)
• Call and text on your terms (with no link back to your regular number)

The post How to Make an Anonymous Phone Call appeared first on Dialappify | Secure second and temporary phone number app.

The use of artificial intelligence, or AI, in creating these romance scams is new, and has now become a reality of online dating. And the number of AI romance scams will just keep growing.

Have you ever felt odd about an online dating or dating app profile you’ve come across, or a conversation you’ve had with a new connection? Scammers could be targeting you, without you even knowing.

So what are AI romance scams, and how can you stay safe online? Here’s how you can spot them in online dating …

What are AI romance scams?

We know the internet is crawling with highly skilled scammers and cybercriminals looking to steal money, personal information and explicit photos.

A romance scam is when these scammers attempt to lure someone in from a dating site or app, get to know them before ultimately stealing either personal information, money or photos. AI romance scams take this a step further, as they are powered by AI technology.

Romance scams and spammy conversations are nothing new, but here’s what is—AI is helping scammers create many scams at once, in a matter of seconds. And on top of this, AI is becoming increasingly better at sounding human, and therefore harder to detect.

So it’s more important than ever to understand AI romance scams, and learn how to detect them and avoid becoming a victim.

AI romance scams: examples

In 2022, romance scams ranked second among the most costly recorded scams in Canada, costing Canadians $59 million (1,400 cases were reported). And, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre even has a romance scam alert on its site.

Wondering what kind of scams to watch for? Here are some examples of AI romance scams to keep an eye out for when dating online.

Fake profiles (and lots of them)

Fake profiles are nothing new, but their bad grammar is a thing of the past. It used to be a dead giveaway, but it’s no longer a given.

We asked ChatGPT to generate a dating profile for us, and it wrote the following in two seconds. It created a user name (WittySpark21), an About Me section, a list of hobbies and interests, a What I’m Looking For section, my Relationship Goals and a Fun Fact.

Can you tell this was written by AI? This is good evidence of how human-like AI now sounds, so use this example to understand how to spot a fake profile. It’ll help you watch for other AI romance scams, too.

It is easy to use ChatGPT or another AI content generation platform to create a fake dating profile. And as scammers are able to do this en masse, it’s becoming an increasingly serious problem.

AI-generated photos

So you may be able to spot AI-generated content. But what about AI-generated photos? AI art generators are yet another AI-powered tool with scarily accurate results. Enter a prompt, and watch them create detailed art pieces, or realistic photos.

Scammers use these tools to create slightly altered photos of fake people. Stolen images of real people are commonly fed to these generators, which create variations of those photos in seconds.

When you look closely at these images, you’ll notice that the more you analyze them, the more adept you become at spotting the fakes. But again, consider the speed at which AI technology can create these, and apply that to fake profile creation. It’s easy to see how this too fast becomes a problem.

Bots you are chatting with

Profiles are not the only place to be wary of AI romance scams. Your dating app chat feature itself can be another spot where scammers using AI can target you.

AI-powered chats can respond to nearly an unlimited amount of conversations at a time. Yours could be one of them, as these bots spread like wildfire online due to AI generation tools becoming widely available.

Ever felt like a Tinder or even a Hinge match sounded weird, or that there was just something slightly off?

There’s a good chance it was a bot. The right prompt will cause the tool to generate a complete piece of code that is a bot. These automated bots can then simultaneously chat on several different dating apps at once.

Voice cloning that sounds real

Has your conversation moved off the dating app, towards audio or video chats? They might be fake, and it might be hard to tell, as voice-cloning technology becomes more and more sophisticated.

AI romance scams will use these voice generation and cloning tools to call their targets, chat or leave voicemails. And while some may be familiar with AI-generated speech patterns, others may not know how to spot these faked audios.

Are you curious how these generated voices sound? Take a leaf out of the scammers’ books and try one of these AI tools for yourself. This will help you become adept at spotting speech patterns that indicate generated or cloned voices.

Use of deepfakes for (s)extortion

This one is the most serious, and an increasing concern in the digital world. Deepfakes are the peak of AI romance scams, and they involve AI-generated photos and/or videos. Scammers will then use these as extortion or, in the worst cases, sextortion.

Over 90 per cent of victims are women+, and the scary thing is that we have virtually no control over this. And there’s a ton of evidence to show that this emerging technology is only going to get more convincing, according to journalists like Johnny Harris (watch his video here).

How to bust AI romance scams

Written, audio or video content that’s been AI-generated often feels off. And with the technology becoming more and more sophisticated and realistic, this remains our main defence against it.

When reviewing written content, watch for language that feels awkward, slightly monotonous, or even repetitive. And when on a call with someone, or video chatting, watch for imperfections and inconsistencies.

Questions to ask a romance scammer

Wondering how to bust potential AI romance scams? There are questions to ask a romance scammer (or someone you suspect of being one):

1. Tell me about you, and your family (Ask this again later and see if the responses match up)

2. What is your favourite restaurant?

3. What do they do for a living, and what’s a typical day at work like? 

4. Can we video chat?

You can search online to see if the info they give you seems real, like their favourite restaurant. And by asking a question more than once, you can watch and see how their answer changes.

If the answers you receive feel too perfect, or seem repetitive or unoriginal, chances are that it’s a scammer or AI-generated bot responding.

AI romance scams: takeaways

If you’re using a dating app or online dating site and feel something is a bit weird, or feeling odd, AI romance scammers may be trying to target you.

Written content that’s too perfect, or voice and video content that has inconsistencies or imperfections are giveaways that something is AI generated, and being used as AI romance scams.

If you think you’ve come across a scammer, please report them to an anti-fraud organization.

The post AI Romance Scams: How to Spot Them appeared first on Dialappify | Secure second and temporary phone number app.

If you’re frustrated by a stream of annoying hang-ups, robo-calls, and telemarketing pitches, today we’re sharing five easy ways to stop spam calls from taking over your call log.

Grab your phone, and let’s get started!

1. Register your number on the Do Not Call list.

This should prevent calls from legitimate companies, and you can report any companies that continue to contact you 31 days after you’ve joined the registry, but it isn’t a cure-all fix. Scammers can ignore the registry entirely and keep harassing you over the phone, so keep reading for what else you can do.

How to stop spam calls in the United States

If you’re in the United States, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) is serious about creating legal measures to stop spam phone calls. You can take two minutes and add your home phone number or your cell phone number (or both) to the National Do Not Call registry.

And even if you’re on the National Do Not Call list, your phone number may still receive phone calls from political parties, charities, debt collection agencies, and survey-takers/researchers. However, those calls won’t include any type of sales pitch.

How to stop spam calls in Canada

If you’re in Canada, you can add your phone numbers to Canada’s National Do Not Call List. This is a free service, and you can add home phones, cell phones, or VoIP phone numbers. Telemarketers are required to review this list at least every 31 days, and remove any members from their call lists.

You should receive fewer telemarketing calls, but you can still expect to receive phone calls from political parties, charities, debt collection agencies, polling firms, market research firms, newspapers selling subscriptions, organizations with which you’ve conducted business within the last 18 months.

2. Block their number to prevent future calls.

If you know a specific phone number is spamming you, you can tell your phone not to accept calls from it any longer. (The same way you might block an ex-friend or ex-partner from being able to contact you if things went sour.)

This prevents all calls and texts from coming through, so make sure you’re blocking the correct phone number (and not accidentally blocking a bestie or your local pizza place).

iPhone

1. On your iPhone, open the Phone app

2. Tap ‘Recents’ to pull up all recent calls

3. Tap the ‘Info’ icon next to the spam call entry

4. Select ‘Block this Caller,’ then ‘Block Contact’ to confirm you will not receive phone calls, messages, or FaceTime from anyone on the block list.

Samsung

1. On your Samsung, open the Phone app

2. Tap ‘Recents’ then the three dots

3. Select ‘Settings’ from the menu

4. Select ‘Block numbers’

5. Enter the number you wish to block

Google Pixel

1. On your Google Pixel, open the Phone app

2. Tap ‘Recents’

3. Select the number you wish to block

4. Block and/or report it as spam and confirm the action

OPTIONAL:

1. On your Google Pixel, open the Phone app

2. Tap ‘Recents’

3. Select the three dots and tap ‘Settings’

4. Select ‘Blocked numbers’

5. Tap ‘Add a number,’ and add the caller you wish to block

6. You can also choose to toggle on ‘Unknown,’ which blocks calls from unidentified callers. (But we don’t recommend doing this if you may need to receive emergency calls.)

7. Back under ‘Settings,’ choose ‘Caller ID & spam’ and toggle on ‘Filter spam calls’ (This prevents suspected spam calls from disturbing you, and it’s a neat little Google Pixel feature.)

Other Android phone

If you have a different kind of Android phone, try opening the ‘Phone’ app and tapping the phone number that called you, then selecting a Block/Report Spam option (it may display differently) to block the phone number from calling back.

3. Save every incoming phone call as a Contact.

If you scroll through your phone’s call log, is it mostly a whole bunch of random phone numbers? If so, this makes it hard to separate the ‘real people’ from the spam calls.

Get into the habit of saving every incoming call in your Contacts. It only take a second!

1. Answer the phone and realize it’s a spam call

2. End the call (“Hang up,” as we said back in the day)

3. Tap the entry in your call log (or the “Info” icon by their entry)

4. Select ‘Add to Existing Contact’ (or add them to your Contacts directly)

5. Save them under a generic ‘SPAM’ Contact, so if they call back, you know not to answer

If you’re hesitant to block calls outright, this is a great way to stop spam calls from interrupting you in the future. You’ll see them coming a mile away, and can easily decline them!

4. Stop giving your real phone number out so freely.

Sometimes businesses ask you for a phone number in order to hand over a receipt or confirm an order, but they actually don’t need one. So the next time you’re asked, feel free to question why they need your phone number.

Would they be okay with an email address instead? If so, give them an email address you don’t check often (or at all). What will they do with your phone number? Do they plan on calling or texting you, or is it simply ‘for their records’?

And if they do insist on having a phone number and they have a good reason for needing it, well, we have the perfect solution below …

5. Use a Dialappify phone number instead.

Instead of giving you real cell phone number to every person and every business you come across, why not reserve your personal cell phone number for the people you know, like, and actually want to hear from?

Dialappify helps you quiet the noise! You can get a second personal phone number that’s exclusively your ‘throwaway’ phone number to give to businesses who ask, jot down on unimportant forms, and use on entry ballots for prizes and giveaways.

A few months back, I stood at the counter of a new pet store with my husband. As I was paying for an adorable baby chick stuffed animal (as a gift for our dog), the cashier asked for my phone number.

“Sure,” I answered easily. “It’s xxx-xxx-xxxx.” (Redacted, naturally.)

My husband looked at me strangely, but didn’t say anything. He thought I was giving them a fake phone number, but I was actually giving them a brand-new phone number I’d just set up a week earlier with the Dialappify app. It was a 100% real phone number, and it was even in our real area code.

“Giving them my Dialappify number meant I was protecting my privacy, and withholding my real cell phone number. Because while I can easily delete a Dialappify number anytime, I can’t delete my real phone number that easily since it’s tied to my banking and other important two-factor authentication codes.”

I never did get an texts or calls from the pet store, but I’m sure my Dialappify phone number is now floating around in a phone number database somewhere.

I haven’t had a single spam call on this number so far, though! And if it ever gets overrun with annoying hucksters, I can easily stop spam calls by deleting my Dialappify number and getting a fresh one instead.

The post How to Stop Spam Calls appeared first on Dialappify | Secure second and temporary phone number app.