Burn Before Calling

A companion article to this one discusses the nature of secure/encrypted communications, including the pros and cons. Take a look!

Okay, so you want a burner phone.

A burner phone is a mobile device which has as little connection to you as humanly possible. It is meant to be used one time, to enable you to have a communications channel no one (in theory) is aware of. Examples of this abound in TV and movies, but here in the real world, they have uses for people who may be under duress or in poor living conditions. Having a burner phone is not without risk. Using it more than once will increase the chances of the phone being found out. You should ask yourself why you want a burner phone, and then prepare to protect it, and yourself.

Can it be traced back to me?

You betcha. Unless you are a government agency, a non-governmental organization (NGO), and/or a criminal endeavor¹, an individual cannot sever all ties to the phone. You can make it very difficult to trace it back to you, but not impossible. Any organization with enough money can do that a lot easier than an individual. This means you need to learn and practice Operational Security (OpSec).

Okay, I still want one.

Okay, then here we go.

First things first, this is a cash-only situation. You must pay for everything in untraceable monies. A credit or debit card is a direct line back to you, so that doesn’t work. Neither does buying one of those Visa cards from a retailer.

1. Research what it will cost to buy a non-smart-phone and a pre-paid SIM card for it with cash, and where to buy them. A SIM card is how you attach a phone number to your mobile device. Do not use anything you own to do this research. A search of your browser history will reveal all. If you must use a personal device, you need to use incognito mode in your browser, and preferably behind a VPN service. It is better to go to a public library and use one of their computers, again utilizing incognito mode if possible. If you have to go scout places in-person, do not bring your personal phone or devices. Cellphone tower logs are how you can be connected to the burner phone. Leave No Trace.
2. The phone must not have GPS. While your phone can be tracked through cell tower triangulation², it is even easier if your phone is connected to the GPS system.
3. You will probably have to go to two separate locations to purchase the phone and the SIM card. While every convenience store used to have racks of pre-paid SIMs, these were locked-down due to, well, people buying a bunch and using them for burner phones. Shocking, that.
4. Prepare to go purchase the phone and SIM card. You will need to get to the seller with a minimal “signature”, which is evidence you have gone from your home to where you bought the phone and card. This means using public transportation, and leaving any of your personal devices including your regular phone at home. Dress for success. Wear a hat or hoodie, sunglasses, and where possible, an N95 mask. They are ubiquitous, now. Put your hair up. Remove identifiable jewelry, watches, etc. Cover up tattoos. Do not wear easily identifiable clothing! Nice, boring, neutral colors, no logos, etc. Figure this all out well ahead of time.
5. Do not withdraw all the cash for your purchases at once! That’s a big ole’ red flag. Spread out cash withdrawals over time, using the cash-back feature at your grocery store, etc.
6. Go make your purchases. Bring a power bank with the cable needed to charge the phone. Do not bring your personal phone. “Fly casual” as Han Solo said. You’re just buying a phone. Be aware of local security cameras and such. Don’t pull out your purchases in front of the cameras. Take your phone and card, and head home via public transportation. If you can, use a different route. Do a couple more errands, like picking up some snacks.
7. Next, well away from your home, and all of your personal devices, set up the phone. That will involve inserting the SIM, and doing whatever activation steps are required. If the phone isn’t charged, use the power bank. Once it is all set, turn the phone OFF.
8. Head on home and tuck the phone someplace safe, but in a place you can remember. A lost burner phone is less than useful. Consider keeping a power bank with the phone, power banks usually hold a charge for a long time.

I cannot do this because (reasons).

That’s entirely fair. You may be under heavy surveillance. You may be disabled, and unable to get to the library, or stores to make the purchases. If possible, have a trusted friend assist you. Even if they are not local, perhaps you can arrange a delivery or quiet hand-off. Perhaps you will have to purchase these things online. Each step you cannot do increases the likelihood of the phone being traced back to you, but if you need the phone you need the phone. Take all the precautions you can to have it delivered to you in secrecy, and put it somewhere safe.

Okay, I have the phone. Now what?

Don’t use it. No, seriously. Don’t test it, don’t take it out of hiding. The only time you want to use it is to take action. Be safe, be ready. Remember, when you need to use it, the charge will probably be drained from the phone. Have a power bank ready, it’ll only take 5-10 minutes to charge the phone to the point where you can make the call, and you should be already out of your home and on your way someplace safe. By the time you get there, the phone will be charged and ready.

The other reason to ignore it is because there are automatic alerts sent out to all phones. These will reveal the existence of your emergency phone if the phone is on! The alerts are loud and cause the phone to vibrate.

Do not load up the phone with any contacts, etc. If discovered, this will cause problems. Same for the people you might call, if your burner phone’s number is on their phone and identified as you. You’ll want to enter your new number into their phone, so they know it is you. But have them put it under an innocuous name they can remember is you. Delivery service, tech support, whatever.

When the time comes to use it, do not use it at home! This will link it to you, your residence, and all of your personal devices, including your computer. You want to be at least a mile away from your home when you use the burner phone, and you want to have abandoned your old phone, devices, etc.

Finally, the more you use the burner phone, the more likely it is to be traced to you and anyone you trust, nearby. Leave the phone off. Once you have arranged whatever you needed the phone for, pull the SIM card out and break it. A pair of scissors will do nicely. Scatter the pieces in a couple of different places. It’s best to dispose of the phone as well, as it is now linked to that phone number/SIM in the cell tower logs. Even if you put in a new SIM, the phone’s ID can still be traced around to the previous cell communications.

A final note

None of this will protect you from authorities. They have the tech and connections with the cellphone companies to run traces, financial audits, get security camera footage, and so forth. In fact, buying a burner phone may increase your visibility to them. Think about your needs, and risk.

In the end, if you are in a bad situation, a burner phone may be the best solution when it comes to make the jump.

Godspeed, you.

Footnotes:

1. Yup, these can and do overlap. ↩︎
2. Using simple geometry between you and several nearby cell towers, your location can be narrowed down fairly precisely. One of the reasons you do not want to use the burner phone more than once, and never in your home. ↩︎