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Can Burner Phones Be Tracked: Find It Here
Detectico Team Skilled techies mastering location data.
Smartphones have become an everyday essential for most people because of the convenience they offer. From professional work and entertainment to studying and communication, we rely on these devices for everything. It’s no wonder there are 4.8 billion smartphone users worldwide.
However, statistics also show that every 4 out of 10 smartphones are vulnerable to hacking. To avoid this risk and stay anonymous, many people use burner phones.
But can burner phones be tracked? Let’s find out.
What Is a Burner Phone, and How Does It Work?
Simply put, a burner phone is an inexpensive prepaid cell phone that offers only the basic features. It allows you to make phone calls, send/receive texts, access the internet, and reach emergency services anonymously.
Typically, burner phones work on a PAYG (Pay as You Go) basis and come with a set number of text messages and prepaid call minutes, along with limited data. It means there are no service contracts and you don’t need to provide your credit card information to use them.
Additionally, they’re designed for temporary use and are often disposed of after their intended purpose. Although most burner phones feature 2G/3G for texting and calling, you can also find 4G models that allow you to download apps and perform online browsing.
While the anonymity and temporary nature make it challenging to trace a burner phone, there are some effective methods (discussed below) to achieve that.
What Is a Burner Phone Used For?
People usually buy burner phones to communicate while maintaining anonymity. Here’s a list of the most common use cases of burner phones.
- Privacy Protection: Individuals concerned about privacy use burner phones to ensure their personal information isn’t linked to their communication activities.
- Temporary Use: Tourists visiting a new location use burner phones to avoid high roaming charges and the hassle of contracts.
- Business Purposes: Some professionals also use these phones for business dealings, especially when handling sensitive information and/or transactions.
- Online Dating: People engaging in online dating use burner phones to maintain their privacy until they feel comfortable sharing their primary number.
- Classified Ads and Transactions: People buying or selling items through classified ads place their orders through burner phones to prevent potential scams and unwanted follow-ups.
- Research and Investigation: Journalists and private investigators also use burner phones to protect their sources and maintain confidentiality.
- Emergency Backup: Some people keep a burner phone as a backup in case their primary phone is lost or stolen, especially while traveling.
How to Trace a Burner Phone: Most Effective Methods
Now that you understand what burner phones are and how they work let’s discuss how to trace a burner phone number.
Try Detectico App
The most reliable way to trace a burner phone number is to use Detectico. It’s a web app that can run on any internet-connected device without installation.
What we liked most about Detectico is its global support for all major carriers and phones. You can trace a phone number even in the most remote locations.
If you want to know how to track a burner number using Detectico, here are the steps to follow:
- Visit the official Detectico website and click the “LOG IN” button.
- Select the “Sign Up” option to create a new account.
- Provide your personal email address and select “CONTINUE”.
- Enter your payment information to pay for the subscription and complete the registration process.
Once registered, you can search any phone number to find its exact location in real-time. The app will also provide additional information associated with the phone number, including the owner’s name, street, city, country, social media name, spam score, and SIM carrier.
With this information, you can double-check the details against what you know about the number reaching you. It’ll help you to tell if a number is in a burner phone.
Сontact Cell Phone Carrier Service
If you’re wondering if burner phones are traceable without spending money, contacting the cell phone carrier service of the target number can be helpful. The cellular carrier has all the information about phone numbers, including their general location.
We must tell you that you must secure a legal court order to obtain this information. Carriers are legally required to protect the privacy of their customers.
Contact Internet Service Provider
Another possible way to track a burner phone is to contact the target device’s ISP (Internet Service Provider). When any device connects to the Internet, a unique IP address is assigned to it, which can be used to determine its general location.
The first hurdle in this method is identifying the ISP the burner phone is using. Once you have that information, contact the ISP and provide a legal court order to get the location details.
Burner Phone Disadvantages
Now that you understand that burner phones are traceable let’s discuss the disadvantages of using these devices.
- Limited Features: These phones offer basic functionality and lack advanced features, such as high-quality cameras and app stores.
- Inconvenience: Managing multiple phones and switching between them can be cumbersome.
- Data Loss: Once the phone is discarded, data stored on a burner phone, such as contacts and messages, will be lost (if not backed up).
- Old Technology: Most burner phones support older network technologies like 2G or 3G, which means slower data speeds and limited connectivity.
- No Customer Support: Burner phones typically lack customer support services, so you won’t have access to technical assistance if you find issues with the device.
- Potential for Misuse: Because of their anonymity, some individuals use burner phones for illegal activities, and that’s why they have a negative reputation.
FAQs
Why Is It Called a Burner Phone?
The term “burner phone” comes from “burning” or throwing away a phone after use to avoid being tracked or detected.
Are Burner Phones Legal?
Despite their negative reputation from movies and TV series, burner phones are legal and can be used without issues.
How Long Does a Burner Phone Last?
As mentioned, burner phones have no contracts, and you can use them for as long as you want until their credit ends. However, some models have an expiration date of 1 to 3 months.
Do Burner Phones Have Area Codes?
Yes, burner phones do have area codes. Since they use regular phone numbers provided by carriers, they are assigned an area code based on the region where the phone number is registered.
Conclusion
Although they’re known for their anonymity, burner phones can still be tracked. However, achieving this can be more challenging than tracking a regular phone. Detectico, a powerful phone number location-tracking app, is the best way to track a burner phone.
If you’re on a budget and looking for a free method, consider contacting the target device’s carrier service or ISP. But remember that these methods require you to obtain a court order for legal authorization.
Detectico Team Skilled techies mastering location data.
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