{"id":29128,"date":"2026-04-29T13:59:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T21:59:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spokeo.com\/compass\/?p=29128"},"modified":"2026-03-23T14:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T22:00:00","slug":"second-phone-number","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spokeo.com\/compass\/second-phone-number\/","title":{"rendered":"Tired of Phone Spam? Consider Getting a Second Phone Number"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As marketing and spam moved from billboards to email inboxes, most people quickly learned that having at least two email addresses was necessary.  One inbox for any website or service that you know is going to spam you with junk, and another email you only give to people that you want to interact with (or at least need<\/em> to interact with).  While the multi-email trick is just as applicable today, brands and other spammers have found another way to get their messages in front of our eyes or in our ears \u2014 by spamming our cell phones with text and calls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While hitting decline and spamming \u201cSTOP\u201d to any spammer that contacts you technically works, it\u2019s a nuisance, and if we\u2019ve learned anything, it\u2019s only going to get worse from here.  So, some people are moving to a new anti-spam method that shares inspiration from having two emails:  having two phone numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here we\u2019ll go over why you might want to set up a second phone number, and how to go about it if you think it\u2019s the right move for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Business, Conversation, and Spam <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Having a business phone number isn\u2019t new.  Most people prefer keeping their business lives separate from their personal lives, and if you work a job that demands a lot of phone interactions, having a second number makes that line much easier to maintain.  Not to mention having a second, secure phone is never a bad thing when it comes to sensitive business or client matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it is becoming more and more common for those of us who don\u2019t need a dedicated business line to set up a second phone number just to act as a spam filter.\u00a0 This is in part a reaction to the feeling that you have to give your phone number any time you want to read an article, order something online, or even just buy a coffee in person.\u00a0 Having a second phone number to give in these situations can help you pay attention to the notifications that are actually important, and put you in greater control of when marketers (and, by extension, spammers) have access to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protecting Yourself With a Second Phone Number<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to setting up a second phone number, there are two main strategies you could take.  One is to use that second phone number as your private line, given out only on a need-to-know basis and used solely for your most essential accounts.  That could be things like logging into the IRS and SSA, your credit accounts, and your banking institutions.  In that scenario, your current main number remains the \u201cpublic\u201d one you use everywhere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A second strategy is the exact opposite: In this scenario, you use your current number for your core accounts, and set up a second \u201cdisposable\u201d phone number that you\u2019ll use for everything from OfferUp to those one-time sign-ups when you want to read a specific article without subscribing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In either case, by reducing the number of companies that see your \u201cprivate\u201d number, you\u2019re reducing the potential sources of spam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Get a Second Phone Number<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are lots of ways to get a second phone number<\/a>, if you decide to go that route.\u00a0 The most obvious is to get a second whole phone, using one as your private phone and one as the public phone.\u00a0 An alternative is dual SIM support: Some phones can use two different SIM cards simultaneously, giving you separate accounts and phone numbers (they can even be on different carriers) in one physical phone.\u00a0 If your phone doesn\u2019t support dual SIMs, you could physically swap a second one in and out, but that would get old in a hurry.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s usually more practical (and less costly) if your second number is virtual, rather than coming from your phone carrier.\u00a0 You can install apps for that specific purpose, with varying combinations of features \u2014 some phone-centric, some text-centric.\u00a0 You\u2019ll find lots of them on the App Store and Play Store (note: Spokeo doesn\u2019t endorse or recommend any app, other than \u2014 of course \u2014 the Spokeo app<\/a>).\u00a0You can also get your second phone number from a service like Google Voice<\/a>.\u00a0 Setting up Google Voice<\/a> is quick and simple if you already have a Google Account (most of us do), and it only takes a few minutes longer if you need to set up a Google Account first.\u00a0 You\u2019ll be able to scroll through a list of available phone numbers for your chosen area and pick one that\u2019s memorable for you.\u00a0 Once it\u2019s set up, calls can be routed to your home phone, your cell, or any other convenient device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A Second Phone Number Can Help, But There Are Downsides<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve established that having a second phone number can potentially help separate the spammers from the people you actually want to talk to \u2014 that leaves one remaining question to be addressed: \u201cIs it worth my while?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone\u2019s going to have their own take on that, but the most honest answer is \u201cnot necessarily.\u201d  If you\u2019ve ever moved between states or countries and had to change your phone number, you\u2019ll doubtlessly know what a pain it was.  The longer you\u2019ve had your phone number and the more places you\u2019ve used it, the more effort will be required for the transition to be successful.  Inevitably, you\u2019ll miss someone you should have updated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are other practical issues to consider.  In the case of third-party apps and services, there\u2019s the potential for cost increases over time or your provider winding down operations.  In those cases, you\u2019ll end up with growing costs or having to start over with yet another new number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, your new \u201calternative\u201d number will receive a lot of spammy and scammy calls and messages (that\u2019s what it\u2019s for, after all).  That can leave you just as inundated as you were before, and potentially paying for the privilege. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe Just \u201cWork Smarter\u201d With What You\u2019ve Got? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The biggest criticism of the whole \u201csecond phone number\u201d play is that you may already have better alternatives in front of you that won\u2019t put you through the time and trouble of setting up a new number (and potentially having to notify everyone if switching to a new personal number).\u00a0 In fact, taking these alternative measures can be equally, if not more, effective.\u00a0 Think of it as \u201cworking smarter, not working harder.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These measures include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n