Hide Mobile Number When Sending a Text SMS

Pandybelly

Hi,

Is it possible to hide my mobile number when sending a text?
#31# will hide the number in a voice call but a text wont transmit when that prefix is used.

Thanks,

Anthony.....

Random

not without using a third party service.

Pandybelly

What services? Im with Meteor.

Thanks.....

deco nate

now why you want to do that?unless you want to stalk,harrass someone?!

"anthony'

The Corinthian

There are ways of doing this, but I think it best that they are not discussed here. The reason being that I cannot think of any legitimate reason a private individual would want to obfuscate their number when sending an SMS and so from what I can see the OP is seeking advice on something which is likely of dubious legality.

As such I am closing this thread. If the OP wishes to PM me with a legitimate reason for why they wish to do this, I will reopen it.

The Corinthian

I am reopening this thread as Pandybelly privately PM'ed me a legitimate reason, I'm surprised to say, for wanting to obfuscate one's number.

As to how to do so, there are a number of means by which you can use. Probably the simplest is Skype, which can send either a generic number or an alphanumeric ID based upon your Skype username. SMS's cost c. €0.09 each, with credit being bought in advance. Be sure that you've not set it to use your mobile number though (if you've supplied it in your profile).

ICQ is another such chat client that apparently allows this.

Additionally there are a number of bulk SMS providers (some of whom have readily available Web2SMS interfaces) that will also allow you to do this, affixing a generic number as the sender. Some such providers include:

http://www.clickatell.com/
http://bulksms.vsms.net/
http://www.smscarrier.com/
https://www.42tele.com/

SMS's typically cost between €0.03 and €0.07 each, again with credit being bought in advance.

digitaldr

The Corinthian - Would you be able to share the reason as I'd be interested to hear it.

The Corinthian

That's up to Pandybelly - if (s)he wishes to do so, they may do so.

kenyard

considering others may not have legitimate reasons you should probably pm the reply to him, and remove your post from here.
though google will work anyway i guess

The Corinthian

Ignoring the whole back-seat modding issue for a moment...

The reality is that if someone wants to find out how to do something illegal they will find out if they look hard enough. Even here, this question has been essentially answered a few times over the years, and there are lots of questions answered on Boards that could be turned to nefarious ends if one chose to.

All we can do is refuse to answer if we believe that an OP is seeking to do something illegal with the information and help if the their intention is above board.

We cannot police the whole Internet, neither realistically should we want to.

Kristopherus

But sure there's a whack of sms apps on Google Play. Some of them do not send the sender's no. There's nothing illegal about any of that. I use JaxtrSMS, Free International SMS Way and QuickySMS to send international texts. Afaik none of them 3 apps send the sender's no.

kenyard

well thats like me asking for links to a movie i can watch on tv, saying i have the dvd, but no dvd drive so can legally have 1 electronic copy meaning i can legally get one, or have a legal reason for having it, so you can give me links on the forum...
Either way its no biggie, therse nothing illegal about these services or doing any anonymous texting, so theres no reprecussiosn of posting links, but if you wouldnt post them in the first place for "board rule" reasons and him wanting them for illegitimate reasons, the same reasoning as above applies is all...
either way its no biggie ^^

The Corinthian

As a rule posters are generally given the benefit of the doubt, unless a moderator has a good reason or is alerted, via the report post functionality, that the information sought may be used for illegal means, at which point we may elect to ask the OP for a legitimate reason for their seeking such information or otherwise shut down the thread and potentially report the poster up the Boards chain of command.

Now that I've explained this, there will be no further back-seat moderation here.

deco nate

just to let everyone know.if they didnt guess already,i was the one to report the op.

Why?cos i could not think of a good readon why you would want to hide your
number in a text.
Call. yes cos you can just not answer it.
A text you get it anyway,unless you block the number.
Anyways,if the mod says its back open
cos of a good reason.its good enough for me.
And i have to say to the op.
I owe you a big sorry.
And i know im bein nosey.but will you share why.if its ok with you,but at the end of the day.
Seen as you told a mod why.
You owe no one here a reason.

One last time.

Sorry ,op.
Hope you can understand why i reported the post.
And thanks to the mods,
for the follow up posts to explain reasons(edit why it was opened while keepin the op pm just between them.again,sorry for bein a nosey sod.lol)

Pandybelly

deco nate wrote: »

And i have to say to the op.
I owe you a big sorry.

Apology accepted and appreciated.
Thanks.....

Mightycraic

There are legitimate reasons why a text sender ID might need to be blocked. We operate a Text Alert system in our 70-odd house residential estate. The last thing we need is 70 replies to texts when an alert is sent out. They should contact one (or however many) administrators of the scheme, if they have info to add.

We went with bulksms.vsms.net, as they permit the masking of the sending number.

TBi

I don't see that as a legitimate reason, you can just ignore the replies. In your case, would you be happy with your customers blocking txts from unknown numbers? They wouldn't get spam nor would they get your txts. Who is at fault then? Them for not wanting unknown spam, or you for not just using a caller ID they can identify?

The Corinthian

Zombie thread. Closing.