Maybe you don’t want that one person that has barged into your life to know your private phone number? Could be a salesperson or a co-worker who you aren’t that impressed with, but have to get in contact with. Check out inumbr.
inumbr is a free online service that gives US users the ability to set up a unique phone number, have it forwarded to any number within the US and then have it set to expire without a trace when finished with it. The unique inumbr’s are never reused, and can be extended if longer terms are required. Users choose from a list of 22 area codes from major US cities like Chicago, Los Angeles and New York, select an expiry date and set a number that it should be forwarded to. When the term is up, the number is expired from the system, and never used again for any other user. If you wish to use the number at a later date, you can log into the inumbr system and reactivate it.
As we are becoming more and more mobile and security conscious, the desire for these types of services grows. A phone number can now be given out at will, with security and privacy remaining intact. Google Voice is a major player in this arena. A somewhat similar service, they allow for a unique number with voice mail to forward to other numbers at will, creating a masked or unidentified private number that can be used to give out to 3rd parties. inumbr makes this process simpler with the ability to cut off and reactivate numbers as desired.
This isn’t really new. Nor a hack… I have used it before when scam-baiting Nigerians though. Pretty useful for that because at any time you can just throw away the number and voila no more problems from angry Nigerians.
You mention security concerns, but how does inumbr make money? It’s difficult to trust a free service without having some idea how they make money…
A free service where numbers are never reused? Wouldn’t that give a very limited number of numbers available for a rather short period of time?
Or maybe they define “never” in a different way we do…
Hmm. it uses four digits or smth after the original 10.
but does it offer sms?
cuz google does :)
Ben, Myspace is free…as is Facebook, and Hackaday for example….advertising, my friend.
@Chris
More like personal information gold mine. With this service, they’ll make a database of cellphone numbers so they can sell later.
They assign extensions to the phone numbers. I think THAT is what’s really turned on and off. Also it’s supplied by a company that harvests and markets phone numbers to telemarketers. So you just gave your phone number (for the purposes for forwarding your calls *cough*) to a telemarketer as far as I can tell.
Nothing keeping you from giving them your google voice number, though. :-)
hold the phone(^^)! its a free service. free and service don’t go together often but it happens. what is odd is the never reuse numbers part. apparently they live in a world where a limited number of digits can make infinite possibilities! i need this technology for my checking account.
expect telemarketer calling you whole day after using such “free” service ;)
Folks,
I am the founder of Numbr and I must tell you that the inumbr services are free and we hate telemarketers more then anyone else. In fact, we have a telemarketer filter built into the service. People have been using this service for last 3 years (since Dec 16th 2006) so perhaps someone could tell that we never sent any telemarketer calls their way. So why its free? While I understand many comments *suggesting* ill intent is hte only way but that’s now how it has to be always ,rigth? We have a paid product called “numbr.com” and we don’t spend a dime advertising our services yet we get plenty of leads in our inbox due to inumbr popularity. I think its a fine business decision to continue to keep inumbr free while generating revenue from a paid product.
For the skeptics, I don’t mind charging them if that would help them think its any better product.
Feel free to contact me at [info] at [numbr] [dot] [com] if you have any question.
I sincerely appreciate a post on HackADay about us.
Thanks for the clarification @Ritesh
Also folks, when you submit your info anywhere online, you should be extremely careful! You really never know how the other side will use it! Its all about building trust. Maybe inumbr needs some more emphasis on their Privacy Policy:
http://inumbr.com/privacy.html
Hi,don’t try to catch me.
Great for to very one in hacker room i love that, god will help you people as you people helping us, thanks again. pls i will like to know no how to make free phone to phone call in nigeria to nigerian. that is number one, number two, i need help about how wubug i need wubug activation code with it software… that is all, that so much to every one ooooooooooooooooooo
I searched for \’Phone Number Belongs To\’ at google and found this your post (\’e a temporary phone number with inumbr – Hack a Day\’) in search results. Not very relevant result, but still interesting to read.
Theres also a service in the UK called Oncetel
Oncetel
This is not free as far as I can tell. They want your credit card info and inform you that you must cancel the account if you don’t want to be charged $4.95 a month. I have the bait and switch these companies pull….
I tried to register with iNumber and not only they want the credit card info, but webpage for adding CC is also regular insecure page.
I am a concerned gumchewer
Thanks for The Good Read! I have heard FreeCredit-Report.net is definitely a quality website to get my free credit report
I have learned a lot reading your site. Thanks for posting.
This service is no longer free or reliable. I had to pay before I found out it did not work. One hour later they refused to refund my money. the only way to contact them is by email(strange for a phone company). Go to my1voice.com
the service does not work. they are doing nothing but gathering info and taking money from suckers like me.
Good tectnoligie
This isn’t free anymore. Might want to update.
They assign extensions to the phone numbers. I think THAT is what’s really turned on and off. Also it’s supplied by a company that harvests and markets phone numbers to telemarketers. So you just gave your phone number (for the purposes for forwarding your calls *cough*) to a telemarketer as far as I can tell.
great idea
great idea