Plus, the number can be replaced at will.

you could keep your personal phone number and preventmany unwanted calls.

In 2021, 97 percent of U.S. adults owned a cellphone, according to a Pew Research Center study.

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The Federal Communications Commission says unwanted calls are its top complaint from consumers.

Power, a market research firm based in Troy, Michigan.

The nonprofit that defends civil liberties and privacy on the internet is based in San Francisco.

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YouMail projected the number based on information from users of its free app.

For this reason alone, having an alternative phone number is smart.

Why not impress your friends with a balmy Beverly Hills 310 area code while living in snowy Maine?

Screenshot of Google Voice app on a smartphone

Andonline datingcan be a lot safer if you stay incognito using a separate phone line.

Services are available for just about everyone looking to conceal their identity.

All the apps below are available for both Android and Apple smartphones.

Youll need a Google account, such as a Gmail address, to get started.

Google Voice calls and texts are free with personal Google Voice accounts in the U.S. and Canada.

If you make an international call, youll be charged standard international rates.

And if you use Google Voice to make a call outside the U.S., youll be charged roaming fees.

you’ve got the option to forward your calls and screen them with a prerecorded reply.