How can you sign up anywhere without giving out your real phone number?

EliBG — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 12:37:57 +0000

Have you ever wanted to create an account on a website but didn't want to provide your real phone number? Or do you live in a country where you don't have a U.S. phone number, but the service requires one? Or are you just tired of getting spam calls after signing up for yet another service?
There's a simple solution: a temporary virtual phone number for SMS verification. I'll explain how it works and where to get one.

Why do you need this at all?

Situations that thousands of people face every day:

Signing up for international services. ChatGPT, some U.S. exchanges, and marketplaces require a U.S. number for verification. If you're from Vietnam, Ukraine, India, or Nigeria-your local number simply isn't accepted.
Multiple accounts on a single platform. Telegram, WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram-all of these are tied to a phone number. One phone = one account. If you run multiple businesses or projects, you need different numbers.
Don't want to expose your personal number. You sign up for a forum, marketplace, or new service, and then calls start pouring in from unknown numbers. A virtual number receives the SMS, you get the code, and then you simply stop using that number.
App testing. Developers and marketers often need test accounts without real SIM cards, this can't be done the usual way.

What is a virtual number?

It's a regular phone number (American, British, German, or any other) that exists online, without a physical SIM card. When an SMS arrives at this number, you see it in your personal account on the website.
All you need to do is enter this number during registration, wait a few seconds, receive the code, and enter it. Your account is created.

How it works - step by step

I'll demonstrate using the example of registering a WhatsApp account with a US phone number.
Step 1. Go to Get SMS Online and sign up using your real working email.
Step 2. Verify your email, then go to Billing → Top Up in the menu and add funds using cryptocurrency. The minimum amount is $5.
Step 3. In the menu, go to Services → One-time Numbers and search for "WhatsApp."
Step 4. Request the number. It will appear on your page and remain active for 15 minutes. Note that at this moment you don't have to pay anything. You will be charged only after a code has been received.
Step 5. Open WhatsApp and enter this number as your phone number.
Step 6. WhatsApp sends an SMS with a code. The code appears on the same page after a few seconds.
Step 7. Enter the code. Done, your account is created.
The whole process takes a few minutes.

Can I verify my account with a free number?

While there is a whole section for free temporary phone numbers at Get SMS Online, the chance that these free numbers will work with WhatsApp is very low.

The problem is that everyone can see these numbers. Anyone can open the page and read all incoming SMS messages. Which means most of these numbers have been already used at most popular services and simply won't work.

While these free virtual numbers may work perfectly for lesser known services, it's still a goot idea to get a paid temporary phone number for receiving a verification SMS online. No one but you will be able to use this number for this particular service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this legal? Yes. Virtual burner phone numbers are a legal tool used by companies for corporate communications, developers for testing SMS delivery and verification, and ordinary people to protect their privacy.
What if the SMS doesn't arrive? If the SMS doesn't arrive within the allotted time, simply pick another number. read this article for more in-depth information on why SMS verification sometimes fails.
Can I use one number for multiple services? Yes. This can be done both from the web panel and via API.