How to Disguise Phone Number for Private Calls & Messages

Ever wanted to make a call without leaving a trace? If you’re wondering how to avoid spam, reach out to a client anonymously, or just keep your number out of the wrong hands, knowing how to disguise phone number details has become a privacy must. So the reasons to hide your number are now as many as the ways to do it.
In this guide, we’ll go over the smartest and safest ways to hide a phone number when calling or texting and why pairing them with a secure VPN like VeePN is your best bet for total anonymity.

VeePN Research Lab

Sep 3, 2025

6 min read

Get the week’s best marketing content

Why VeePN is essential for hiding your phone number

Pairing your number-masking tools with a VPN like VeePN gives you total digital privacy. Even if you use burner apps or anonymous texting sites, your IP address can still give you away. VeePN closes that gap and secures your privacy with:

🛡️Encryption for your Internet traffic: VeePN uses military-grade encryption to keep your data hidden from snoopers, apps and even your Internet service provider (ISP). This is especially important when using services that handle calls or messages outside traditional mobile networks.

🛡️IP masking: When you use burner apps or websites, your real IP address can give away your location. VeePN reroutes your traffic through secure servers, masks your IP and replaces it with one from a location of your choice.

🛡️Protection on public WiFi: Public hotspots are goldmines for hackers. VeePN protects your data when you’re on unsecured networks, so your private communication stays private even in airports, cafes or libraries.

🛡️No Logs policy: VeePN never stores records of your online activity. So even if someone were to ask for your data, there’s nothing to give.

🛡️Cross-device support: If you’re making calls from your phone, sending messages from your tablet or managing apps from your laptop, VeePN protects up to 10 devices under one subscription.

🛡️Global server coverage: Choose from over 89 locations around the world to hide your digital footprint and access location-specific services.

For total privacy, combine VeePN with the methods we cover further to keep your communication secure and untraceable.

Top reasons to hide a phone number

Privacy isn’t just a luxury but a necessity. Here are the most common reasons people hide their phone numbers:

🫣Personal privacy: Keep your number hidden from strangers on online marketplaces, dating apps or unknown contacts as these services may leak your personal information.

🫣Avoid telemarketers and robocalls: Sharing your number publicly can lead to spam calls. Masking a phone number reduces unsolicited contact with unwanted callers.

🫣Make anonymous calls: A hidden phone number is perfect for journalists, whistleblowers, professionals or anyone who needs to make discreet calls without revealing their identity.

🫣Prevent tracking or callbacks: Once your number is out there, it’s hard to take it back. Hiding it avoids unexpected or unwanted follow-up calls or worse, scammers.

How to hide your number during calls

Here are the most common ways how you can hide your phone number:

Block caller ID on your device

Most smartphones have a native way to hide your caller ID. Here’s how to do it:

On Android:
- Go to Phone > Settings > Supplementary services > Caller ID
- Choose “Hide number”
On iPhone:
- Open Settings > Phone > Show My Caller ID
- Toggle off to disable number sharing

This is easy and doesn’t require an app to disguise a phone number, but may not work in all countries or networks.

Use a prefix code

Prefix codes let you block caller ID on a per-call basis. Here are some commonly used ones:

U.S./Canada: *67
UK: 141
Australia: 1831

Example: Dial 67 followed by the number (e.g., 67 555-123-4567) to hide your identity. Note that this doesn’t work with emergency numbers or toll-free lines.

Apps for temporary or burner numbers

When you need a separate line, burner number apps are your go-to tools:

Burner: Offers disposable numbers for calls, texts and voicemail. Great for dating, classified ads or selling online.
Google Voice: Provides a free secondary number linked to your Google account. You can call, text and voicemail using the app.
Hushed: Lets you create multiple numbers with custom voicemail greetings and call forwarding options. Ideal for small businesses or travel.

These apps have easy-to-use interfaces and subscription plans based on how frequently you use them.

How to send texts without showing your number

Sending text messages without showing your number is easy! Just follow one of these tips:

Use anonymous texting websites

If you just need to send a one-time text without using your number:

Try platforms like anonymoustext.com or TextEm.net.
Just type the recipient’s number and your message, no account needed.

But be aware of privacy risks. Many free sites log your IP address or sell your message data to third parties. Always use VeePN with such tools to protect your identity.

Use secure messaging apps

For ongoing, private conversations, choose encrypted messengers:

Telegram secret chats: Messages are end-to-end encrypted and can self-destruct after a set time.
Signal: Full encryption with relay calling built-in, your real number is hidden from recipients.

Both options are great for private communication, especially when used with VeePN for complete anonymity. Let’s see how it can make your communication truly private.

How to use VeePN for anonymous calling

Want to make sure your call is completely anonymous? Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to using VeePN when making calls through burner apps, VoIP services or anonymous texting platforms:

Download and install VeePN. Visit the VeePN website or app store and download the app (iOS, Android, Windows, macOS or browser extension).
Create an account. Sign up with your email address and choose a plan that fits your privacy needs.
Connect to a server. Open the app and choose a server location. If you’re using a VoIP app for international calls, choose a server in the same country for better performance.
Enable VPN protection. Tap the connect button to turn on VeePN. Your IP address will now be hidden and your Internet connection will be encrypted.
Launch your calling app. Open your preferred burner number or VoIP app (e.g., Burner, Hushed, Google Voice).
Make the call. Call as usual from your masked number. VeePN will keep your real IP location and online activity private.
Leave it running. Keep VeePN on in the background while using these apps.

Combining tools for anonymous calling with VeePN, you have a double layer of protection: your number is hidden and so is your online self.

Try VeePN now and get a 30-day money-back guarantee!

FAQ

In order to make a call anonymously, just dial *67 before the number and your number will appear as either Private or Unknown. To be even more anonymous you can use a burner phone, a temporary number App (such as Hushed or TextNow), or a Voice over IP service that does not associate with your real name.

The *67 trick is only effective in most landlines and cellular phones in the United States and Canada, yes. By dialing * 67 before a number you can make your caller ID unavailable during that call. However, it will not be effective in cases with toll free or emergency numbers.

If you dial *82 on your phone, your caller ID will be unblocked on that particular call and your number will appear to the person you are calling even though you have it set to privacy. It comes in handy when one blocks anonymous calls and you want to show your number only in that single call.