Prepaid and second phones
A phone the other person doesn't know exists — and what it takes to keep it that way.
In plain words
A prepaid phone bought with cash is not connected to your accounts. It stays secret only if you never sign in to your normal accounts on it and keep it where only you can reach.
Getting one
Prepaid phones can be bought with cash at pharmacies and big-box stores, with airtime cards paid the same way. No contract, no bill arriving at home, no entry on the family phone plan.
Keeping it unknown
The phone only stays unknown if it's never signed in to your existing accounts — a Google or Apple login links it to everything. Keep it powered off or in a place that's yours alone; a hidden phone that rings is not hidden. Some people leave it with a trusted friend.
What it's for
A second phone is most useful for calls to advocates, lawyers, and hotlines, and for a new email address that has never touched a monitored device. Using it for anything tied to your real accounts quietly undoes its purpose.
What this does NOT protect against
- Being physically found — a discovered phone can escalate danger
- Signing in to existing accounts, which links the device to you
- Calls to numbers the other person can see on their own bill or device
- Purchase cameras/receipts if bought with a traceable card
Last reviewed 2026-06-01. Technology changes; if something here looks different on your device, trust what your device shows.