Is it safe to use a burner phone in your house with the location feature featured off and not connected to wifi? If that number is found in a provider's phone, can the location you called from be determined by le? If it can, is that avenue likely to be persued?

as your other cellular devices so will provide some coarse location information about the burner phone. Depending on you location it might connect to more than one tower, at different times, due to tower traffic loads, which then could provide some level of triangulation and so better location information. Not sure about the last claim here as I've not looked closely at that but I would be very surprised that some densely populated area don't have significant overlap for cell coverage in the tower layout plan.

 
But if you are only worried about LE, don't be. Running down a burner phone for a misdemeanor is a pretty big waste of financial and investigator time resources for police departments and takes those resources away from more important cases, and the doughnut budget. If there are some on-going investigations into trafficking, money laundering, organized crime activities or terrorism your burner phone *might* become of interest merely because it's a burner phone. Some times hiding in plain sight works best. But do what makes you comfortable as I don't think you add much risk by using the burner phone and clearly remove some types of risk.

I don't believe any technology is 100% anonymous, it's a matter of: is what you're doing worth the resources to discover your identity? In this instance, I don't think it is, but I'm new to this and was wondering what others do. I'm probably being overcautious as so far I haven't been using it in the house, and it's a hassle to go somewhere else just to turn the phone on and check for a response.

If I was worried about that, I'd "go get gas" or "run out for some coffee" or something.

This is a really good summary.

I will add few things that might be obvious but not maybe for everyone.

 
In general, location is estimated by using signal strength. This is how GPS triangulation is done via satellite signal, and that is also how your estimate location can be found via cell signal.

 
If there's one tower, you will only get rough estimate. If there are many, using geometry you get a much better estimate.

 
Now, if you're a moving target and you aren't someone where Leo's are on a manhunt for, this location origination helps no one. Knowing someone within a circle circumference made a call at some time, is hardly useful information. If you're a sitting target of interest, then yes it's possible to locate you.

There are articles online of feds using tower imitators to pinpoint location or a hacker who used a "stationary" cell phone from his pad. But they literally had to carry them around and eventually hone in looking at a signal. Like in an extraction shooter game.

I don't think anyone in the force will use resources to catch random mongers or even random pimps. It could be used to determine hq of terrorists, high profile hlackers etc.

"location is estimated by using signal strength. This is how GPS triangulation is done..."
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Sorry, that part is just wrong.  GPS works using time -- specifically the time it takes the signal from each of several satellites to reach your receiver (at speed of light).  Signal strength is not used at all for location in the GPS system.  
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We now return you to your regularly scheduled terrestrial LE discussions..
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PS   in case you were about to quibble, "speed of light" is cvorrected for its slowing in non-vacuum media such as air and the ionosphere.  It is not just assumed constant for GPS calculations.

Similar topic came up a month ago: "Burner Phone ?"
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http://www.theeroticreview.com/discussion-boards/ter-general-board-12/home-wifi-and-nearby-cell-towers-1029660
Home wifi and nearby cell towers

Nothing wrong with starting with caution.

 
You'll find a range of what people are doing. I don't have much at stake, the legal aspect is basically it and I think that is very low. For those that are hiding from some significant other one of the big things that comes up is keeping the phone hidden -- how are you going to explain two phones?

 
There have been a number of threads on this topic and doing a search on "burner phone" should get you the links for the discussion board (most of the discussion has been here on the General Discussion board but might be some additional discussion on some of the regional boards. Might help get some baselines to work from as what risk the various people are worried about gets mentioned as well. That is probably the most important part of the equation. What are you trying to avoid. As you imply, no risks is not an option really, so getting the biggest bang for you buck is what you want to be looking for. That may or may not point towards a burner phone or where it might be used.

 
Quick edit to add a last thought. You mentioned it being a pain to go somewhere else to use the phone. Is that just you're personal inconvenience or is there someone that might start asking why you're suddenly stepping out or otherwise changing you normal behavior?

-- Modified on 3/3/2025 5:24:13 AM

Just personal inconvenience.

That LE isn't much interested in those of us who are just the run of the mill mongers.  On the flip side, if someone is up to something more nefarious that draws LE into a person's behavior, then all things are possible with a warrant. So ask yourself, just what are you up to that worries you so much?

If a SO or other party hires a private investigator, some of the tech being mentioned would certainly be something they might try to use to find out what a person is up to. As someone else said, in this day and age there really isn't much that is truly private except maybe passing a written note and watching the other party burn it after reading.

Yes, gps measures time delay not signal strength. You're correct.  

 
That was my second point I decided to omit. If someone knows enough electric engineering and cell engineering, they can potentially delay or jam the signal. But that is so complicated and potentially dangerous or grounds to arrest (look up a guy who decided to jam his GPS tracker of his work truck using a 10 dollar scrambler he got on amazon and got arrested for turning it on near an airport), it's not worth discussing it in the scope.

What about burner apps? I’m guessing it’s better to stick to a burner phone, but I’d like to hear what others think.

Whatever technical foibles you care to concern yourself with, there's a lot to be said for using only short texts with no sexual details.  

Generally it is a crime when you agree to receive a sexual service for a price. Avoid this type of discussion like the plague!

Saying something along the lines of you'd like to see her, when is she available, etc. is pretty tame. For all anyone knows, you are meeting for coffee.

ATTB

I look at such questions from the perspective of using a tool. Burner phones and burner apps are similar tools but not the same. Each solves some specific problems and the problems are not completely the same set of problems. Why one person thinks a burner phone is best might have little to do with your specific situation, same for the guy recommending a burner app.  

 
So what exactly are your specific risks that you worry about? Worried that LE will track you? Worried about a wife or SO? Worried about employment? Worried about extortion?

My take is that if LE wants you they'll get you regardless. But would they really be interested in the average client? I doubt it, unless you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 
I have been using Google Voice for a number of years. I use it primarily to shield my number from being used to find out my real info, which isn't as difficult as it seems. It also keeps my naughty texts and calls separate from my real world communications. It's a handy tool and obviates the need to have a second physical phone which, if seen, might raise some unwanted questions and attention. Having to hide and safeguard a second phone is something I'd prefer not to do.

It’s very rare to be arrested for this. How often do we hear about either John’s or escorts being arrested for this?  If you’re not doing something dumb, don’t worry about it. Don’t meet with girls who are young enough to possibly be underage, don’t be explicit about sex acts in your texts. Stick to well reviewed providers who have been doing this a while.

Sorry, I couldn't resist responding to this one....I am terrified of LE but I did so my research,

A quick search of media will usually uncover law enforcement stings that fall into three categories:

1. motels busts - the most common,  LE poses as a desirable provider, i.e. 19, blonde, slim-thick, volleyball player/gymnast/track star/yogi , 100/hr (greek included), bbfs $50 extra and then bust a bunch of creepy internet incels and post their pics all over to mock and humiliate them like that sheriff with the glasses in florida that loves to give those dramatic press conferences....

2. streetwalker busts - these need no explanation, and are usually prompted by local businesses or residents complaining that they don't want their kids seeing half-naked women working the corner while walking home from school, or they are chasing customers away (well, certain customers anyway..lol)

3. AMP busts - there was a recent one here in the good 'ol NYC, you can YT it and read the hilarious comments underneath lol

However, there is a much rarer FOURTH one that probably won't make it into the news, and that's when LE has their eyes on a particular building because SO MANY providers work out of there and residents are complaining about it. In situations like this, LE may try to book with the ladies directly so they can slap the cuffs on her. Presumably, the goal is once one girl is arrested, the others will get spooked and close up shop. If she is part of a network, then she can be flipped in exchange for a dismissal of charges to turn in other girls, clients, or even her agency if she is employed with one. I've never heard of any of this. I only know about it because I saw a guy named Freddie Chaiban on Soft White Underbelly talk about how he had to go through this when he was an escort agent in Orange county and Las Vegas.  

The trend here in NYC has been to just go after the buyers not the sellers, especially since COVID when women have had to turn to these means to pay rent.

With that being said, I don't think it's a good idea to have such a cavalier attitude and to underestimate LE.

Staying away from AMPS reduces your risk almost 100%

Stay away from AMPs and motels. If you simply do that, you're risk is nearly zero.

nothing is foolproof, but I agree this is as close as you'll come.  Is this what I do?  Hell, no!!!

https://www.azfamily.com/2025/02/20/200-suspects-arrested-human-trafficking-operation-scottsdale/

While I agree that the OP's timing was a bit odd given some of the other current discussion that directly relates to being a consumer of sex services I think your like is a bit of a red-herring in that it was a bust that involve child sex trafficking. With under aged girls (and maybe boys) involved cops are going to go after everyone. I don't know about others but I fully encourage that approach for such cases.

 
It does seem that the current state of things is that LE is increasing its focus on the demand side of the business. But that might also be very much like real estate -- highly location based.

NYC decriminalized so they won't go after the girls or the johns. They will still go after the pimps though, so it's possible the popo could shake you down. But they will let you go because the DA won't prosecute.

Unlike their brethren in Boston who are having a public dog and pony show using the johns to show they are tough on sex.