If you need to buy a virtual OTP number for just one time, you may be hesitant to provide your real number. Who knows where your number might end up?

You want to have a phone number that will be viable for a temporary purpose so you don't have to get an entirely new one from your phone company. For this, you'd want a temporary phone number.

To learn more about what this is and how you can get one, read on. By the end, you should be able to easily get one on your own.

What's a temporary phone number?

Temporary phone numbers are created to provide you with a way to use a number for a limited period of time, usually during the signup process to a social media platform. The provision of new phone numbers usually means having to contact your provider to change your number once it has been allocated.

But with the solution provided by telecom companies like Telnum, you don't need to obtain the mobile service provider’s permission. You can order one directly. This doesn't have an ongoing subscription fee as well because it's meant to just be used one time.

Reasons you'd want to get one

Is there really much use to a number you can only use once? Definitely!

1. Reduce spam calls and texts

No matter how secure a system is, it's not impenetrable. You want the chance of anyone sending you annoying spam calls and texts to drop to zero.

2. Protect your privacy

But it's not just about keeping spammers at bay. Your real number can also be a gateway to sensitive personal and financial information. With a temporary number, you don't have to deal with such an issue.

3. Protect your brand image

If you're in a career position where reputation is everything, you don't want to risk anyone thinking you're unprofessional. Some circumstances may force you to answer calls even from unknown numbers. A temporary number can block a lot of those for you.

4. You already used your real number

Most sites prevent you from registering the same number twice. Think of a temporary number as a loophole to this.

The steps to getting your first temporary number

Regardless of the provider you choose for this, the process will still be generally the same. But for the sake of providing you with concrete steps to buying one, we'll illustrate how you can do it directly from Telnum's website:

1. Go to the website

On their landing page, you'll learn more about your different options in terms of virtual numbers. You'll also see here all their offers, all of which are meant to help you maximize the benefits of a VoIP number.

Look for a button that says Buy Virtual Number Online. It's hard to miss because it's big and blue and just below the above-the-fold copy.

2. Choose the type of number that you want

After clicking the button, a new tab will open. You'll be able to choose the type of number that you need. Telnum offers SMS, Voice, Fax, and One-use SMS numbers.

For your purpose, click the One-use SMS numbers option. You'll also choose the country that you want for your number's area code. There's a drop-down menu so you'll see all the available countries for this option.

3. Select the purpose of the number

The purposes by which you can use it would depend on the available options. For example, a Brazil number can be used for NETFLIX, Airbnb, Facebook, and Tinder, just to name a few. There's even an "Other" option should the specific purpose you're looking for isn't explicitly listed.

You'll see the available options in your chosen country by clicking the dropdown menu that will appear next to the country dropdown menu. Here, you'll also see how much it would be.

4. Sign Up

If you don't have an existing account with Telnum, you'll need to create one. For this, you can click the blue Sign Up button.

But if you want to make the signup process quicker, you can sign in with Google instead. Just make sure that you're already logged into your Google account to avoid issues.

5. Pay for your order

If you already have an account with Telnum, you can skip to this part right away. At this point, you'll see the details of your order, including the final price.

Select from the endless available payment methods that they have. Depending on what you choose, you may have to provide additional details.

Once that's taken care of, congratulations! You finally have purchased your first temporary number. This number will be active until used for whichever purpose you got it for. For more information about temporary numbers and VoIP numbers in general, head on to their website.

I have been working in marketing since 2008 and have successfully collaborated with many well-known companies in Ukraine and the CIS. I have taken projects from scratch and brought them to the TOP.

I have promoted major Internet platforms, such as ukr.net, rabota.ua, and have assisted the best web projects in their respective segments, such as Cosmopolitan, Meteoprog, FL.ru, and Rabota.ua.