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Writers Research – Throw-away or Burner Phones

JNDS-Series-PictureI am in the process of writing the fourth book in the Jack Nolan Detective Series.  I had to do some research about cell phone and how the cops trace cellphones, but this is some other research about disposable phones.  These are referred to by criminals and cops as burner phones.

They are purchased in a box at Walmart or Walgreens, places like this.  Normal people use them to protect their identifies.  For example, if you are having a garage sale and you don't want to use your regular phone number, you can purchase a throw away phone for $15 to $45 dollars and it will protect your real phone number from getting out there.

cheaters using burner phonesHusbands and wives who cheat also use burner phones that they hide from their spouses.  They don't have to worry about getting caught texting to their lovers.

DP-burner-phoneDrug traffickers also use burner phones.  They use them so they can't be traced by the cops.  BUT, as you will read below, they are not foolproof.  As a matter of fact, they are kind of easy to trace.  If you watched the show, Better Call Saul, his system of selling the phones would work for the drug lords.  It worked because Sol bought the phones in bulk in his name.  He sold them to individuals for cash.  So nothing would ever trace the phones to the people who bought them.

Knowing this is helpful to know what will work in a plotline and what won't work.  Below is also more info about how the police can track most phones that are purchased by the person using them at a big box store.



Can Police Detectives find people who use burner phones?

Yes, the cops can find the identities of the people who were contacted using the burner phone if they have the right tools and resources. Burner phones are designed to be disposable and difficult to track, but they are not foolproof.

Here are some ways that the cops can find the identities of the people who were contacted using a burner phone:

  • Tracing the other party:  The cops can get the burner phone number by seeing it on someone else's phone, like a girlfriend or boss, etc.  Once they have the burner phone number, they can get the following:
  • Cellular data: The burner phone will likely have a SIM card that can be traced back to the person who purchased it. The cops can also get a warrant to compel the cellular carrier to provide them with records of the calls and texts that were made and received on the phone.
  • GPS data: If the burner phone has GPS capabilities, the cops can use that data to track the phone's movements. This can help them to identify the people who were in contact with the phone at certain times and locations.
  • Social media: If the person who used the burner phone has any social media accounts, the cops can try to track them down through those accounts. They can also look for photos or videos that were taken with the phone and see if they can identify the people in the photos or videos.
  • Physical evidence: If the cops find the burner phone, they may be able to find physical evidence that can help them to identify the people who used it. For example, they may be able to find fingerprints or DNA on the phone.

Here are some strategies that criminals use to avoid being tracked by the cops if they use a burner phone:

  • They only use burner phone for short periods of time: The less time they use the burner phone, the less data the cops will have to track them. So plotlines may take this into account.
  • They, of course, dispose of the phone once the crime has been committed.
  • Most non-criminals who use burners phones use it to protect their identity for a specific reason, i.e., maybe selling a car online, having a garage sale, etc. Their use of burner phones are legal and the cops would have no way of knowing they used the phones.
  • However, if criminals use the disposable phones for criminal reasons, that's when the cops will be more likely to track them down.
  • Be careful about what you say and do on the burner phone, even if you are just selling things online. The cops can use anything you say or do on the phone as evidence against you.
  • It is also important to remember that burner phones are not foolproof. If the cops are determined to track you down, they will eventually be able to do so.