Every time you hand over your real phone number to a website or app, you lose a little more control over who can reach you. That number gets stored in a database. Sometimes the company sells it. Sometimes the database gets hacked. Either way, your number ends up with people you never meant to hear from.
In 2025, Americans received an estimated 29.6 billion unwanted robocalls, roughly a 15.6% increase from the year before (Source: U.S. PIRG Education Fund, citing YouMail data, 2026). About 31% of U.S. adults say they get at least one scam call every single day, according to Pew Research Center. Among those who lost money, the average loss from a scam that started with a phone call was $3,690 in the first half of 2025, according to the FTC. Many of those calls can trace back to a phone number that was shared, sold, or leaked somewhere along the way.
If you are looking for how to mask your phone number from websites and apps, the good news is that several practical options exist right now. Here is a step-by-step guide.
Why Websites and Apps Want Your Phone Number
Before jumping into the how, it helps to understand why so many services ask for your number in the first place.
Account Verification and SMS Codes
Many apps use your phone number to send verification codes during signup or login. A real number proves you are a real person. Social media platforms, banking apps, and even food delivery services all rely on SMS-based verification.
Marketing and Data Sharing
Some companies use your number to send promotional texts. Others share or sell your contact details to advertisers, data brokers, or partner companies. Once your number enters that pipeline, you may start getting calls and texts from businesses you never signed up for.
What Happens When Your Number Spreads
A single phone number tied to dozens of accounts creates a chain. If one company gets breached, your number leaks. Data brokers pick it up. Robocallers buy it in bulk. That is how people end up wondering how to stop telemarketers from getting their real phone numbers. The root problem is sharing your actual number too widely.
A real example: in July 2024, AT&T disclosed that hackers stole call and text records for nearly all of its wireless customers, roughly 110 million people. The stolen data included which phone numbers each customer called or texted, call durations, and, in some cases, cell tower location data (Source: AT&T SEC 8-K Filing, July 12, 2024). The breach happened through a third-party cloud platform, not AT&T's own network. If those customers had used alias numbers instead of their real ones, the stolen records would have been far less useful to attackers.
How to Mask Your Phone Number Step by Step
Here is how to hide your cell phone number from businesses, apps, and websites. Each method works for different situations.
Step 1: Use a Virtual Phone Number for Signups
A virtual phone number is a separate number that forwards calls and texts to your real phone. You give the virtual number to websites and apps instead of your personal one. If that number starts getting spam, you can disable it without affecting your real line.
Virtual numbers work for:
- Online shopping accounts
- Newsletter and loyalty program signups
- Social media profiles
- Food delivery and rideshare apps
- Classified listings and marketplace sales
Step 2: Create a Different Number for Each Category
Using one virtual number for everything is better than using your real number, but using a unique number for each category is even stronger. Give one number to shopping apps, a different one to social media, and another to anything you consider throwaway. If spam starts on one number, you know exactly which category leaked it.
Step 3: Block Your Caller ID for Outgoing Calls
When you need to call a business and do not want them to store your real number, you can dial *67 before the phone number. The recipient will see "Private" or "Unknown" instead of your digits.
A few things to keep in mind:
- *67 only works for outgoing calls, not for texts
- Some businesses reject calls from blocked numbers
- You need to dial *67 every single time unless you turn off caller ID in your phone settings permanently
To turn off caller ID on iPhone (iOS 18 and later), go to Settings, then Apps, then Phone, and toggle off "Show My Caller ID." On older iOS versions, go to Settings, then Phone directly. On Android, open the Phone app, go to Settings, then Calls, then Additional Settings, and select "Hide Number." Menu names may vary slightly by device manufacturer.
Step 4: Use a Dedicated Number for Two-Factor Authentication
Banking apps, email accounts, and crypto wallets often require a phone number for two-factor authentication. A separate alias number for these sensitive accounts keeps your real number off their servers. If one service gets breached, attackers cannot cross-reference that number to your other accounts.
Step 5: Remove Your Number From Data Broker Sites
Your phone number is likely already sitting on dozens of data brokers and people-search sites. Even if you start masking your number going forward, old listings can still feed robocallers new leads. Removing your information from these databases can help cut off a major source of unwanted contact.
Step 6: Screen Unknown Calls
Even with a masked number, some spam will get through. A call screening tool can filter unknown callers, block suspected spam, and let legitimate calls ring through. Screening is especially useful for people who want to avoid robocalls and spam texts by masking their number but still need to stay reachable for real contacts.
Step 7: Register on the Do Not Call Registry
The FTC's National Do Not Call Registry lets you opt out of most legal telemarketing calls. Registration is free at donotcall.gov or by calling 888-382-1222. More than 258 million phone numbers are currently registered (Source: FTC Do Not Call Registry Data Book, FY 2025).
The registry will not stop illegal robocallers, but it does reduce calls from legitimate companies that follow the law. Pair it with the other steps above for the strongest result.
What to Avoid When Masking Your Number
Not every option works well. Here are some common mistakes:
- Free temporary number apps with ads may collect and resell your data, which defeats the purpose.
- *Relying only on 67 does not protect your number from being stored by apps and websites you sign up for.
- Sharing your real number "just this once" adds up fast. One exception per week means 52 companies have your number by year's end.
Protect Your Phone Number Privacy With Cloaked
Phone number privacy starts with keeping your real number out of databases that get shared, sold, or hacked. The steps above work best when combined.
Cloaked makes this simple. You can generate unlimited masked phone numbers for every account, screen unknown calls with Call Guard, and remove your real number from 130+ data broker sites with automated data removal. Cloaked also offers dark web monitoring to alert you if your number shows up in a breach. Currently available in the U.S. and Canada.
Run a free safety scan to see how exposed your phone number already is, or get in touch to learn how number masking can protect you going forward.
FAQs
How do I mask my phone number from websites and apps?
Use a virtual phone number instead of your real one when signing up. Virtual numbers forward calls and texts to your phone while keeping your actual number hidden from the service.
Can I hide my phone number for free?
You can dial *67 before a call to hide your caller ID, or turn off caller ID in your phone settings. For text messages and app signups, you need a separate virtual number.
Will the Do Not Call Registry stop all robocalls?
No. The registry stops most legal telemarketing calls, but illegal robocallers ignore it. Pairing the registry with number masking and call screening gives you broader protection.
Are virtual phone numbers accepted for verification codes?
Most virtual numbers can receive SMS verification codes. Some banking or financial apps may reject standard VoIP numbers, so look for services that offer carrier-grade numbers that pass verification checks.
How do I stop telemarketers from getting my real phone number?
Stop giving your real number to websites, apps, and loyalty programs. Use a virtual number for all signups and remove your existing number from data broker sites.
Is it legal to mask my phone number?
Yes. Masking your phone number is legal in the United States for personal privacy purposes. The FCC requires carriers to let consumers block their caller ID. The only restriction is using a masked number with the intent to defraud or cause harm, which is illegal under the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009.
