Take Control Of Your Digital Privacy: How A Virtual Phone Number Can Protect You Online

It's impossible to deny how convenient the internet has made our lives. We can shop for shoes, buy groceries, book hotels, and navigate around the world, all with the click of a few buttons. Unfortunately, as our own lives have become more online, so have the security issues that threaten them. Between 2001 and 2025, cyber crime increased by more than tenfold, with AAG reporting that nearly 100 people around the world are impacted by it every hour.

One of the easiest ways criminals can gain access to your personal data is through your phone number. With those ten digits, they can sneak into your bank account, email, cloud accounts, and even your medical records. They can then use that information to steal your identity and apply for loans and credit cards in your name, and in some cases, even commit illegal activities. In a world where we're dependent on our phones for pretty much everything, dealing with fallout from these cyber attacks can be overwhelming.

Thankfully, there are steps you can take to prevent your data from being compromised. Surfshark Alternative Number equips you with a unique, U.S.-based virtual phone number that can be used anywhere in the world to receive and reply to texts and to receive phone calls. Think of it as an extra layer of protection against spam, scams, and data breaches. This numerical ID isn't tied to a carrier, which means you can still retain your regular private number for personal reasons. Signing up is straightforward and doesn't require any specialty technology. Once you've signed up for a Surfshark Alternative Number plan, you'll receive Surfshark Alternative-ID and Surfshark VPN as part of your bundle. You can easily activate your virtual phone number from your account page. This U.S.-based number will work via the Surfshark app on devices where it's installed, allowing you to feel safe anywhere in the world, whether you're on your laptop, desktop, or smartphone.

The one true inevitability in life is spam. From mysterious texts offering a deal on gift cards to your favorite store, to phone calls demanding you 'take action to protect your credit card account,' these nuisances are a plague upon phone owners everywhere. One survey estimated in August 2023 that some people can experience close to 20 spam calls per day. And if you're anything like us, there's a good chance they leave you wanting to keep the "do not disturb" function on 24/7.Thankfully, you don't need to throw your phone away to cut down on the noise. With Surfshark Alternative Number, you'll have a virtual number serving as a built-in shield against these kinds of unwanted and annoying messages. The app also creates a separate set of digits to use when signing up for services that require a phone number, minimizing the chances of your actual number being exposed to future spam. This way, your phone can be used for its intended purpose – staying in touch with your people, not scammers and robo callers.

Any time you sign up for something with your phone number — be it an email list for store discounts, delivery notifications, or a social media profile — you're putting your data at risk — even if you follow the advice of using the strongest password with a million different special characters. In 2021, Facebook suffered a privacy breach that resulted in over 500 million people having their phone numbers, locations, and personal email addresses compromised, putting them in danger of scams and fraud. These kinds of breaches are becoming increasingly more common. As recently as 2025, 404 Media reported that hundreds of popular apps — including online dating platforms like Bumble, and even menstrual cycle trackers — were impacted by a data breach that leaked millions of user's private locations. While these attacks can impact anyone, they present a greater danger for women. Per Safe Home, women are twice as likely as men to be targeted in online harassment campaigns like doxxing. They are also more likely to have their personal photos leaked or be subject to revenge porn.

With Surfshark Alternative Number, you can rest assured that your number is protected from these kinds of dangerous leaks. To give you even more peace of mind, Surfshark will notify you of any suspected data breaches or unusual activity tied to your accounts. This will allow you to get ahead of potential cyberattacks so you can protect your personal information and shut down any accounts that could be potentially compromised. Just keep in mind that Surfshark Alternative Number does not support verification codes (OTP messages.)

For years, exchanging numbers was considered a normal and expected part of dating. But ever since the scene shifted to the virtual world, discerning how much we can safely give away has become only more difficult. Unfortunately, for many women, giving out your real number on a dating app comes with risks that range from mildly annoying to downright dangerous. Sure, there's the guy who continued trying to send you memes after you said you weren't interested. But then there's the guy who you turned down that used your phone number to stalk your LinkedIn and other social media profiles.

Alarmingly, countless women have stories just like these about dates who seemed nice at first but engaged in creepy behavior after they turned them down. Dealing with the aftermath of these situations is not only frustrating but emotionally debilitating. Research has found being the victim of harassment or stalking can lead to serious mental health distress, exacerbating conditions like anxiety and depression.

Having a virtual phone number can be a total game changer in these situations. It allows you to safely communicate from anywhere with people online while giving you the ability to cut contact with truly no strings attached. Not only will this safeguard you from being subject to toxic dating trends like submarining, it will also protect your information from those who are using the apps for the wrong reasons. Best of all, you can change the number whenever you like — that way if the relationship turns out to be temporary, so will your ties to them. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for Surfshark Alternative Number today and make your boundaries a priority.