WhatsApp Issues and Warning for OTC Contact?
justinyoo
Reading one of @RonJax2 pro tips and his last forum post regarding outside the club (OTC) communication and hookups, it got me thinking to setup a WhatsApp (WA) account for privacy and since some plans in Mexico might have issues with contacting outside the country.
To my surprise, WA does not accept my burner number or Google voice number. I get a message stating it is an invalid number in the United States (for WA).
Researching it a bit, but just about 5 months ago WA stopped allowing VoIP (voice over IP) numbers that Google and my burner uses.
So I'm here to 1.) ask if anyone knows a good non-VoIP solution and 2.) more importantly inform users of WA with Google voice that eventually they might (I can't be sure) be phased out or if you log out, might not be able to get in. Knowing this, it might be best to backup your numbers with names and notes in case so if you need to setup a new solution, you can contact your beautiful and fun friends with a new number. I would hate for all that time and money to build solid OTC connections goes to waste.
Below is a Reddit post of users experiencing the issue.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Googlevoice/s/h…
To my surprise, WA does not accept my burner number or Google voice number. I get a message stating it is an invalid number in the United States (for WA).
Researching it a bit, but just about 5 months ago WA stopped allowing VoIP (voice over IP) numbers that Google and my burner uses.
So I'm here to 1.) ask if anyone knows a good non-VoIP solution and 2.) more importantly inform users of WA with Google voice that eventually they might (I can't be sure) be phased out or if you log out, might not be able to get in. Knowing this, it might be best to backup your numbers with names and notes in case so if you need to setup a new solution, you can contact your beautiful and fun friends with a new number. I would hate for all that time and money to build solid OTC connections goes to waste.
Below is a Reddit post of users experiencing the issue.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Googlevoice/s/h…
4 comments
I think you might have to pay a couple of bucks for it. But keep in mind you can cancel it right away. I think the only consequence of cancelling after you signed up with Whats would be if you have to reinstall Whats on a new phone, you'll probably be locked out. That's the only time I can recall needing to use my virtual number again with Whats. That's a probably easily solved by saving any numbers you have.
Let us know if that works, because other people are gonna run into the same problem.
You might also try Hushed: https://hushed.com/
This source says it will work with Whats: https://umnico.com/blog/whatsapp-virtual…
So I tried some or most of the options and WA was not able to validate.
I got a DM from a another contributor saying he uses TracFone, it is confidential and pays in cash. He does have to carry another phone for the hobby which he doesn't mind. That would be able to get WA validated.
For many reasons, I just wanted to use my existing phone, and look for a one phone solution. What I ended up doing was using the eSIM real phone service trial to get my WA account. All phones have a SIM slot for numbers. Most phones have a second SIM slot but most are eSIM meaning you don't need a physical chip, you just copy paste the info and it works the same. It is really convenient to setup with no delays this way. So your phone will have two numbers to choose to text or call. Lastly, I signed up for two different eSIM trials and both were confidential, I just used any name for phone account and it worked. Unlike TracFone you can't pay in cash but the account name is not under your real name. I did use a credit card number but "accidently" put my alias name in the billing and it still worked...lol.
Here is where I felt dumb because both eSIM numbers (real, not VoIP now) worked to validate WA so mission accomplished I thought. Well, WA requires me to share my phone contacts to use the service. After setting up WA, you can hide statues on WA to contacts but you will see all the friends, family and co workers who have it and now they will see you. This is not what I wanted, so I deleted the account. All this work to get WA and I ended up not wanting it. Ugh.
So, this weekend I went down and just used my Mint Mobile second number eSIM. It worked perfectly down in Zona. Texting between chicas worked well and Google Voice user. I was texting with 3 new chicas this weekend, no problems with the service.
Here is where the issue will be for most of us. I saw that Visible (the other eSIM) I tried worked but it was going to be $25/mo, so I just let that free trial lapse after seeing Mint Mobile at $15/mo for 3 months. Yet after getting it, I looked and she saw that the next 3 months was $25/mo., the $15/mo. was just and introductory rate that was pretty well hidden if you weren't looking closely. On top of that, Mint only works in the US and Canada so I purchased an international pass for $10 for 3 day, it was easy. So as you see this is just starting to get pricey. Since I don't need WA, I'll just try to find a VoIP solution that works with numbers in Mexico that might be free or much less That is tricky as well so will need to test..ugh. I will go down probably in March or the end of February to test the new solutions and post back here then with the results just so those. interested know.
Lastly, my service provider for my main personal phone offers a second number for the eSIM for only $10/mo, no contact, but then thinking about it, that second eSIM will be in my name defeating the purpose and losing anonymity because they will use the info for the main number.
> Well, WA requires me to share my phone contacts to use the service. After setting up WA, you can hide statues on WA to contacts but you will see all the friends, family and co workers who have it and now they will see you. This is not what I wanted, so I deleted the account. All this work to get WA and I ended up not wanting it. Ugh.
This is a real problem and I wonder if there's any workarounds to it. I suppose if you had an actual burner phone without real contacts in it, that might work?
WhatsApp/Meta still does not have my contact info. It allowed me to decline access when I installed the app. And it asks me all the time if it can have access to contacts but I tell it no.
It looks like the app has different functionality now, if it requires your contacts. If anyone knows a work-around for this, please post!