Problems finding a punting phone

[geezer_breezer]

Guys

I use an old cheapo phone to punt with. I bought an anonymous 99p SIM from Tesco wth cash and top it up with cash. So far, so good. Problem is that the handset is registered to me and is therefore traceable.

I have had a LOT of trouble trying to find a handset which isn't traceable to the owner because, you see, it's now law that every UK mobile phone has to be registered. That means - in my experience - that I will have to give my details and IMEI number of my handset to the network that I wish to join.

Is there a way around this? How do you guys operate a punting mobile where the handset is untraceable?

(And, for the sake of brevity I'm not interested in reconfiguring my other smartphone for punting use. I'm a strong believer that your punting phone should be limited, crap and dumb)

GB

[cueball]

The law is news to  me.

Mine ain't registered to nobody, I just walked in a phone shop and bought a pay as you go handset & sim for a tenner.

It's a simple throw away item, no pics, internet, whatsapp, nothing, just calls and texts. That's all I want from a punting phone.

[LL]

Can I ask why it's important to you that you punting phone is untraceable? You know that the EMEI number is not retrievable by the recipient of your calls, right? And that only the Police with the assistance of the operator can identify you based on your call history?

So an unregistered SIM should be enough for you to stay anonymous unless you're planning a career in crime.

[Anadin]

Traceable by whom? As far as I can tell the only people likely to trace your phone are the police and even if you pay cash they'll probably find the CCTV of you buying it.
I'm not sure this law is true. I mean if you buy any unlocked old handset and then later buy a sim from virtually anywhere how would you be registered?

So an unregistered SIM should be enough for you to stay anonymous unless you're planning a career in crime.

I always wonder that too.

[dieseldriver]

So where's the law that says every phone has to be registered? I recently bought an android with a PAYG sim from Tesco. Phone didn't come out the box till got home. And top ups are with a voucher. So neither phone or sim registered anywhere 

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[Golovkin]

So where's the law that says every phone has to be registered? I recently bought an android with a PAYG sim from Tesco. Phone didn't come out the box till got home. And top ups are with a voucher. So neither phone or sim registered anywhere

Yes my punting phone is from tesco no information was given just bought it no questions asked.

[mrfishyfoo]

I recently bought an android with a PAYG sim from Tesco. Phone didn't come out the box till got home. And top ups are with a voucher. So neither phone or sim registered anywhere

That's going to take alot of effort to trace that. 

Phone bought for cash.  Top ups bought for cash. 

No problems.

This is why cash is king. Its very difficult to track.

[Mij]

Same here, several times...

....just remember to pay in cash and not to use your Tesco Rewards Club card! 

[dieseldriver]

Unregistered phones useful if someone pisses you off. WG's in particular. Can send the person a load of insults/dick pics ( if a woman ) and can't be traced back to you. BUT, as the area mobile phone used in is traceable, get out of town when doing so....

[Moresomes]

Unregistered phones useful if someone pisses you off. WG's in particular. Can send the person a load of insults/dick pics ( if a woman )

Not thinking of running for the US presidency , are you?

[Jimmyredcab]

Can I ask why it's important to you that you punting phone is untraceable?

My thoughts exactly ----- maybe he has plans to be a serial killer.   

[adindas]

For OP do you have any link showing evidence that SIM card here in the UK need to be registered ??

What about the people from eBay or Pound shops for less than £1 ?

[lpopo]

They dont have to be registered. In another line of business I ditch my sim approx once a month and often only top up a sim once then ditch it. In my line of sight right now ive got about 100 sims from all the networks. Never registered one.
They all go into the £10 nokia/samsung phones from a supermarket which also get binned monthly.
Think OP may be a little paranoid/misguided. You really think MI5 cares that youre smashing brasses? Unless you get pulled in for murder/kids stuff/tech crimes you have no worries

[LL]

They dont have to be registered. In another line of business I ditch my sim approx once a month and often only top up a sim once then ditch it. In my line of sight right now ive got about 100 sims from all the networks. Never registered one.
They all go into the £10 nokia/samsung phones from a supermarket which also get binned monthly.
Think OP may be a little paranoid/misguided. You really think MI5 cares that youre smashing brasses? Unless you get pulled in for murder/kids stuff/tech crimes you have no worries

He's concerned about the fact the handset is registered. I'm still interested to hear why.

[lpopo]

The phone company will record the handset against the sim, base station info and details of calls made. There is no requirement to register the handset against any name at all. There was some attempt at a law in the US a while ago so this may be where OP is getting confused.
If you are that concerned, pay cash to a moody mobile repair shop for one of their recon phones or look into something higher-end with encryption built in.
If all you are using it for is booking girls and dont want to leave a paper trail, supermarket phone and throwaway sim is plenty secure enough, just factory reset the phone regularly and be careful where you throw it off once done.

[geezer_breezer]

Hey, thanks for the replies

Ah, I see.....I've misunderstood advice that I've read on other threads where I thought that folks were insisting that a punting phone should be a non-registered handset. I've taken that advice at face value. My situation requires a bit more detail: That old cheapo phone is locked to EE. I bought a 99p SIM for another network and it was the process of unlocking the phone and moving to another network which involved the re-registering of the device. In other words I couldn't join another network without handing over details. In the end I left the phone where it was and bought a 99p SIM for EE instead. I've been using it for a few months quite happily. Sounds like my angst is misplaced and I'll keep things as they are.

Cheers

GB

[Sir Lance-a-lot]

Generally a phone is initially locked to one network, but you can get it unlocked for a few quid.  You can then use any network sim in it without specifically having the phone reassigned to another network, just popping in the sim is enough.

With a stack of sims, you can use the same unlocked phone on multiple networks many times per day if you want.

[mrfishyfoo]

Generally a phone is initially locked to one network, but you can get it unlocked for a few quid. 

Phones bought from Carphone Warehouse tend to be unlocked from dayone.

My last 3 have come from there and work with any SIM I put in them.

[Anadin]

Phones bought from Carphone Warehouse tend to be unlocked from dayone.

My last 3 have come from there and work with any SIM I put in them.

Agreed I've bought 3 phones from Carphone warehouse and all have been unlocked.

[Gordon Bennett]

Argos sell loads of unlocked phones..... Just make sure you wear a cap, sunglasses and a turned up collar the minute you step outside your front door to buy it. Average person us caught on CCTV 70 times per day.

[frankc]

The law is news to  me.

Mine ain't registered to nobody, I just walked in a phone shop and bought a pay as you go handset & sim for a tenner.

It's a simple throw away item, no pics, internet, whatsapp, nothing, just calls and texts. That's all I want from a punting phone.

Same here, walked in paid cash walked out...

[claretandblue]

Same here, walked in paid cash walked out...

+1 it's a pay and go phone,that's the whole point,no contract, no personal details etc

[catweazle]

All phones on 3 are always unlocked, and many of them take dual Sims

[pewpewpew]

I believe that carphone warehouse ask for your name and address when you but a phone but just tell them some bullshit as they don't check anything and if they want proof just tell them to fuck off

[sub_marine]

Beleive it or not but Nigeria has the strictest mobile phone registration, they changed the law a year or so ago, all unregistered sims were to be disconnected from the network, and MTN got a 2 billion fine for not doing so.  They require finger prints, retina scans, full name and address and passport details for expats

[Norbut]

Can I ask why it's important to you that you punting phone is untraceable? You know that the EMEI number is not retrievable by the recipient of your calls, right? And that only the Police with the assistance of the operator can identify you based on your call history?

So an unregistered SIM should be enough for you to stay anonymous unless you're planning a career in crime.

Just thought of another reason why you would want your phone to be totally untraceable.  What about security clearance for government employment?  I have no idea how much access security clearance people would have to databases of phone / SIM registrations, but I imagine that it would be more than most.

[LL]

Just thought of another reason why you would want your phone to be totally untraceable.  What about security clearance for government employment?  I have no idea how much access security clearance people would have to databases of phone / SIM registrations, but I imagine that it would be more than most.

Yes they would check things like this but do you think a throwaway SIM and phone defeats their checks? What if you have a normal registered phone with you when you go punting as well? Do you not think that they'd spot the fact that the two phones always connect to cells in the same location and handover from one cell to another at the same time?

There are lots more ways that they can figure out you're a punter if you apply to work for the government. But is it anything to worry about? For certain posts it's likely a pre-requisite that you punt now and then (house of Lords?)

[CityboyLondon]

Register it to someone else a fake name. When I tried verifying my phone on AW to buy credits the thing wouldnt work because of adult blocking, rang orange, registered it as james bond and my address was a london hotel. The little call centre worker didnt say anything of it. Even called me Mr Bond when I hung up 

[LL]

Register it to someone else a fake name. When I tried verifying my phone on AW to buy credits the thing wouldnt work because of adult blocking, rang orange, registered it as james bond and my address was a london hotel. The little call centre worker didnt say anything of it. Even called me Mr Bond when I hung up 

They probably don't have James Bond movies showing in Calcutta or Bangalore

[Buttons]

All sounds a bit paranoid tin foil hat time to me.

I agree, have a punting phone single or not. I know I do. If not single then hide it following any of the great advice available on here. Use an unregistered sim if you want. But this hobby isn't illegal, in the unlikely event you get traced, it will be for a good reason. Just be honest with the police or Mi6, KGB etc etc😂😂

[Hertsgent]

Just thought of another reason why you would want your phone to be totally untraceable.  What about security clearance for government employment?  I have no idea how much access security clearance people would have to databases of phone / SIM registrations, but I imagine that it would be more than most.

If you're planning on working for the government then you're probably way too dull to punt 

On the other hand you probably have plenty of time too, as there is no way you are going beyond 35 hours in a week 

[curry]

You really think MI5 cares that youre smashing brasses? Unless you get pulled in for murder/kids stuff/tech crimes you have no worries

Exactly +1 some people get well paranoid, they cud not give a flying fuck that you are whoreing. Unless one of them gets killed then they may want a "friendly chat" with you.

Despite what anyone tells you there is no thing as an untraceable phone if they wanted to find you they will.

This is a classic case of how meticulous they can and will be if they want this guy ONLY got caught cos he topped his phone using a credit card apart from that he was home and dry. It took them 2 years but they did get him. Every call you make sends the IMEI number with it the recipient doesn't see it but the network does. One good way to try to evade is to get a handset from abroad.

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They have techniques so sophisticated and precise you cannot even imagine they exist. One such way they easily find you is that they match  the "unregistered" phone to phones nearby at the time and use a process of elimination.

But as i said earlier they could not give a sausage about us whoring we have these phones to protect us from our partners and whores not from the authorities.

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[Turtle1]

Currently have 2 punting phones, none registered to anyone. An old Nokia and a few years old smartphone. Both pay as you go and Iv never had to register my details. Ever.