When you start communicating with someone you met online do you feel uncomfortable to give him or her your phone number? If you block your number to call most people won’t answer, and it seems like you’re hiding something. So how do you be open and friendly while still keeping yourself safe? You disguise your phone number.
Use Google Voice. Google voice lets you choose an alternate phone number that will forward to your actual phone number. You can text and make phone calls and the alternate number is what will show up to your potential date.
Plus, you get added security by recording a separate voicemail message. Make your outgoing greeting warm and inviting, geared towards potential dates, but only use your first name.
In your settings, you can select the times of day you’ll allow calls and texts to ring through to your phone. All other times calls will go straight to your google voice voicemail. So if some creep is looking for a hookup late at night you won’t be bothered by their attempt. You can block any number you don’t want to hear from again and they never even had your actual phone number.
I know it’s much easier to text with potential dates but I highly recommend you take the time to speak on the phone before you meet in person. You can learn a lot about someone in even a short conversation and it can save you the time and trouble of getting together with him or her. It can keep you safer too. Trust your instincts whenever you get a creepy feeling about someone. Never go to meet someone you get a strange vibe from on the phone.