1 | '''Basic Trope''': A throwaway cell phone or [=VoIP=] number used by someone engaged in illegal activities ([[TheAggressiveDrugDealer drug dealing]], [[TheOldestProfession prostitution]], illegal computer hacking, terrorism, etc.). |
2 | * '''Straight''': Alice, a prostitute, uses a prepaid cell phone to set up meetings with clients. It can easily be disposed of and replaced if necessary. |
3 | * '''Exaggerated''': |
4 | ** Alice uses a throwaway [=VoIP=] number, which she changes daily. |
5 | ** Alice has engineered her phone to explode as soon as she's done with it. Since she meets with several clients per day, she has multiples of these phones. |
6 | * '''Downplayed''': |
7 | ** Alice gives a fake number to Bob at the bar, because she's not interested. |
8 | ** Alice provides a fake number on her social media page and uses a VPN to hide her IP address, so that if she incurs the wrath of Website/{{Twitter}} or Website/{{Tumblr}} and gets [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxing doxxed]] one day, people won't easily find her. |
9 | * '''Justified''': |
10 | ** Prostitution is illegal where Alice lives; giving out a phone number tied to her name and address makes it easier for law enforcement to find her. |
11 | ** TheOldestProfession is a ''dangerous'' one; giving out a phone number tied to her name and address puts her in danger of stalking, harassment, [[DisposableSexWorker or worse]]. |
12 | * '''Inverted''': |
13 | ** Alice gives out a landline phone billed to her home address to set up meetings with clients. |
14 | ** Alice is not engaged in illegal activities, but gives away a throwaway Skype number for some other reason (preventing harassment, a preference for Skype over a regular phone, etc.). |
15 | * '''Subverted''': |
16 | ** Alice has two cell phones: one for work, and one for personal use. |
17 | ** Alice gives out the number of a local payphone. |
18 | * '''Double Subverted''': |
19 | ** The work she does is [[HighClassCallGirl escort work]], and she uses a throwaway prepaid phone for setting up meetings with clients. |
20 | ** The phone has been "hacked" somehow to ring her phone at home. |
21 | * '''Parodied''': Bob TheAggressiveDrugDealer's phone rings, and it's his mother. Who is calling to ask if [[BreadEggsMilkSquick he's wearing clean underwear and eating properly, or if he's seeing anyone, or to talk about her problems ... and to buy some ecstasy]]. |
22 | -->'''Bob''': Mom, I told you not to call me on this number! |
23 | ** Bob takes calls from his mom on burner phones and does his drug deals on his own personal phone because for his species, YourNormalIsourTaboo and vice versa. |
24 | * '''Zig-Zagged''': |
25 | ** Alice gives her home phone number, her legitimate cell number, a [=VoIP=] number, and a fake number to various people. |
26 | ** Alice gives clients a burner phone number, but she's found out, so she switches to another burner number. |
27 | * '''Averted''': |
28 | ** Alice is not engaged in any illegal activities. |
29 | ** Alice does not have a phone. |
30 | * '''Enforced''': The show is based on an earlier book series ''Burning the Trace'' -- all about people who evade surveillance and monitoring in various ways. Not having them would be Adaptation Defilement. |
31 | * '''Lampshaded''': |
32 | -->'''Bob''': Alice, what's with the prepaid phone? I thought you had a smartphone. |
33 | -->'''Alice''': Oh, yeah. That's my, er … work phone. |
34 | * '''Invoked''': Alice wants to be able to set up meetings with clients more easily, and knows she shouldn't use her personal phone(s) to do that. |
35 | * '''Exploited''': Bob decides to get rich off people doing less than squeaky-clean business by selling these. |
36 | * '''Defied''': Cellphone registration laws crack down on burner phones and make any sold useless. Cellphone companies can't register SIM cards without verifying them and any stolen phones wind up invalidated quickly. |
37 | * '''Discussed''': ??? |
38 | * '''Conversed''': ??? |
39 | ---- |
40 | Back to BurnerPhones |
41 | ---- |
42 | %%Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion: |
43 | %%* '''Implied''': ??? |
44 | %%* '''Deconstructed''': ??? |
45 | %%* '''Reconstructed''': ??? |
46 | %%* '''Played for Laughs''': ??? |
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