We usually talk about using a VPN or virtual private network to protect your anonymity and prevent trackers from collecting your data and browsing habits. Among a few services, Surfshark VPN is one we regularly recommend. But there’s a whole lot more happening during your digital browsing and online usage than just data collection. For example, if you sign up with a phone number for a particular brand’s newsletter or various services, they can sell that information to third parties. That opens up your phone number to a host of problems, making you vulnerable to spam, online stalking, data leaks, and worse. But what if you could take advantage of an alt ID or number, generating an online name, email, and phone number to protect your real identity?
Well, guess what? You can, with Surfshark. In addition to a full-fledged VPN, antivirus, ad-blocker, and much more, Surfshark offers an Alternative ID service to help you protect your identity once and for all. Digital nomads and remote workers especially can benefit, but in reality, it’s useful for everyone. Once generated, you can provide alternative information to providers or sites you don’t trust. Just like a VPN, it helps mask your real name and contact information.
Why would I want to use an alternative ID, number, or generated contact information?
Every site you visit is collecting data about you. Even with a VPN to cut down on the trackers, sometimes you have no choice but to provide information yourself, whether to log in, browse, or take advantage of deals and other features. But you should know that you don’t have to provide your real contact information. You can provide alternative details to sites, brands, and contacts you don’t trust. That helps cut down on spam and scam messages you’ll get, but also prevents online stalking, unwanted calls, and texts, and keeps your real name and identity even more private.
It’s easy to use, and simple to set up and manage. Moreover, there are a variety of support and resource options at your disposal, including troubleshooting. In other words, you’re not left to fend for yourself. You can get help from the Surfshark team when you need it.
Here’s how it works:
Let’s say you’re visiting a website and you need to log in or provide an email, but you don’t want to use your real one. With Surfshark’s Alternative ID tool, you simply create a digital persona with an attached, but fake, email. You can customize various options like address, name, and beyond. When you’re ready, you link the fake email to your real email — so messages are forwarded as needed — then off you go. You provide the information to the form or site that’s asking for it, and wallah! You’re all protected. It works similarly when creating an Alternative Number, instead of providing your real cell information.
When does an Alternative ID or number come in handy?
Anytime you don’t want to provide your real information or you’re interacting with a brand, website, or app you don’t trust. You can use the tool to purchase flight tickets through an Alternative ID, for example, with working notifications, alerts, and details through the connected ID. You could use it for a short-term apartment or property rental. You can use it with online reservation systems, brand or store apps, newsletters, and even to get verification codes on sites you don’t want to share your personal details with.
Basically, anytime or anywhere you don’t want to give out your personal information. You could even use it for cold calls or marketing information. If you’re reaching out for a quote somewhere, generate the Alternative ID, have the person or company contact you, and there you go. When you’re ready you can provide your real information if you decide to move forward.
As for the cost, a Surfshark subscription begins with Surfshark Starter at $3 per month. However, if you’d like access to Alternative Number, the final price would be about $6 per month — $2.99 + $2.89 = $5.88 per month. If you want real-time email and breach alerts also, you should upgrade to Surfshark One for $3.39 per month.