New 'Burner' app lets iPhone users create temporary, disposable phone numbers

The development team over at Ad Hoc Labs says the app is ideal for dating, Craigslist, short-term projects, side businesses, bands, FaceBook marketing posts and any other endeavor for which you'd like to give out a phone number on a non-permanent basis.

You can create one or several numbers at the same time, each of which acts as a separate line within your iPhone that can be used for voice and SMS messaging. Outgoing calls will show your temporary Burner number on the recipient's caller ID while incoming calls will either redirect to your main mobile number or go straight to voicemail, at your preference.

Each number comes equipped with a “Burn” button so that it can be destroyed when you’re done with it.

The app made its debut on the App Store yesterday for $1.99 and includes enough credits to create one short-duration Burner line — one that will last for a week and be good for 20 minutes of talk time or 20 SMS messages; whichever is exhausted first.

After that, you can purchase additional credits to create more Burners of various durations, or to extend Burners that you have already created. The larger the credit purchase, the bigger the volume discount.

Once you "Burn" a number, its gone forever. If someone calls after that, they’ll get a generic out-of-service message, Ad Hoc says. Creepers everywhere rejoiced.