Nice shootin', Text.
March 22, 2011 11:38 AM   Subscribe

I would like to receive text messages from potential candidates without providing my cell phone number up front.

Far a myriad of reasons, I do not want to give out my phone number before an initial contact is made.

I want to put something on my, or a, website to encourage people to text me, rather than call me.

Those I choose to text back would then have the number, of course.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!
posted by sandra_s to Computers & Internet (11 answers total)
 
Best answer: Google Voice?
posted by entropicamericana at 11:40 AM on March 22, 2011 [3 favorites]


Definitely google voice -you can get a number that forwards to your cell, and hand out that number.
posted by Tomorrowful at 11:41 AM on March 22, 2011


Yeah, you can sign up for a free Google Voice number, and give that to people to text. You can set it up (or maybe that's the default? Can't remember) so that the texts are automatically forwarded to your "real" number.
posted by rtha at 11:42 AM on March 22, 2011 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Concerning Google Voice: I dont want to imply that the google voice number is my phone number. Will that be a problem?
posted by sandra_s at 11:44 AM on March 22, 2011


Just say that it's not your voice number.
posted by empath at 11:46 AM on March 22, 2011


Google Voice is exactly what you need. If you have an iPhone (or, I guess, Android) you can download the Google Voice app to let you receive the texts as if they were sent to your phone, but all the people know is your Google Voice number.
posted by jayder at 11:50 AM on March 22, 2011


Response by poster: With Google voice, is there any voice contact can just be ignored?
posted by sandra_s at 11:52 AM on March 22, 2011


Response by poster: that's any WAY a voice contact can just be ignored?
posted by sandra_s at 11:55 AM on March 22, 2011


you can send all calls straight to voicemail.

You can also set up screening so certain numbers DO get forwarded to your real phone.
posted by empath at 11:58 AM on March 22, 2011


Response by poster: Nice. Thanks everyone!
posted by sandra_s at 12:00 PM on March 22, 2011


Set GV to do not disturb. You can also send texts from your pc. Even the reply does not have to give up your "real" number.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:01 PM on March 22, 2011


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