Thanks, so here's the thing re: my story. It's a YA Thriller/Horror, and my MC gets a text--a strange, (sort of threatening) one that she doesn't really understand at this point. The person/stalker/killer who makes the text obviously doesn't want to be found out, so when my MC gets the text, naturally, she looks to see who it's from. So, I'm trying to figure out what she would see (or what possible things could come up) when she looks at who the text is from. I originally had it as, Unavailable, but I don't know if that's what would actually come up on a text.
Have the phone number come up. With a prepaid phone, you don't have to give your name in setting up the phone. Area code for the cell phone is whatever area you say you use the most, which means you can buy a phone in California and have a New York area code. Phone companies buy blocks of numbers from the FCC, but will have numbers in any area code where the company provides coverage.
The "villain" would make sure that the MC couldn't figure out who it is (she wouldn't call the police at this point because she doesn't really understand the message and just chalks it up to some idiot messin' around) and when she tries calling the number (if a number would in fact come up), it would either just ring and ring or it would go to voicemail with no message to indicate whose phone it is.
If the villain has any sense, the villain uses the phone once, then gets rid of it. But virtually every phone company provides voice mail with a recorded message that doesn't identify a thing. Personally I'd use the phone once illegally, then put it on a tractor-trailer and let it go for a ride. As long as the phone is on (up to about ten days until the battery dies), the phone can be traced by the GPS to within fifty feet of its location. You can pick up a NET10 LG300 with 750 Minutes Card, Refurbished for $25 from Wal-Mart. Use once and throw away is a lot cheaper then going to jail.
Also, since they seem to be like regular phones, I would assume it has a mute feature, right? (smack me for dumbness of that question PLEASE!).
I'm assuming you mean the ring tone as opposed to the fact that the microphone doesn't pick up. You can set ring tone to volume on virtually any phone, and most have a vibrate mode. Most of the prepaid phones are exactly the same as any other cell phones. The cheaper prepaid phones are phones that customers who want the latest and newest and have returned their phones. The phones are refurbished and that's how you can pick up one for $25.
Lastly, when you purchase these phones, can you do it by cash?
Cash, credit card, doesn't matter. However, reputable stores will record the serial number of the phone, which is tied back to the SIM card. When the phone is used, the police can then trace back to where and when it was purchased, and many stores use a lot of video so your smiling face could be captured on camera. If I was being really cautious, I'd buy phones from the back of someone truck. Probably stolen, but there are also burn phones easily available. These phones are next to impossible even for someone like the CIA to trace.
Do you have to be a certain age to purchase one and/or the minutes?
Depends upon the store's policy, but I know kids who've bought them at age twelve. (Actually I should say I know their parents, who were not happy campers when they found out.) Most high school students will know what store(s) in their area will sell to them.
Can it all be done by cash and walking into a place (like Radio Shack) to put more money on the account?
Normally, you get a little card that you have to punch the number into the cell phone. But yeah, any store that sells them. Which ranges from places like Best Buy, Radio Shack, or Wal-Mart to places like Cumberland Farms and 7-11.
Thanks again everyone!