Make the right call with the wrong number

Burner disposable phone number app for Apple Inc. iPhones and iPod Touch
$1.99 at the iOS App Store

Fans of the classic TV series “The Wire” know that a “burner” was the show’s nickname for a cheap, disposable cell phone used by criminals to cover their tracks. Well, here’s an impressive app to let law-abiding types do the same thing, and without having to throw away an expensive iPhone afterwards.

Burner is an online service that lets you purchase a temporary phone number to use in place of the one assigned to your phone. Dial calls through the Burner app, and the person on the other end will see this temporary number. If he calls you back, the call is routed to your iPhone’s real number. But your caller ID will display the Burner number, so you know the call is from somebody you may not entirely trust.

The app includes a number good for 20 minutes of talk and 20 text messages. Once activated, this number automatically expires after seven days. You can purchase credits that let you keep using the Burner number and provide extra voice minutes and text messages.

But the true beauty of Burner is the ability to discard a number. Use a Burner number for those unpleasant chats with bill collectors or ex-boyfriends. To prevent them calling back, just hit the “burn” button, and the number no longer works.

There are lots of other temporary phone number services out there, but Burner is unusually simple and attractive, especially for those of us who loved watching “The Wire.”