Mental Health

1 in 5 People in Relationships Use Secret Phone Numbers to Cheat

By Christine Hsu | Update Date: Mar 12, 2014 04:33 PM EDT

New infidelity research reveals that one in five people in relationships use secret phone number to stay in contact with their exes.

British researchers found that 21 percent of people in relationships to hide their betrayal with a second SIM card. However, a shameless 19 percent of cheaters said they didn't need to hide their phone activity because they believe their partners trust them completely.

Researchers said the latest study, conducted by SIMOnlyContracts.co.uk, is part of ongoing research into the double lives that modern technology allows people to lead.

Researchers said that 1,131 of the respondents who have admitted to cheating over the past five years were asked to fill out surveys of how technology helped their aid their adulterous behavior.

The survey revealed that 72 percent of cheaters said that they used a mobile phone to communicate with their secret lovers, and the remaining 18 percent said they used email and online chat rooms.

When asked how they made sure a current partner doesn't find out the messages of the phone, 19 percent of cheaters said they had a second SIM card.

Other ways of keeping their adultery secret include having a password on their phone, using a different name for their secret lover, deleting texts or buying a completely separate phone.

Researchers said that the findings prove that these technology cover-ups or tactics help people cheat.

The survey revealed that 56 percent of respondents said their partner was still unaware of their affair, 31 percent said their partners had discovered their betrayal and only 13 percent admitted their affairs to their partners.

Roshan Bholah, founder of SIMOnlyContracts.co.uk, said that he was surprised by the effort people put in to hide their infidelity, according to the Daily Mail.

"We're surprised to hear that a large number of cheating Britons prefer to purchase a second SIM card when it's possible to put a complex locking system onto your phone," Bholah said. "Although, I suppose if your partner knows how to access your phone, you wouldn't want to run the risk of them seeing what you've been up to."

He added that getting a second SIM card was without doubt the best way to get away with cheating.

"Whilst we obviously don't condone or encourage infidelity, purchasing a second SIM card is possibly one of the sneakiest tricks you could use to keep your affair secret," he said. "If you were to purchase a second phone, you run the risk of your partner finding it; if your lover contacts you on your personal mobile, you run the risk of your partner seeing the texts or answering a phone call; and if you were to communicate with them online, you run the risk of your partner digging up your online history."

"A SIM card is easy to hide and, whilst it can be a pain to change the SIM, you're less likely to get caught out," he explained.

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