I hear on the cop shows my wife watches that people use burner phones. What are they? What makes them different than a regular old cell phone? Where do the bad guys buy them?

Prepaid phones you can buy anywhere.

Burner phones=Prepaid phones. Wal-Mart, Dollar General etc.......They've been around for years.

Good guys buy them too. They sell them at Walmart. Pay cash for the phone and minutes and are hard to track. Here is a good video on the subject. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJmvWdXO8Y0
You can also use signal app on your phone. You can also look up Meshtastic texting.

Thank you.

Why? What are you planning? lol

I probably wouldn't be much of a plotter if I didn't even know what a burner phone is. I do know, now, that there could be several reasons to own one. There are some really smart people on here.

In extreme cases , burner phones are used once .

Then the phone is destroyed. 'Burned' Zero contact/info of that call. Osama Bid Laden did this , that's why it was harder to find him.

I need a new phone,,,,, everything including my guns and shells went overboard in my boat,,,,,
Soooooo,,,sad…

that is what happens when you overload a duck skiff then go out on big water.

I am going to blame it on the Fat Girl from the Dinner for insurance purposes

I think I always use one. A cheap tracphone from dollar general
This is the only phone I have and don't have a home computer. Works good for me and let's me respond now on Trapperman. I paid $38 and have a monthly plan. I don't have a need for a $800 phone and a home computer

They used a lot of them in Breaking Bad.