to pretend your on the phone with/ texting someone while in public for either two reasons:
1. too look cool and like you have friends or
2. to avoid certain situations
reason number two is the most respectable one.
1. person 1: whos that skank on the phone with? why would anyone call her?
person 2: i bet shes phoney phoning.
2. person 1: shit here she comes, lets phoney phone so she won't try and talk to us.