Giving out your cell phone #

[John105]

Have to admit I’m not up on things these days, and I tend to be 20 years older than my son’s friends’ parents.

So when I see stuff like “you can never cancel XM” or “never give out your cell” etc, I tend to believe them. After all, it was on the internet. I’m probably like those people in the progressive commercial becoming their parents.

1. I’ve been able to cancel XM with ease
2. I got a new cell# 14 mos ago, have given it out, and other than getting calls for the previous person, I don’t get too many spam calls. Why it matters is I am on call every 6th week, so I cannot let any calls roll to voicemail and must answer all. If I got a lot of spam it would be bad.

 

[SHOZ]

99% of my calls are spam or they are just confirming the number. It's terrible. I had to block my local prefix as so many calls were spam.

 

[John105]

99% of my calls are spam or they are just confirming the number. It's terrible. I had to block my local prefix as so many calls were spam.

It’s a real PITA, but if 99% are spam, have you looked into getting a new number? With verizon I think you can diy and as often as 1x per day.

Imho if one is afraid someone might not get your new number when you give it to them, there was a 60’s tune, “Morning Dew.”

“There’s no need, for you to be worrying, about all those people.”

The one tricky part is to think hard about all the entities where your cell is used for 2 factor authentication.

Take it from me. With financial institutions and LastPass, when your old cell is used for 2 factor, you ain’t gonna be able to simply call and update said cell. It is a MAJOR hassle…

 

[dumkid]

It’s a real PITA, but if 99% are spam, have you looked into getting a new number? With verizon I think you can diy and as often as 1x per day.

Imho if one is afraid someone might not get your new number when you give it to them, there was a 60’s tune, “Morning Dew.”

“There’s no need, for you to be worrying, about all those people.”

The one tricky part is to think hard about all the entities where your cell is used for 2 factor authentication.

Take it from me. With financial institutions and LastPass, when your old cell is used for 2 factor, you ain’t gonna be able to simply call and update said cell. It is a MAJOR hassle…

I hate 2 factor authentication. Sure, it's safe, but I don't always have my phone and I don't want to wait for the text to come through (we have bad cell service at my house)

 

[Hall]

have you looked into getting a new number? With verizon I think you can diy and as often as 1x per day.

That doesn't help. There are no "new" numbers, it will just be new to you. The carriers all re-use numbers after some period of time. It used to be 6-12 months before but now some re-use numbers within weeks or a couple months.

 

[racer12306]

I hate 2 factor authentication. Sure, it's safe, but I don't always have my phone and I don't want to wait for the text to come through (we have bad cell service at my house)

I hate text based 2FA. Text based 2FA is only marginally better than nothing because if people really want to get in, they can spoof your phone number.

I love app based 2FA

 

[chainblu]

Only family and friends get my personal cell number(s). The rest get the house phone, which is cell based.

 

[SHOZ]

It's the same with passwords. I must have 500 of them. I can change the number but them some data breach happens and it's back to where you were. I just don't answer the phone unless caller ID shows a know number or they leave a voice mail.

Fully half are no one there if you answer. And now I'm getting fax machines my voice mail.

 

[Pablo]

That doesn't help. There are no "new" numbers, it will just be new to you. The carriers all re-use numbers after some period of time. It used to be 6-12 months before but now some re-use numbers within weeks or a couple months.

Stop bring the conversation back to reality!

I know people who are battling ID theft. Most don't seem to know how it started. One couple turns out had some pretty loose security on their HOME WIFI!

 

[WobblyElvis]

I went to return something at Canadian Tire. I had the bill, the product, and the credit card it was purchased with. They asked me for my phone number. I said I'm not going to give you my phone number. Everything stopped. Would not proceed. I asked for the manager and she said they need my phone number. I refused and she said they must have a number. I said I'll make one up, which I did, and she made a face but let it go through.

 

[Pablo]

I remember when places and orgs would ask for SSN! People would just rattle it off in public.

 

[John105]

That doesn't help. There are no "new" numbers, it will just be new to you. The carriers all re-use numbers after some period of time. It used to be 6-12 months before but now some re-use numbers within weeks or a couple months.

Have you tried? As mentioned, I got a new to me number 14 mos ago. For a while, I was getting legit calls for the previous holder of the number. Not spam calls.

The person stated 99% of calls were spam. So what, just sit there and let the phone ring incessantly?

If you truly want a new number and don’t care, yes, there are new numbers. In my area they are 445 and 835 area codes that are the third overlays. Verizon has blocks in both. I wouldn’t want them as I’ve always been 215 back to 1999. But to a person who doesn’t care, why not?

edit link no worky but the overlays are from 3/3/18

 

[John105]

I remember when places and orgs would ask for SSN! People would just rattle it off in public.

My first job was hourly. We put out time cards into slots of a rack on the wall.

The time cards had name, DOB, SS#.

Oddly, everyone became a victim of identify thefts. I remember detectives showed up and starting interviewing us all. I kept asking them about their cars and laptops and what it was like was it like Law and Order or NYPD Blie. I was still considering becoming a cop as I recall…

Nowadays even CVS has every customer announce their DOB at the counter. In 2023….

 

[racer12306]

I remember when places and orgs would ask for SSN! People would just rattle it off in public.

Or engraved on an item as a form of identification?

 

[John105]

Or engraved on an item as a form of identification?

Health care routinely used it as the unique identifier aka member ID on the member card…….

 

[Hall]

I refused and she said they must have a number. I said I'll make one up, which I did, and she made a face but let it go through.

212-555-1111

 

[alarmguy]

My friends get text messages and calls from unknown sources.
I get ZERO of them on mine and they asked how I avoid them.

Easy! The only folks who have my# are close friends and family.
I still have a landline (old man you know) LOL!
Any places that require a phone# are directed to the landline.
If I don't recognize the name on caller ID, it rolls to the answering machine. If I know the person, I can call them back.

We do the same thing! *LOL*
Anyone we dont want to have our number we give out our Ooma Landline number and never answer it*LOL*
Cost free plus roughly $6.50 in typical phone taxes. Total payment is less than $7 a month.

Also, not sure if everyone knows, at least with iPhone you can deny all numbers other than who is in your Contact List.

 

[alarmguy]

First and foremost, DO NOT call those toll free numbers for Medicare Advantage. They sell your number to other insurance companies. The same goes for those life insurance companies that advertise on TV.

Agree, first I understand some can not use a computer for various reasons. If you must call for something like Medicare you can call the government number or a direct number to the likes of United Health Care (largest provider of C plans) or Aetna (another big one)
Thing is even when some people do that, they get tricked into thinking they are calling the company when they are not.

The internet is the best but not everyone can use it and must use numbers.
Best bet is what is previously mentioned, have two numbers. One to make calls like the above if you must.

 

[paulo57509]

I used to get calls on my work phone from a debt collector looking for some dude and dudette I never heard of. Looking thru the company directory didn't return anyone by that name. Whoever was calling never really believed that I was being truthful. They also threatened me with a subpoena. Do your worst, I don't care.

Our land line at home gets 8-12 spam calls a day. We normally keep the answering machine off and this had all but eliminated the calls but it doesn't seem to be working anymore.

A few spam calls and texts do get through on my mobile. I ignore and block the numbers (like a lot of good that does). It's about as effective as that government do not call list.

 

[hemioiler]

Copper land lines are probably the most reliable, old fashioned but reliable.

My landline was terrible. Rural area, lots of old cabling and moisture getting into the line. Crackles, echos, and fading in/out.

My cell is crystal clear, especially when calling other guys on the same carrier where they enable HD quality. But then there is the issue of the occasional drop outs, so it really depends. There are pros and cons to both.