New Contributor
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6 Messages
New listed phone number and now a lot scam calls using spoofed phone numbers.
I just got a Cox landline phone because I was tired to being dependent on just my cell phone, and I made the mistake of going the cheap route and allowing my phone number to be listed rather than unlisted.
My question is how to make it an unlisted number now? I don't see that option under my Account options. And plus, now this number is out there with my name on it.
The callers are specifically calling me and asking for me by name. So they already have the information.
And it seems to be the same group of callers, all obviously scams, using spoofed phone numbers, and trying to sell me an ADT security plan that is most likely fake. They want me credit card information, and of course, I'm not dumb enough to give it to them.
I have used Cox's ability to block specific numbers from calling me, and each time they call me from a new spoofed number, I immediately block them from calling me again, but they keep generating new spoofed numbers to call me. How many numbers can I add to my blocked phone numbers' list? I hope I don't run out of blocked number slots for all these incoming calls.
I put this number on the Do Not Call Registry, but I've heard it does very little good anyways.
So, anyways, I'm not a pleased customer at this point. I mainly use this landline number to make calls to friends, business associates, etc., but I can see that I will still have to rely on my cell phone for receiving calls, because I'll eventually have to just turn the ringer off of my landline phone and let all the calls go to my answering machine. What a pain in the neck! It has been such a long time since I had a landline phone that I had forgotten why I got rid of it in the first place. And now it seems like it is even worse than before. Tons of sales calls, and tons of outright scam calls.
Luckily, I don't fall for any of them, but it makes my phone almost worthless.
My cell phone is unlisted, thankfully.
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Accepted Solution
yak
Contributor III
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521 Messages
I am not certain that "unlisted" makes things better. The spammers set up their computer to call every single possible phone number. Most don't care about your name. "You won a cruise" or "The FBI has notified us about increased break-ins".
Cox lets you block apx 30 numbers for a fee. One of the forum members recommended the Panasonic ( i don't work for them) phones which let you block 250 numbers. I bought it. It makes the phone usable again. The "cruise" spammers call from 15 different spoofed numbers but i don't care.
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MichaelJ
Moderator
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1.8K Messages
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Bruce
Honored Contributor III
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5.7K Messages
Yak is correct with scammers war-dialing all numbers. Scammers don't care about names...they just want the opportunity to get money.
However, what's disturbing is how quickly they tied your name to your number. Either Tukee released it to an untrusted business...Cox released it...or the scammers are abusing the DNC Registry. When a telemarketer registers with the DNC Registry, the FTC gives a list of numbers and names for the telemarketer to remove from their calling list. The telemarketer is either using the DNC List for clients...or the telemarketer sold the list. This is why the National Do Not Call Registry is such a flop.
If you're only using the landline for specific numbers (friends, family, coworkers), get a call-blocking device and configure it as an Allow List. Meaning, only friends, family and coworkers are allowed to ring your phone and leave messages. Everything else will be disconnected.
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Tukee
New Contributor
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6 Messages
Thanks for the info everyone.
I am going to get a new phone that can block numbers itself. I like having a landline phone again, and I am willing to splurge a bit on a new phone to make it usable again and less annoying for me.
I wish that Cox would offer more than 30 blocked numbers as an option someday, but I'm not willing to wait for them to do it.
I decided since my name and number are already out there floating around, there is no point in making this an unlisted number. It wouldn't do much good at this point. And besides, old friends can now find me in the phone directory again, if they so choose.
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Wesley_Barton
New Contributor
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1 Message
Hello,
My roommate and I started getting Cox internet, cable, and phone.
Several days into using the internet, the screen froze, and a white background page said to call 1 844-854-6800.
A David Brown then gave me a spiel about "oh, you have many hackers attacking you and many viruses.
How can a remote person/site control my computer, and then blackmail me into paying a company call MaleWareBytes $99 to "fix" my computer. He tried to sell me even more.
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dward5665
Contributor
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122 Messages
Did your internet package include McAfee? If so, load it and start using it.
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photosports
New Contributor
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3 Messages
It would help if Cox would allow "nomorobo" on the system. It's the best technical solution for stopping junk calls.
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