The honeymoon is over. We've had the Second Tracfone since October 11. Thirty minutes after leaving the store in Gilford, we got our first bogus call. Over the following 14 days we got a dozen more calls from various numbers all over the country. Googling the numbers usually pointed to collection agencys or "number unknown", etc. If you get bogus calls on your phone, just Google the number and see if there has been any activity. Pages of "Posts" will show up almost every time. We NEVER answered the calls. Most of the victims posting, did answer the calls. We did however keep a list of the numbers.
This past Tuesday I drove down to a local (RI) Wally Mart and asked if they could call Tracfone and get the telephone number changed. They agreed without hesitation. The new number provided us with almost two days of silence. Good. We have not yet given the number to anyone.
The first call came Wednessday night at about 8:45 and I later determined it was probably just a "wrong number" as it was a local Auto Parts store.. Today my wife got two more calls at work which did prove to be collection agencys. Again she did not answer the calls. The phone is now turned OFF...the place she works does not allow cell phone use in the office and the ringer can still be heard even though the phone is in her purse.
Even though she doesn't answer, the bogus caller leaves a Text message or even a voice mail (which we don't have set up) which uses up minutes.
BTW: Leaving the phone OFF all the time does no good, because as soon as you turn the phone ON later..the messages pop up.
Maybe I can sell the phone on ebay for a buck.
NB