Tossable Digits
Posted by BoredNoodleWrecker@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 42 comments
Has anyone used the Tossable Digits service? If so, what are your thoughts? They basically port your US phone number and charge you like 40 bucks a year to continue to use it through their app.
I know Google Voice is kind of the standard here, but it said my number couldn't be ported because Google Voice didn't service my area yet. I mostly just want to keep my number for things like websites that utilize two factor authentication. Tossable Digits says they do support this service, but some companies won't let them do it.
ooglek2@reddit
It's great! You can use our app, but you don't have to. We can forward SMS messages and Voicemails as emails and you can use our website. We support Short Code SMS and 2FA for almost every company but for Twitter (they have other options) and Wells Fargo (their choice to limit to only Verizon/AT&T/T-Mobile/US Mobile customers).
Happy to answer questions. Or hit us up on Live Chat on our site, available Monday-Friday 9am-1am US Eastern Time.
Full disclosure: I started it
WerewolfNo9430@reddit
I'd like your feedback about my plan below, please let me know if I should start a new thread.
Appreciate your feedback on this, thanks a bunch!
ooglek2@reddit
All looks good! We can deliver for you in this plan.
Wells Fargo is the only bank we know of that will cease sending 2FA SMS after you port to any non-wireless carrier.
Fidelity is definitely yes, so long as your number is already registered with them. I’ll check on the other two. If you know the phone numbers or short codes they send from, that will help!
ooglek2@reddit
I can confirm that our other customers who have ported to Tossable Digits continue to receive SMS messages from:
Hope that helps u/WerewolfNo9430 !!
taming_impala@reddit
Hi!! Can you confirm that I would be able to receive SMS messages from Capital One if I moved to Tossable Digits? My number is already registered with Capital One but I am living in South Africa now, and I want to cancel my plan with Verizon and solely use a local service but I still need to maintain my US-number just to access my Capital One bank account.
ooglek2@reddit
We receive SMS from Capital One for other customers, as long as the number is already registered with Capital One.
taming_impala@reddit
Thank you so much!
ooglek2@reddit
Sure thing! Please be aware that Capital One can change their policy and process at anytime, outside of our control. It should work, and it does for hundreds of our customers who also use Cap One, but we cannot guarantee that it will work forever. But it has for the last decade, so I don’t think that will change.
taming_impala@reddit
I understand. how soon after porting over my number to Tossable Digits can I cancel my phone plan with Verizon?
ooglek2@reddit
Once the number is ported, you can cancel with Verizon. Generally, they usually cancel automatically when you pour out and there’s no other service on your account, but it’s good to check.
taming_impala@reddit
Thanks so much!
ooglek2@reddit
Most US numbers if you give us the correct information the first time, will port in 24 hours or less.
WerewolfNo9430@reddit
Wonderful, thank you very much!
4ellendger@reddit
Bank Of America doesn't send 2FA short code messages as well.
ooglek2@reddit
That’s contrary to all the data we have, as up to date as today.
4ellendger@reddit
Probably, but I have tried a few days without success. Also the virtual number doesn't accept SMS-es abroad, only from the USA and Canada.
ooglek2@reddit
You definitely need to have had the phone number registered with BofA BEFORE moving to Tossable Digits.
If you try to register after, usually it won’t work. I can go into detail as to why, but the simple answer is it is a choice made by Bank of America under the guise of security. Frankly getting rid of 2FA via SMS is a better security path: app-based, TOTP are better.
4ellendger@reddit
Ok, I see. So buying Tossable Digits number won't work for banks, need to register the "real" number in a bank first, next move it to Tossable Digits (instead of buying a new number) to simply pay less. Only in this sequence Tossable Digits works.
WerewolfNo9430@reddit
Much appreciate it, thank you in advance!
radonesque@reddit
Super late on the response and hope I can hear back. I am in mainland China and would love to use your service as Google Fi has kicked me off their plan for being outside the US for too long but can't seem to sign up as I can't disconnect my VPN and still access the internet. Catch 22! Help me out if you can.
NatureNo6724@reddit
hi! just wondering are you satisfied with your service with Tossable Digits right now? i am moving out of the country soon and considering using their service.
ooglek2@reddit
You'll have to contact Google Fi and see if you can still Port your number out.
If not, you're kinda hosed, as the number MUST be active with a carrier to switch it to another carrier.
You can use something like https://protonvpn.com/ the Free version for your VPN.
tiramissus@reddit
Just tried it, doesn’t work with capital one. I’m in Australia
ooglek2@reddit
Did you Port a number in or purchase a new number?
tiramissus@reddit
New number
ooglek2@reddit
Here's the reason, and it is not a limitation of Tossable Digits, but a choice made by banks and businesses to limit fraud.
Banks and Businesses generally only accept phone numbers that are currently with US Wireless Carriers, such as T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, US Mobile, smaller regional wireless carriers, and their resellers.
Once the number is accepted, then you can port it to Tossable Digits and for all banks and businesses (except for Wells Fargo) as far as we know today, they will continue to send the SMS messages to the number, even though it moved to another non-wireless carrier.
Wells Fargo is the only bank/business that we know of that will cease sending SMS messages when the phone number switches to a non-wireless carrier.
Your options:
Find a friend in the US, have them pick up a T-Mobile Prepaid SIM and US Phone Number, they work with you to register that number with banks/businesses, then port to Tossable Digits and it keeps working.
Return to the US when you are back for whatever reason and do the same.
Another challenge is that banks and businesses can change their processes and policies whenever they want, so while what I am saying is true today, it might not still be true when you (anyone) is reading this.
I realize that the process is a pain here, but you have Capital One to thank. It may be worth reaching out to Capital One, explaining your situation, and maybe they can add the number manually rather than through the automated process on the website. Another option is rather than SMS, use a Phone Call to verify the number, then switch the notifications back to SMS once added. But this is a Capital One issue, not any technical limitation of the service.
tiramissus@reddit
I’m returning to the US next week. Would it work with mint mobile or visible? And then I’ll have to buy another tossable plan or can I transfer the new number I bought to this one? Just bought the $40 annual plan last week
ooglek2@reddit
Yep! We can port in from Mint and Visible. No plan change needed, just log in and click "Add Virtual Numbers" then "Transfer Your Number."
You'll need the Account Number, Number Transfer PIN, name and address for the number. Ask your carrier for the "Port Out Information" that you'll need to give us. Sometimes it is your info, but with some resellers like Visible and Mint, they might give you an address you don't recognize.
Once you get the Port Submitted and the number is moved, email support AT tossabledigits DOT com and request an update to your subscription start date.
MAKE SURE You get that Wireless Number registered with your banks and businesses -- don't forget PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, WhatsApp, Craigslist, Capital One, Amazon, Chase, United Airlines, Microsoft / Hotmail, Google / Gmail, Discover, AmEx, Login.gov / IRS, Instagram / Facebook, Fidelity, Vanguard, Apple, etc.
While nothing in life is guaranteed, I can confirm that we have received SMS messages from every one of the above listed companies on our numbers that customers have Ported In that were wireless and registered with these companies while they were wireless.
Hope that helps!!!
tiramissus@reddit
Awesome thanks! I’ll try this and see how it goes, will report back if any issues. But to clarify I can choose a new number with mint and then later on port that number over and I will lose the virtual number I currently have with you guys, correct?
ooglek2@reddit
We have Live Chat on the site Monday-Friday 9am-1am US Eastern Time if you need immediate help.
Yes, choose a new number with Mint, register with all of your banks and businesses while with Mint, then you Port the Number with Mint to Tossable Digits and you should continue to receive SMS messages from those banks and businesses.
You will NOT lose any existing Virtual Numbers -- you can keep multiple numbers on the account, or if you are done with one, just disconnect it.
tiramissus@reddit
Great, thanks, on second thought might go with hello mobile or tello instead of mint :)
ooglek2@reddit
There shouldn't be any issue with which carrier you choose. Just make sure you get a number in a well-populated urban area. Our coverage is 95% of the US, not 100%, so there are some rural places where we cannot move your number!
tiramissus@reddit
Houston won’t be too rural will it? Lol
ooglek2@reddit
Hahaha that'll do just fine! ;-)
Watercress_Rough@reddit
Hi @ooglek2, I recently signed up and it was working fine with forwarded calls into a Spanish number, but recently there are issues. When I get a call and have to press a digit to activate the call, such as "Please press 1 to talk to a representative", I press 1 but it doesn't get through I press it multiple times and hold it for longer but the call just disconnects because the press of the button doesn't register. Again, it was working fine the first few days but then it just stopped working. Is this a known issue and can you help me resolve please? Thank you!
Ockeghem20@reddit
This is also an issue for me, moving from Canada to Germany. Except it's more that we get *some* SMSs and not others. For example, my NEXUS renewal appears to have finally been reviewed, but I can't access it because the U.S. system is sending an SMS with the code and Tossable Digits doesn't get it. I've never had a problem getting these codes while I was in Canada. We've had that with a couple of different companies (not banks, usually things like ticket vendors for various sights abroad) since moving, and it's getting quite frustrating.
NatureNo6724@reddit
hi! just wondering are you able to contact customer service to fix this problem? i am moving out of the country soon and considering should i use tossable digits but i have been seeing comments like this and making me worried about the services.
Top-Calendar-469@reddit
Hi u/Watercress_Rough I am having the same issue, but I also cannot even outdial now. I am literally googling for troubleshooting advice now because the suggestions I received initially from customer service did not work, and now they are not answering my most recent live chat - even though I messaged during business hours. Did you get any further info on this issue? Has the service been working for you again? Just like you, I really enjoyed the service and had no issues when I first signed up. I hate to bail on them, but I need to have reliable service otherwise there's no point. One of the suggestions I received was "Move around to ensure your phone's signal strength to your nearest cell tower is as high as possible. Move outside of buildings and higher up near windows." This reminded me of the late 1990's/early 2000's when cell phone carriers in rural areas suggested going outside to make calls. It was not practical then, and it is certainly not practical now lol!
Skippy134@reddit
What exactly does the $3.49 per number mean? Is that the charge to port our numbers, or is that the charge per call to another number?
Watercress_Rough@reddit
I'm migrating to Spain from Canada. Just joined Tossable Digits 2 weeks ago. So far so good! I always choose the phone call option for 2FA whenever possible (which is most of the time). Been working great so far. This service is a life saver!
Watercress_Rough@reddit
Ok, I am getting some issues now to be honest. When I request a call from an institution for 2FA, I take the call and the robot says "press 2 to get your code". I press 2, but it doesn't register and the call disconnects. I try holding the key longer but it's the same. It was working for the first several times but no longer... It's the same for my 2nd line also... Customer reps weren't able to help unfortunately. Is this a known issue?..
BoredNoodleWrecker@reddit (OP)
Yea, I love it. Still use it even back in the States.