Focusing on freeloaders rather than those in need is problematic. There will always be freeloaders, and sure, we should always aim to minimize their numbers. But is it worth it to deny those with genuine need who vastly outnumber the relatively miniscule number of freeloaders?
I agree. If that doesn’t work, I’d give the whole line a visual inspection for any more obvious signs of damage. If that doesn’t work there are other options to troubleshoot, but I’d probably just replace the line and attempt to recycle the old cord into shorter lines for device connections, patching, etc.