The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has ordered a marketing company based in Glasgow to stop bombarding the public with nuisance 
marketing calls.
DC Marketing Limited made the calls to try to get people to purchase solar panels partly financed by the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund. An ICO investigation found the company also frequently gave a false name to avoid detection.
It is against UK law for a company to make marketing calls to an individual who has opted out of receiving them by registering with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) or informing the company directly. It is also against the law for a company to give out false information in an attempt to avoid detection.
The ICO became aware that DC Marketing Limited was still contacting individuals who had asked not to be contacted after 280 reports were made to the TPS and the ICO from angry members of the public.
ICO Assistant Commissioner for Scotland, Ken Macdonald, said: “The law is clear. Companies must not contact individuals who have asked not to be called. DC Marketing Limited failed to respect people’s wishes and even lied in order to try and avoid detection.
“They have now been punished for their actions and served with an enforcement notice ordering them to stop making nuisance calls. If the company breaches the notice, then it will be treated as a criminal offence.”
The ICO has published detailed guidance for companies carrying out marketing explaining their legal requirements under the Data Protection Act and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. The guidance covers the circumstances in which organisations are able to carry out marketing over the phone, by text, by email, by post or by fax.
The ICO is also continuing to work with the government, OFCOM, the telecommunications industry and consumer groups, including Which?, to tackle the problem of nuisance calls. Further information about this work can be found on the ‘What action have we taken?’ section of the ICO website.
