We all dislike them and now the government may be taking notice of these nuisance calls as they have outlined new proposals to fine bosses of UK businesses which make unsolicited phone calls.
The numbers are quite astonishing when you look at them in detail. Figures published by the telecoms regulator Ofcom revealed that consumers received 3.9 billion unsolicited phone calls and texts in 2017. There are only 65 million people living in the UK, so we’re all getting quite a few by our calculations.
Penalties are likely to be severe for those Directors who ignore the warnings. As part of a government consultation on the matter, bosses of firms making cold calls could be fined up to £500,000 and be held personally liable for their company’s actions.
Currently, businesses are held responsible for making unsolicited calls, and are liable to fines of up to £500,000 if they are caught doing so. This means unscrupulous Directors can skip around potential fines if they are caught.
The new proposals will also make it easier for the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to ‘more effectively share information’ with Ofcom in regard to nuisance calls and texts.
Commenting on the issue, Margot James, Minister for Digital and the Creative Industries, said: ‘Nuisance calls are a blight on society and we are determined to stamp them out.
‘For too long a minority of company directors have escaped justice by liquidating their firms and opening up again under a different name.
‘We want to make sure the Information Commissioner has the powers she needs to hold rogue bosses to account and put an end to these unwanted calls.’
The consultation closes in August.
We urge those businesses who are engaged in legitimate telephone campaigns to take a look at their procedures and ensure that they follow the ICO guidelines. Ultimately these good quality businesses will be the ones who survive and thrive.
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