Enforcement action

Money Bubble Ltd MPN

12 December 2024, Monetary penalties, General business

It was found that between October – November 2022, the company made 168,852 spam calls resulting in several further complaints being made to the ICO and TPS. MBL did not provide evidence that anyone whose number had been called had consented to receiving calls from the company. The ICO has issued a £120,000 fine.

Breathe Services Ltd

12 December 2024, Monetary penalties

Breathe Services Ltd (BSL), a debt advice company based in Bolton, first came to the attention of the ICO as part of a wider investigation into complaints received about unsolicited phone calls to potentially vulnerable individuals. In a failed attempt to hide their real identity, BSL was found to have spoofed its outbound phone number by presenting over 1,000 different telephone numbers on calls. In March 2023 the ICO carried out a search at BSL’s office in Bolton, seizing evidence including documents and electronic devices. Our extensive investigation revealed that between March - July 2022 and October - December 2022, BSL bombarded people with 4,376,037 unsolicited direct marketing calls to numbers that had been registered to the Telephone Preference Service (TPS). This resulted in 58 complaints to the TPS and a further 193 complaints to the ICO.

Quick Tax Claims Limited

15 October 2024, Monetary penalties

An ICO investigation revealed that Quick Tax Claims Limited had sent 7,863,547 unlawful text messages over the course of a month, resulting in 66,793 complaints – 93% of these stating there was no ‘opt out’ option. During the investigation, the ICO found that the company had purchased personal information from third-party suppliers that did not obtain valid consent. This led to the ICO issuing Quick Tax Claims Limited with a £120,000 fine.

National Debt Advice Limited

14 October 2024, Monetary penalties, Finance insurance and credit

National Debt Advice sent 129,902 unsolicited direct marketing text messages to individuals in breach of regulation 22 of PECR resulting in over 4,000 complaints to the 7726 spam reporting service. The company was fined £30,000 and issued with an enforcement notice.

WerepairUK Ltd

10 October 2024, Monetary penalties, Marketing

WerepairUK Ltd made 42,688 marketing calls to individuals in breach of regulation 21 of PECR. The company has been fined £80,000 and issued with an enforcement notice.

Service Box Group Limited

10 October 2024, Monetary penalties, Marketing

Service Box Group Limited made 5,361 marketing calls to individuals in breach of regulation 21 of PECR. The company has been fined £40,000 and issued with an enforcement notice.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

03 October 2024, Monetary penalties

The Police Service of Northern Ireland has been fined £750,000 for infringing Articles 5(1)(f), 32(1) and (2) of the UK GDPR between 25 May 2018 and 14 June 2024.

Coastal Windows & Conservatories (UK) Limited

15 August 2024, Monetary penalties, Retail and manufacture

Coastal Windows & Conservatories Limited made over 18,000 unsolicited marketing calls between 1 January and 1 June 2023 to numbers registered with the TPS. The ICO and TPS received numerous complaints from people variously saying they had not consented to receiving such calls or received repeated calls despite requests to stop.

The Central Young Men’s Christian Association

30 April 2024, Monetary penalties, Charitable and voluntary

The Central YMCA sent an email to individuals participating in a programme for people living with HIV using “CC” rather than “BCC”, revealing the email addresses to all recipients. 166 individuals could be identified or potentially identified from their email address. As a result, it could be inferred that these individuals were likely to be living with HIV. The Central YMCA have been fined £7,500 and issued a reprimand.

Outsource Strategies Ltd

23 April 2024, Monetary penalties

Outsource Strategies Ltd made 1,346,503 unwanted marketing calls between 11 February 2021 and 22 March 2022 to numbers registered with the TPS. The ICO received 74 complaints from people variously saying they received repeated calls despite requests to stop and that the callers were aggressive.

Dr Telemarketing

23 April 2024, Monetary penalties

Between 11 February 2021 to 24 January 2022, there were 80,240 connected calls unsolicited direct marketing calls being made to subscribers who were registered with the TPS and who had not notified DRT that they were willing to receive such calls, and two complaints being submitted as a result. Calls were about the Irish Lottery. DRT stopped engaging with the Commissioner part way through the investigation and failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for the Lotto Express calls involved in the contravention.

Pinnacle Life Limited

07 March 2024, Monetary penalties, Finance insurance and credit

Between 5 May 2021 to 5 May 2022, there were 47,998 connected calls unsolicited direct marketing calls being made to subscribers who were registered with the TPS and who had not notified Pinnacle Life Limited that they were willing to receive such calls, and four complaints being submitted as a result.

Ministry of Defence

26 February 2024, Monetary penalties, Central government

The MOD sent emails inadvertently using the “To” field rather than the “BCC” field. 265 unique email addresses were disclosed in breach of GDPR Article 5(1)(f). The MOD were fined £350,000.

L.A.D.H Limited

19 January 2024, Monetary penalties, Finance insurance and credit

L.A.D.H Limited sent 31,329 direct market text messages to individuals in breach of regulation 22 and 23 of PECR. The company was fined £50,000 and issued with an enforcement notice.

Poxell Ltd

16 January 2024, Monetary penalties

Poxell first came to the attention of the Commissioner in April 2022 as part of an investigation formed to assess and analyse complaint trends in relation to the energy and home improvements sector. The investigation established that between 31 March 2022 and 20 July 2022, Poxell made 2,647,805 unsolicited direct marketing calls in breach of regulations 21 and 24 of PECR. The above resulted in 413 complaints to the ICO and TPS reporting tools. Individuals stated calls were about energy products, specifically driveway repairs, windows, doors and insulation. Several complainants reported that they had not consented to receive calls which were persistent in nature, one individual stated they had received over 40 calls, and they thought calls may be a scam.

Skean Homes Ltd

16 January 2024, Monetary penalties

Skean first came to the attention of the Commissioner in 2022 as part of an operation formed to assess and analyse complaint trends in relation to the energy and home improvement sector. The Commissioner identified a number of complaints against "Eco Hub", "Driveway Solutions" and "Eco Driveways", in which complainants stated that the calls were promoting energy grants for resin driveways. The investigation established that between 2 March 2022 and 31 May 2022, Skean instigated 614,342 unsolicited direct marketing calls in breach of regulations 21 and 24 of PECR. The above resulted in 31 complaints to the ICO and TPS reporting tools.

Grocery Delivery E-Services UK Ltd t/a HelloFresh

12 January 2024, Monetary penalties, Retail and manufacture

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined food delivery company HelloFresh £140,000 for a campaign of 79 million spam emails and 1 million spam texts over a seven-month period. The marketing messages were sent based on an opt-in statement which did not make any reference to the sending of marketing via text, and which was also bundled with an age confirmation statement which was likely to unfairly incentivise customers to agree. Customers were also not given sufficient information that their data would continue to be used for marketing purposes for up to 24 months after cancelling their subscriptions.

Intelling Ltd

16 November 2023, Monetary penalties, Online technology and telecoms

Between 1 January 2021 and 11 November 2021, Intelling sent 1,164,877 direct marketing messages in breach of Reg 22 of PECR. Intelling first came to the attention of the Commissioner as a result of 1,103 complaints received through the 7726 Spam Reporting Service.

Complete Marketing Services Ltd

09 November 2023, Monetary penalties

Between 8 June 2021 and 4 February 2022, CMS instigated 242,497 unsolicited direct marketing calls in breach of Reg 21 and 24 of PECR. CMS first came to the attention of the Commissioner in December 2021 when data pertaining to complaints about unsolicited live direct marketing calls regarding road traffic accidents ("RTA") and personal injury claims was reported by the TPS.

DPG Professional Services Ltd

09 November 2023, Monetary penalties, Finance insurance and credit

Between 3 August 2021 and 3 August 2022, DPG made 74,119 unsolicited calls for direct marketing purposes in breach of Reg 21 of PECR resulting in 13 complaints. DPG first came to the attention of the Commissioner as part of an operation set up to investigate direct marketing activity regarding life insurance and later life planning.

Argentum Data Solutions Ltd

26 October 2023, Monetary penalties, General business

Between 1 January 2021 and 31 January 2022 there were a total of 2,330,423 SMS sent without consent. 24,309 were sent by ADS directly and it allowed its lines to be used by third parties to send the remaining 2,306,114. These messages were sent in breach of regulation 22 of PECR. ADS came to our attention following a review of complaints received by the 7726 spam reporting tool.

Digivo Media Limited

03 October 2023, Monetary penalties, Finance insurance and credit

Between 24 March 2021 and 7 September 2021 there were 415,041 texts delivered without valid consent – breach of Regulation 22 of PECR. Digivo came to the ICO’s attention following a review of debt management complaints received via the SPAM reporting tool.

MCP Online Ltd

28 September 2023, Monetary penalties, Finance insurance and credit

Between 1 January 2022 and 28 September 2022 there were 20,939 calls made to CTPS or TPS registered numbers – breach of Reg 21 and 24 of PECR. MCP came to the ICO’s attention following a review of complaints made to the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) in November 2021 as part of Operation Torc, which has been set up to investigate unsolicited pensions calls.