Scots firm is raided over 200 million nuisance calls
A SCOTS firm has been raided in connection with an investigation into 200 million nuisance calls which put lives at risk on the UK rail network.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) says it has searched premises in Clydebank as part of a probe into a company suspected of making the illegal calls – thought to be the highest recorded number in UK history.
The ICO says some of the calls “potentially put people’s safety at risk” as they were made to Network Rail’s Banavie Control Centre near Fort William and “clogged up the line for drivers and pedestrians at unmanned level crossings, who were calling to check it was safe to cross the rails”.
Computer equipment and documents have been seized for analysis and will now be used to inform the ICO’S investigation.
The 200 million-plus calls the firm is suspected of making is one of the highest volumes the ICO has ever executed a search warrant in relation to.
The highest number of calls to result in an ICO fine is 146 million which were about PPI and led to a fine of £350,000.
The ICO has powers to issue fines of up to £500,000 for breaches of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003, which cover the way organisations make automated direct marketing telephone calls.
The data protection watchdog said yesterday’s raid was prompted by complaints from the public about automated nuisance calls promoting boiler and window replacement schemes. The calls, which contain recorded messages, often aligned themselves to non-existent Scottish or UK Government initiatives.
Ken Macdonald, head of ICO Scotland, said: “These calls have caused millions of people disruption, annoyance and distress, but not only this, those made to a control centre charged with public safety may have endangered lives.
“Companies behind nuisance calls should know that people are sick of them, and when people complain to us, we will act.”
The ICO said it would not be naming the suspected business while the investigation is ongoing.
The regulator said the investigation was at an early stage and they remain “unproven allegations” of breaching the Privacy and Electronic Communication Regulations (PECR).
They said material gathered “may or may not” provide evidence to support the allegations and inform whether they take enforcement action in the future.
Cold calls have become an increasing problem across the UK with 2.2 billion made last year alone.
Many people have now grown reluctant to answer their phone lest they find themselves at the receiving end of a sales pitch, automated or even silent or abandoned call.
In February, CR Smith was warned about the number of nuisance calls it had made to customers.
The double-glazing firm, which was once shirt sponsor to both Rangers and Celtic, is being investigated by the ICO over multiple complaints of unwanted phone calls from the Dunfermline-based firm.