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Spam text message firm Help Direct UK fined £200,000
Spam text message firm Help Direct UK fined £200,000
This is a duplicate of the Blog Entry made on: 27th October 2015 12:33
This is a duplicate of the Blog Entry made on: 27th October 2015 12:33
A company has been censured for a second time in seven months for sending out spam text messages - this time with a £200,000 fine.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said there were 6,758 complaints in a month about text messages sent by Swansea-based Help Direct UK. The messages were about claims for accidents, PPI and bank refunds. The ICO ordered the same company to stop sending marketing texts about pensions in March. Mobile phones and devices used by the company in the past were linked to the current investigation, the ICO said, and could face further action as a result.
Confusion
In the latest case, the ICO issued a fine of £200,000 - the first of its kind under new powers - for spam text messages aimed at generating leads for claims companies. A typical text read: "Its been signed off, we have 3886.41 in your name for the accident you had, for us to put in your bank Now just fill out www.accidentinjuryclaim.so". One complainant said they had never had an accident and was worried someone could be fraudulently using their identity; another was concerned they may have unknowingly caused an accident. An ICO investigation discovered that Help Direct UK was using unregistered SIM cards to send the messages. The ICO said this was a common practice by companies looking to avoid the mobile networks' spam detectors.....Read more here
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said there were 6,758 complaints in a month about text messages sent by Swansea-based Help Direct UK. The messages were about claims for accidents, PPI and bank refunds. The ICO ordered the same company to stop sending marketing texts about pensions in March. Mobile phones and devices used by the company in the past were linked to the current investigation, the ICO said, and could face further action as a result.
Confusion
In the latest case, the ICO issued a fine of £200,000 - the first of its kind under new powers - for spam text messages aimed at generating leads for claims companies. A typical text read: "Its been signed off, we have 3886.41 in your name for the accident you had, for us to put in your bank Now just fill out www.accidentinjuryclaim.so". One complainant said they had never had an accident and was worried someone could be fraudulently using their identity; another was concerned they may have unknowingly caused an accident. An ICO investigation discovered that Help Direct UK was using unregistered SIM cards to send the messages. The ICO said this was a common practice by companies looking to avoid the mobile networks' spam detectors.....Read more here