Response on nuisance calls

In response to the announcement from Ofcom on nuisance calls and the OFT & ICO on personalised pricing, Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said:

“Ofcom’s shocking findings reflect our own research and show just how many of us are being bombarded by the menace of unwanted calls and texts

“Today we see three of the regulators starting to step up and respond to the public outcry, with the Office of Fair Trading and the Information Commissioner also getting a grip on how companies collect and use consumers’ personal details, data that is sold on to third parties and used to generate unsolicited calls and texts. They must use this intelligence and get tough when they find the rules have been broken by hitting those responsible with heavy fines.

“This further evidence shows exactly why we need to call time on nuisance calls and texts. We want all the regulators to work together in a concentrated effort to properly police firms that are part of the problem and to take tough enforcement action, which is why we’ve called for a joint task force.”

 

Notes to Editors

We launched our campaign ‘Calling Time on Nuisance Calls and Texts’ in March after we found 70% of people had received an unwanted call in the last three months and 40% an unsolicited text. Thousands of people have already expressed their support, with one of our online polls generating 30,000 votes.

The campaign called on all of the relevant regulators – the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the Ministry of Justice, Ofcom and the Office of Fair Trading – to set up a joint task-force to cut off unwanted calls and texts. We set a three month deadline for action which expires on 10 June 2013.

We are also lobbying for a Private Member’s Bill Communications (Reducing Unwanted Telephone Calls and Texts) Bill to reform the law on how consent for personal data is used, and give regulators more powers to enforce the law.

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