ICO smacks lying spammers

The Information Commissioner's Office had said that passing off nuisance calls as legitimate market research “will not wash”.

Steve Eckersley, the head of enforcement at the ICO, has issued a "stop order" against Bolton-based Change and Save Ltd that lied to claim it was phoning people as part of a lifestyle survey – a practice we're informed is called “sugging”.

The company's nuisance calls asked people when they had made or last updated their will, and claimed this was a matter of conducting a survey which was not subject to direct marketing rules.

Upon ICO investigation, however, sparked by 254 complaints, these calls were discovered to go on to promote will-writing, funeral and legal services.

Change and Save Ltd has received a legally binding enforcement notice. If this is not complied with, the company will face prosecution. ®