The Information Commissioners Office sends clear messages to data controllers on the legality of unsolicited direct marketing contact.
OSL Financial Consultancy Limited (December 20)
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined OSL Financial Consultancy Limited (OSL) £50,000 for illegally sending 174,342 nuisance marketing texts.
The mortgage and loans broker, trading as MortgageKey, came to the attention of the ICO as part of its probe into companies seeking to take advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic with nuisance marketing.
Reliance Advisory Limited (October 20)
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined Reliance Advisory Limited (RAL) £250,000 for breaking electronic marketing law.
The ICO found that over a six month period from the start of 2019, the Bury-based company RAL made 15.1 million calls in relation to claims management services such as mis-sold PPI. All of the calls, of which 1.1 million connected, were made to people who had not consented to receive them.
Studios MG Limited (October 20)
The Information Commissioner has fined Studios MG Limited £40,000 for sending thousands of unlawful marketing emails to people without their permission.
Digital Growth Experts Limited (September 20)
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined Digital Growth Experts Limited (DGEL) £60,000 for sending thousands of nuisance marketing texts at the height of the pandemic
CPS Advisory Limited (September 20)
Swansea company CPS Advisory Ltd was fined £130,000 for making more than 100,000 unauthorised direct marketing calls to people about their pensions.
What steps can organisations can take to ensure the direct marketing is compliant?
It is essential that organisations should ensure that have adequate consent or have documented robust legitimate interests for direct marketing. Direct marketing processing should be regularly reviewed, consent should be refreshed at regular intervals.
Organisations should clearly document all the relevant rationale in privacy notices, along with clear details on how individuals can opt out of receiving such contact.
Contact us for data protection advice and support on direct marketing practices.
