Search Privacy Fines

Repair & Assure Ltd were responsible for making 1,103,292 nuisance calls between 2 January and 11 June 2019. The ICO and TPS received 88 complaints about the calls, which all related to washing machine warranties.

Between 1 July 2019 and 1 June 2020, It’s OK Limited engaged in the transmission of 1,752,149 unsolicited calls for direct marketing purposes to subscribers who had been registered with the TPS for not less than 28 days, and who had not notified It's OK Limited that they did not object to receiving such calls, contrary to regulation 21 of PECR.

Between 29 October 2018 and 29 October 2019, Yes Consumer Solutions Ltd used a public telecommunications service for the purpose of making 188,493 unsolicited calls for direct marketing purposes. This resulted in 12 complaints to the Commissioner

Colour Car Sales Ltd (CCSL) of Stoke-on-Trent, is a credit intermediary for used car finance. They have been fined £170,000 for sending spam text messages directing people to a number of car finance websites. The company was also issued with enforcement notices ordering it to stop marketing until consent had been obtained.

Greater Manchester Police has been fined £150,000 after three DVDs containing footage of interviews with victims of violent or sexual crimes got lost in the post.

The council published personal information about a family in planning application documents which it made publicly available online.

An email, containing information that could be used to identify eight sex offenders, was sent to a member of the public in error.

Unsolicited calls for direct marketing purposes to subscribers who had registered with the Telephone Preference Service in contravention of Regulation 21 of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003.

Breathe Services Ltd (BSL), a debt advice company based in Bolton, first came to the attention of the ICO as part of a wider investigation into complaints received about unsolicited phone calls to potentially vulnerable individuals. In a failed attempt to hide their real identity, BSL was found to have spoofed its outbound phone number by presenting over 1,000 different telephone numbers on calls. In March 2023 the ICO carried out a search at BSL’s office in Bolton, seizing evidence including documents and electronic devices. Our extensive investigation revealed that between March - July 2022 and October - December 2022, BSL bombarded people with 4,376,037 unsolicited direct marketing calls to numbers that had been registered to the Telephone Preference Service (TPS). This resulted in 58 complaints to the TPS and a further 193 complaints to the ICO.

Two unencrypted laptops containing personal data stolen from offices whilst the building was undergoing refurbishment

Sending unsolicited direct marketing texts to mobile subscribers who had not consented to receive them

Black Lion Marketing Ltd fined £171,000 for making unsolicited direct marketing calls.

Various incidents relating to the disclosure of personal data to the incorrect recipients

Emma’s Diary fined £140,000 for selling over a million records for political campaigning.

Company sent unsolicited direct marketing texts messages without the consent of the recipients

Between 15 September 2022 and 5 December 2023, a total of 37,977 complaints were received regarding direct marketing messages which were sent at the instigation of ESL. The company has been fined £200,000 and issued with an enforcement notice.

During the period 29 November 2018 and 2 May 2019, a confirmed total of 128,895,718 unsolicited direct marketing messages were received by subscribers. These messages contained direct marketing material for which subscribers had not provided valid consent

Between 11 August 2019 and 12 March 2020, DialADeal Scotland Ltd made 558,250 unsolicited calls for direct marketing purposes to subscribers whose number was registered with the TPS. This resulted in 527 complaints being made to the Commissioner

Between 8 May 2018 and 31 December 2018 House Guard UK Limited indicated that it had conducted a direct marketing telephone campaign in respect of which they admit that approximately 669,966 were connected to subscribers. Of these calls 371,958 were made to TPS registered numbers, without conducting any due diligence on the data provided to them.