NEWS & UPDATES

If you’ve ever been left wondering just how the latest marketing company managed to get hold of your information, the reason can actually be very simple.

There are loads of companies out there who hold your data, and some may pass on or sell your data for profit; even when they’re not actually allowed to. Sometimes, it can be a lack of understanding as to how the data laws work, but most of the time it’s probably just a way of making easy money on the basis that they hope they won’t be caught.

But the UK’s data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), is often on the case!
Read More

Firms behind a massive 44 million spam emails, 15 million nuisance calls and millions of spam texts have been fined by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

The four companies at the centre of this mass tirade of nuisance marketing have been hit with fines totalling £600,000 by the UK’s data watchdog. The offending companies failed to have the proper agreement of their targets prior to contacting them, which is what landed them in trouble for their actions.
Read More

Vanquis Bank Limited reportedly instigated a campaign to promote and advertise its banking services by instructing a third party to send 870,749 spam text messages, and another 620,000 spam emails.

As recipients reportedly didn’t consent to receiving these types of messages, Vanquis were found in breach of the law and have been ordered to stop and pay a £75,000 fine.

Some 131 complaints about the texts were made to the 7726 spam reporting service.
Read More

Xerpla Limited boasts of a range of services for companies who really want to get their business off the ground. The London-based firm say they provide innovative design, advertising, and web hosting and consultancy services for their customers.

However, they may be using the cheapest way to reach as many people as possible.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) received 14 complaints over emails sent from the firm, and therefore began investigating them. The ICO found that the firm was responsible for sending over 1,257,580 million spam emails to promote and advertise products and services on behalf of their customers.
Read More

Cab Guru Limited has been found liable for breaking data protection and electronic communication rules by sending out hundreds of thousands of unwanted text messages to market their services.

The company was set-up by a number of licensed taxis and private hire firms to make an app for customers to book cabs through their smartphones… the app allowed people to compare fares and how long taxis would take to pick them up.

Ti help market the new venture, the Cambridge-based company sent text messages that advertised their app to hundreds of thousands of people. While the stunt may have worked for some, hundreds took to complaining and reporting the unsolicited marketing messages.
Read More