Nuisance calls to mobile phones soaring despite crackdown on cold calling companies
Nuisance calls to mobile phones are soaring in the UK, despite a clampdown on unwanted calls and texts.
Some 72 per cent of Britons have had at least one cold call from a company in the last month, up from just over half, 55 per cent, in 2013.
Both the government and regulators have been cracking down on so-called cold calling practices, but despite a range of new initiatives, unwanted calls, texts and messages to consumers remain common practice, with a majority of us receiving them regularly.
Read more: Company claiming to block nuisance calls fined – for nuisance calls
Richard Lloyd, director of consumer advice group Which?, said that although some “good progress” had been made, further efforts were needed:
More needs to be done to put an end to this everyday menace once and for all. The government, regulators and business need to continue to work together to tackle this problem, with further action to cut nuisance calls off at source and make senior executives accountable if their company is caught flouting the rules.
The government recently introduced new rules making it easier for the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to fine companies making cold calls, which has sent the number of fines soaring. Watchdog Ofcom is also in the process of developing a free opt-out service for consumers, allowing them to register their mobile phones.
Although calls to mobile phones are quickly catching up, nuisance calls remain most common on landlines, as three-quarters of consumers have received unwanted calls in the past month.