Public warned to be ‘on guard’ for unlawful robocalls

The public should be “on their guard” against unlawful robocalls as two green energy firms have been fined more than half a million pounds for using them, a regulator has said.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said it had fined Home Improvement Marketing Ltd (HIM), based in Pembrokeshire, £300,000 and issued it with an enforcement notice ordering it to stop making the calls.

It has also fined Green Spark Energy Ltd (GSE), based in Durham, £250,000 for making 9.5 million automated marketing calls.

Both firms used an avatar software which gave the call recipients the impression they were talking to “Jo, Helen or Ian” from the UK, when they were actually listening to scripted lines recorded by voice actors and played by call agents abroad.

In the case of Green Spark Energy, 497 complainants who received the calls included cancer patients and elderly people.

The aim of the call was to arrange an appointment with a surveyor to attend the property.

A recording of one of the calls found they included misleading statements, suggesting fibreglass insulation was causing damage or mould and could be a potential health hazard.

Home Improvement Marketing made 2.4 million automated calls on behalf of the company, resulting in 274 complaints, claiming it was offering solar panels from “Energy Hub” and an “Energy Saving Team”.

In the UK, companies must obtain a recipient’s consent before making automated marketing calls.

Andy Curry, head of investigations at the ICO, said robocall technology was making it harder for the public to spot automated calls and report them to the ICO.

He said: “We’ve heard disturbing reports of how unscrupulous companies are using robo technology to fool elderly and vulnerable people.

“We understand how distressing these calls can be and will work on the public’s behalf to catch those responsible.”

The ICO has released a list of tips to help the public determine if they have received a robocall, which can include slight pauses before responses, a noticeable delay between what you say and the responses you hear, as the agent selects the next pre-recorded clip, and repetitive answers to questions.