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Cold Calling DMA

DMA welcomes government crackdown on cold call companies

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By John McCarthy, Opinion Editor

February 25, 2015 | 2 min read

The Digital Marketing Association (DMA) has welcomed UK government reform making it easier for the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to hit cold calling firms with hefty fines to cut out nuisance calls.

A change in the law, which will be implemented 6 April, will lower the burden of proof required to fine or charge cold callers which have caused “substantial damage or substantial distress”, which in turn will help quicken the ICO's process of punishing companies for their misconduct.

Mike Lordan, director of external affairs of the DMA, said: “The DMA has been spearheading the industry’s initiatives to tackle the problem of nuisance calls and text spam and we have been calling for legislative changes to make it easier for the ICO to issue penalties to rogue companies breaking the law.

“The recent surge in complaints has been driven in the main by rogue companies making PPI and accident claims calls. Lowering the burden of proof is an important tool in protecting the telemarketing industry and consumers from the scourge of nuisance calls.”

This follows the announcement made today (25 February) that companies caught cold calling potential customers could face fines of as much as £500,000 in future as part of a UK government clampdown,

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