2am break-in threat calls spark uproar

A telemarketing firm which has been calling Leicestershire residents in the middle of the night warning them that their homes are vulnerable to burglars has been fingered by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
The company has been identified by the ICO but its name has not been released.
Working for a home security business, it has been calling hundreds of homes in the Market Harborough area, and surrounding villages, at between 2am and 5am with a recorded message. It states: “The dark nights are coming and with the police cutting back, how secure is your home?”
Automated marketing calls are already outlawed under the Privacy & Electronic Communications Regulations, but this case goes even further. The ICO has the power to fine firms up to £500,000 and it is difficult to see how these calls do not constitute one of the most serious cases in recent times.
The rules on nuisance calls were relaxed in April this year to remove the threshold of complaints, although it is likely that if found guilty the company will face one of the stiffest penalties.

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