A Manchester-based company, which sent over 5.5 million unsolicited direct marketing texts to people who were already in financial difficulty – including fake bailiff messages – has been slapped with a £300,000 fine and issued with an enforcement notice.
The KRA Consultancy activity, which ran for over three years between April 2022 and May 2025, sparked more than 60,000 complaints to Mobile UK’s 7726 spam reporting service and the Information Commissioner’s Office, fuelling an investigation under the Privacy & Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).
The ICO probe found that KRA also sent fabricated bailiff threats, designed to frighten recipients into engaging with the company’s debt services.
The fake messages were sent using the sender ID “DEMAND” and stated: “We have attempted on numerous occasions to contact you without any success. This matter has escalated further and an Enforcement agent will attend ****** within 48 hours to remove your goods as per Court Order. If you are on any legal/debt plan you will need proof readily available.”
In internal WhatsApp messages uncovered during the ICO’s investigation, company director Khuram Rezvan Ahmad used the term “coaching” as a euphemism for these threats.
He said: “Get through as much as and pitch whatever. Don’t worry about forcing anything back because the coaching will take care of that tomorrow morning.”
During the ICO’s investigation, search warrants were conducted at KRA’s offices and Ahmad’s home. KRA resumed its unlawful marketing activity following the search warrant, leading to 161 new complaints.
The evidence revealed how the company deliberately tried to evade detection. Ahmad contacted a telecoms provider based in China, seeking assurances that the mass text messages would be “completely untraceable”.
KRA also made no attempt to check the loan decline data was accurate or whether the recipients had consented to receive marketing messages. When discussing concerns raised about the data being three years old, Ahmad said: “Am I confident on the data set? As long as I’m doing the cases I don’t really give a f*** if it’s old as long as it’s making money.”
ICO head of investigations Andy Curry said: “People in financial difficulty deserve support, not exploitation. KRA deliberately sought these people out – knowing they might be especially susceptible to this kind of high-pressure marketing – and bombarded them with illegal texts.
“When that wasn’t enough, it sent fake threats telling people bailiffs were coming to their homes to remove their belongings. This was a calculated, unlawful scheme, and it caused real fear and distress to people who were already struggling with debt.
“KRA showed complete disregard for the law throughout our investigation and this £300,000 fine – one of the largest for nuisance marketing in recent years – reflects that. It should leave no doubt that we will pursue any company that thinks it can evade the law and prey on the public.”
Alongside the monetary penalty, the ICO also issued an enforcement notice, ordering the company to stop sending marketing messages without consent within 30 days.
KRA was also not registered with the Financial Conduct Authority, despite directing people towards debt solutions.
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