Second firm in a week shuts up shop to avoid ICO fine

Concerns that the Information Commissioner’s Office crackdown on rogue telemarketing companies is becoming paralysed by Government inaction have heightened after Coventry firm Easyleads became the second company this week to close down in the wake of yet another fine.
The business, which has just been slapped with a £260,000 monetary penalty for making 16.7 million automated marketing calls, has already posted plans on Companies House posted to be dissolved.
More than 550 complaints were made to the ICO about Easyleads, including about the calls being made late at night and in the early hours of the morning.
With Welsh-based Your Money Rights – which was fined £350,000 earlier this week – also planning to shut down, a total of £610,000 is potentially at risk.
With the Government yet to announce whether it will resurrect plans to make company directors personally liable for fines – dropped in the run up to June’s general election – many argue the ICO’s action is becoming irrelevant.
One industry source said: “This is getting beyond a joke. The ICO works hard to bring these rogues to account, yet is powerless to stop the directors escaping the fines by simply shutting up shop. The regulator is putting a brave face on it by saying they are getting rid of these charlatans, but there is nothing to stop them starting up all over again.
“Nuisance calls are said to be one of the biggest concerns that MPs face from their constituents, so why is the Government dragging its feet?”