Fines For Cold Callers Using Withheld Numbers

Cold callers hiding behind withheld numbers could be fined more than £2m in a new law to be announced today.

From 16 May, all direct marketing companies registered in the UK will need to display their phone numbers when making unsolicited calls, even if they have call centres overseas.

Companies can risk fines of up to £2 million from Ofcom and a further £500,000 from the ICO if they continue to bombard consumers with unwanted calls.

The move will make it easier for people to decide whether to answer their phone and to make formal complaints if they are harassed. It will also help the regulator - the Information Commissioner's Office - to investigate those who break the rules by continuing to make nuisance calls.

Ofcom estimates that every year UK consumers receive approximately 4.8 billion nuisance calls, 1.7 billion live sales calls, 1.5 billion silent calls, 940 million recorded sales messages and 200 million abandoned calls.

One in five direct marketing calls is from an anonymous or withheld number.

Steve Eckersley, the ICO's head of enforcement, said: "Any change that makes it easier for us to track down companies making nuisance calls is a change that will reduce the annoyance these calls cause.

"We do investigate unscrupulous companies who hide their identities, and we can track them down, but it certainly makes our job more difficult.

"When people are able to identify the number behind the call they have received they are more likely to complain and that means we are able to take action."

Baroness Neville-Rolfe, the minister responsible for data protection, said the Government was acting because of the "significant harm" that such calls could cause to elderly and vulnerable people.

She said: "The Government is committed to tackling this problem, which is why we are making it easier for consumers to report companies by forcing them to display their phone numbers.

"We are sending a clear message to rogue direct marketing companies. Nuisance calls are unacceptable and we will not hesitate to take action against the companies behind them."