Irwin Mitchell Welcomes ICO’s Crackdown On Illegal Promotions

The owners of Stockport marketing company Tetrus Telecoms have been fined £440,000 in total after an 18-month investigation revealed the firm was sending unsolicited text messages which did not meet legal requirements.

According to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), Christopher Niebel and Gary McNeish were ordered to pay penalties after it was revealed they sent up to 840,000 texts a day without the consent of a recipient and without identifying the sender.

Texts sent by Tetrus Telecoms included messages regarding compensation for accidents and urging recipients to respond over claims.

The case marks the first time the ICO has issued a penalty in relation to a breach of Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, while the body is also considering penalties against three other companies believed to be in breach of the regulations.

Stuart Henderson, Managing Partner of Irwin Mitchell’s Personal Injury division, said such action was very welcome.

He outlined: “This kind of activity is totally unacceptable and regulatory bodies including the ICO must come down hard on this practice as a matter of urgency.

“Such activity has a negative impact on the wider legal profession, particularly those involved in supporting those pursuing genuine and legitimate personal injury claims who are entitled to compensation.  Quite simply, no reputable lawyer would knowingly take introductions which arise from cold calling or unsolicited electronic communications.

“The ICO’s continuing work to crack down on illegal marketing practices will hopefully ensure that those found to be guilty of serious regulatory breaches are rightly held to account.”