A company specialising in cold calls has sparked a wave of complaints thanks to its aggressive tactics.
The company called Your View has been harassing householders from across the UK to take part in a phone questionnaire.
But those unwilling to take part have allegedly been hit with a barrage of verbal abuse and swearing.
Industry watchdogs last night confirmed they have been bombarded with complaints about the firm. But there is little they can do until the law is tightened.
Fed up victims have contacted The Sunday Post to highlight the firm’s tactics. Some were worried it is linked to our non-profit making sister company, Your View K, which is not the case.
Stephen Hughes from Glasgow, said he couldn’t believe the abuse. The 35-year-old security officer said: “I was asked to take part in a survey but stopped the guy and told him I wasn’t interested.
“I asked him to take me off his list but when I did this he immediately started ranting and raving. It’s absolutely disgraceful firms can get away with this.”
Another victim, Tracey Homeward, from London, said: “I was getting two or three calls a day and when I asked how they got my number all I got was swearing and abuse.”
We have learned government regulators the Information Commissioner’s Office have received 86 complaints about the firm.
But campaigners say there is little that can be done until the law is tightened up.
Our probe has discovered Your View’s business model is operating within the slim margins of the law.
The firm believed to be based in India contact householders on the premise of carrying out a survey, which means they can phone anyone legally. But their “survey” is nothing more than pretence.
In reality, they will try and harvest personal information about you to sell on to a third party.
If for example their “survey” discovers you were mis-sold PPI or involved in an accident your details will become big business.
It means they can sell on your number for hundreds of times what they paid for it to a third party.
Previous investigations by The Sunday Post discovered British telephone numbers being internationally traded for just 0.5p each.
A spokesman for the ICO said: “We can take action against any company based in the UK that is instigating the calls.
“So if a company based in India is making calls after being contracted to do so by a UK company then the UK company will be liable for the calls made and would potentially be in line for any enforcement action, including a penalty of up to £500,000.”
They did not say what action, if any, they were planning on taking against Your View.
But Fair Telecoms Campaign’s David Hickson said: “The ICO are willing but they are limited to what they can do. I fear the government will not appear to get tough on this issue until the election approaches.”
In February 2013 we presented a 20,000-strong petition demanding government action on nuisance calls.
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