Fines on nuisance call firms increased by over 300 per cent to £1.14m in 2015
Nuisance call companies have been warned to expect more fines in 2016 by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), as it was revealed it fined firms over 300 per cent more in 2015 than in 2014.
The ICO imposed fines totalling £1.14m in 2015 on nuisance calls and text messages, "with the same in the pipeline for early 2016".
The figure compares to £330,000 worth of fines levied in 2014.
Read more: Company claiming to block nuisance calls fined £50,000 for nuisance calls
Andy Curry, ICO's enforcement group manager, said:
Nuisance marketing calls frustrate people. The law is clear around what is allowed, and we’ve been clear that we will fine companies who don’t follow the law.
That will continue in 2016. We’ve got 90 ongoing investigations, and a million pounds worth of fines in the pipeline.
The fines come as the ICO received close to 170,000 concerns in 2015 from people who had received such calls and texts, a similar number to in 2014.
Read more: Nuisance calls to mobile phones soaring despite crackdown on cold calling companies
Most complaints were related to PPI, followed by accident claims, with call blocking services, oven cleaning services and industrial hearing claims identified as emerging sectors for nuisance calls.
The fines increased after it was ruled the ICO only had to show calls were causing "nuisance" rather than "serious damage and distress".