Swansea dubbed 'UK's cold-call capital' after more fines

Swansea has been dubbed "the UK's cold-call capital" after two more firms were fined by the Information Commissioner.

Falcon and Pointer was fined £175,000 for making automated calls about PPI, and Direct Choice Home Improvements Ltd was fined £50,000 for asking to speak to people's dead relatives.

Both companies claimed the calls were made by a third party.

Anne Jones, Assistant Commissioner for Wales, said it sent a "clear message to callous cold-callers".

She said: "It increasingly appears from our investigations that Swansea is the UK's cold-call capital.

"Companies in the city have been trying to cash in using ruthless business models based on illicit practices to make calls which are at best irksome and at worst distressing."

The commissioner (ICO) has taken action against six companies since 2013.

Falcon and Pointer had its licence revoked in January 2016 and told the ICO it had stopped making the calls in June 2015 - but an investigation found it made a further two million calls in the following two months.

Direct Choice Home Improvements Ltd, which sells windows, doors and conservatories, received 168 complaints in six months.

Ms Jones said: "Our action will send a clear message to callous cold-callers operating in Swansea that they must follow the rules.

"We'd previously contacted both of these companies but they showed a blatant disregard for the law by continuing to make nuisance calls. Their action left many people feeling frustrated and harassed."

Sandra Busby, managing director of the Welsh Contact Centre Forum said: "There will always be a place in the market for credible companies who want to contact their existing customers and, as consumers, we occasionally want to find out about the best deals, offers and preferential rates.

"The market becomes very tricky when you have disreputable, unethical companies in it for a quick buck, flagrantly disregarding rules and giving the industry a bad name. The Welsh Contact Centre Forum is about the former, helping companies continually strive for best practice."

The latest action came as the ICO published its updated Direct Marketing Guidance, which helps organisations understand the law and follow good practice.