ICO chases directors who liquidate firms to avoid fines

The ICO is chasing rogue directors by working with other regulators such as the Insolvency Service and the Claims Management Regulator.

The most recent ICO fine relates to London-based firm, Hamilton Digital Solutions, which broke the rules by sending more than 156,000 spam texts to members of the public.

The firm has been fined £45,000 and ordered to stop illegal marketing or face further legal action.

Andy Curry, ICO enforcement group manager, said: “Nuisance marketing, whether it’s by phone call, text or email, frustrates and angers people. It’s thanks to the public telling us about these troublesome messages that we’re able to investigate and fine firms like Hamilton Digital Solutions.

“We will pursue all options in the event of unpaid fines, and this case shows that directors behind nuisance marketing firms cannot get away with the intrusion and annoyance they cause the public.”

The Insolvency Service has also disqualified Hassim Iqbal, the director of personal injury claims management company Check Point Claims, from being a director for failing to comply with regulations relating to its business. Blackburn-based Check Point Claims £250,000 failed to pay an ICO fine of £250,000 for making 17.5 million nuisance calls.

Earlier this month, the Insolvency Service announced the number of orders it has issued to ban rogue directors has increased seven-fold.

The ICO has issued 20 fines in relation to nuisance marketing, with a value of £2m, since April this year.

This is the highest figure ever issued by the ICO at the stage in the financial year, but the ICO said it still has £1.4m of fines in the pipeline for the coming months.