Daniel Esteve, Head of International Relations at CPR Global Tech, the manufacturer of the world’s best-selling stand-alone call blocker has welcomed the news that the government is seeking more powers to fine directors of nuisance call companies.
It has been announced that the government is launching a consultation on proposals to fine company directors personally rather than the businesses themselves when they break the law. The new proposals could see directors being charged up to £500,000 for bombarding consumers with nuisance calls.
Daniel commented:
“Nuisance calls are a blight on society and the problem grows each year. In 2017, 3.9bn nuisance calls and texts were received and the impact can be devastating, particularly on the elderly and those susceptible to falling for a scam.
“To see that the government are tackling this problem head on is great news and something that I’ve personally lobbied for. Through our work advising the All Party Parliamentary Committee on call blocking technology, we have been able to highlight the devastating impact that nuisance calls can have over time, isolating individuals and making them fearful to answer the phone.
“At present, companies facing fines declare themselves bankrupt, avoid paying the fine and simply re-start under a new name. By making individuals personally liable for the actions of their companies, the hope would be that they become more accountable and adhere to the legal framework around contacting individuals by telephone.”
CPR Global Tech directly addresses the problem of nuisance calls by putting consumers back in control of their landlines. When a nuisance call is received, the user can permanently block that number from calling again. While Daniel recognises that this helps individuals after they are targeted, this new proposal would help to stop the root cause.
Top Three Telephone Scams of 2018 so far
In a bid to protect consumers from becoming the victim of a telephone scam, CPR has picked out the top three most prolific scams to be targeting UK consumers this year.
- Phantom Debt Scam – A caller poses as a debt collector or enforcement officer trying to impose a fake high court order to a large sum of cash.
- Telephone Preference Service Subscription (TPS) Scam – A caller advises that your subscription to the TPS is due for renewal and will attempt to take payment. The TPS is a free service designed to stop nuisance calls.
- Wangiri Scam – A scam targeting mobile users in which a call comes in from an international phone number and disconnects immediately. If the mobile user calls the number back, the call is charged at an international premium rate.
Daniel added:
“With today’s news that the government are putting nuisance call prevention at the top of the agenda I hope that this acts as a catalyst for change in the call centre industry. Over time, this will hopefully signal the beginning of the end for nuisance and scam calls.”
CPR Global Tech specialises in self-care technology. The product range includes call blockers, emergency assist mobile phones and GPS tracking watches. For more information visit www.cprglobaltech.com
