From September 2018 cold callers who offer to help claim compensation for a mis-sold Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) or for a personal injury, have been banned from contacting anyone who has not previously opted in to receiving such calls.  Companies will have to check they have the recipient’s consent before calling.

People will be able to opt in to receiving these calls by consenting to be contacted by claims companies when enquiring about settling a claim, or when seeking claims advice.

Previously consumers had to “opt-out” of receiving the calls by registering with the free Telephone Preference Service or by withdrawing their consent while actually on the call.

If you receive nuisance calls, and have not given your consent, you can report it to the Information Commissioner’s Office:

https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint

or ring their helpline:  0303 123 1113

Companies that break the rules can be fined up to £500,000.

The new measures only apply to phone calls – not texts or emails.

How to deal with cold callers

Do: 

Ask cold callers to remove your information from their records.

Find out caller’s number from a landline by dialling 1471 after the call.

Check with your phone company if you can be made ex-directory.

Sign up to the free Telephone Preference Services:  www.tpsonline.org.uk or 0345 070 0707.

Don’t:

Give away personal or financial information, even if callers claim to be from a company you know.

Lose your temper. Be firm and hang up if the caller refuses to go away.

Call back phone numbers left on your voicemail, or reply to text messages you don’t recognise.