"The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has fined Home Improvement Marketing Ltd (HIM) £300,000 and Green Spark Energy Ltd (GSE) £250,000 after millions of automated marketing calls were made. Both companies relied on overseas call centres and "avatar software," which gave the impression homeowners were speaking to helpful UK-based advisors like "Jo, Helen or Ian." In reality, these were scripted voice clips triggered by agents abroad, with every conversation eventually steering toward selling loft insulation, spray foam insulation or solar panels."
"Andy Curry, Head of Investigations at the ICO, said robo technology is making it harder for the public to spot when they're dealing with automated calls. To help, the ICO has issued clear advice: Noticeable pauses or delays between what you say and the reply. Repetitive or irrelevant answers when you go off script. Fixed conversation paths that always loop back to a sales pitch. Identical voices or accents across supposedly different advisors."
Rising demand for home upgrades has attracted rogue operators using unlawful automated marketing calls. Regulators fined two companies a combined £550,000 after millions of automated calls were made. Companies used overseas call centres and avatar software that impersonated UK-based advisors, steering conversations toward loft insulation, spray foam and solar panels. False health claims about fibreglass insulation were circulated, and 497 complaints included distressing accounts from elderly and vulnerable people. The ICO identified warning signs such as noticeable pauses, repetitive or irrelevant answers, fixed conversation paths, identical voices across advisors, and unnatural silence. The ICO urges registration with the Telephone Preference Service.
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