June 14, 2016

Text messages from claims management firm Quigley and Carter Limited prompted more than 2,600 complaints in just two months.  This led to an ICO investigation, which found that the company had broken the rules around direct marketing.

The ICO reminds readers that organisations must only send marketing text messages to individuals if they have agreed to receive them, except where there is a clearly defined customer relationship.

Quigley and Carter contracted a third party to send the texts on its behalf but failed to check properly that the individuals to whom the messages were sent had consented to receive them.

The text messages were directing individuals to Quigley and Carter’s website, www.mybankrefund.com, which offers services to do with mis-sold packaged bank accounts.

This is an example of a text sent by the company: “Why pay a fee for your bank account when you don’t have to, 2108.45 is being paid on average, fill out www.mybankrefund.com for us to send yours out ASAP”.

Stephen Eckersley, ICO head of enforcement, said: “People were left annoyed, angered and upset by these texts.  The rules around electronic marketing messages are simple and there for a very good reason – to protect people’s privacy rights and stop unwanted phone calls, texts and emails.  We committed to target organisations that broke the rules.  Quigley and Carter should have known the rules and obeyed them.  They failed to follow the law and so we’ve acted – to show them and others that organisations cannot ignore their obligations”.  To read the ICO’s press release in full, click here.