Nuisance-call blocker fined £190k for being a nuisance caller

The UK's data protection watchdog has imposed a £190,000 ($258,000) fine on a company that bombarded elderly individuals with thousands of unsolicited marketing calls. Elderly Aids Ltd made 758,053 unwanted calls between May 2024 and February 2025, averaging 2,916 calls daily. These calls were made to phone numbers registered with the UK's Telephone Preference Service, which is designed to exclude numbers from unwanted marketing calls.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) received 20 complaints about Elderly Aids during this period. Direct marketers are prohibited from calling TPS-registered numbers without explicit consent. Elderly Aids' calls were marked by aggressive tactics, failure to identify the caller, and pressure to sign up for their services, which included a £139 sign-up fee and £6.99 monthly charges.

Andy Curry, head of investigations at the ICO, emphasized the company's disregard for the law and the vulnerable individuals targeted. Russell Roach, director of preference services at the Data & Marketing Association, advised businesses to screen their calling lists against the TPS and Corporate TPS registers. Elderly Aids failed to cooperate with the regulator and continued making illegal calls after being contacted.

The ICO noted that the company attempted to deregister itself from public records shortly after starting the harassment, though this was quickly halted. In cases where fines are unaffordable, the ICO offers payment plans.