EVERY Scot is being bombarded with 50 nuisance sales call each year, according to a new study.
According to the Global Call Prevention Registry nearly a quarter of a billion cold calls are made to people across the country – and the number is still rising.
The GCPR claim the increase is down to poor regulations, poor consumer knowledge and the recession.
But with these astounding numbers on the way up there are now calls for the government to tighten legislation on companies who refuse to hang up their relentless tactics.
David Humpheys from GCPR said: “In 2009, we estimated there were 250,000,000 cold calls to Scots.
“All reports and indicators point to the number of calls being made increasing year on year.
“In my opinion it is the ease with which these companies can be formed in the UK and also cost effectiveness for large UK businesses to export their labour requirements overseas that is the reason.
“In a sense it’s because of the recession – cold calling requires little skill and no experience.”
Mr Humpheys claimed that even being employed as cold-calling worker has appeal.
He added: “In the current climate where a job is a job the people looking start these businesses are never hindered by the labour pool.
“There are lots of people more than happy to sit in a warm office for nine hours on minimum wage making phonecalls – and a lot of these companies will offer more than minimum wage.”
He also suggested that the only way a person can stop the routes of communication is through the “constant vigil” of protecting their identity.
He concluded: “It’s not inevitable to get cold calls but it is something that cannot be ignored and expected to just go away – action is required.
“Too few people realise how their cold callers get their details and so in effect bring about their own circumstances through ignorance.
“Safe-guarding one’s personal details must unfortunately be a constant vigil now where ten years ago the problem was only just rearing its ugly head.”
Limitations
The Telephone Preference Service was set up for people to remove themselves from the lists available to marketing companies.
But even the TPS has limitations.
Its website says: “The remit of TPS lies strictly within the boundaries of live unsolicited calls of a sales/marketing nature.
“It does not stop other call types such as recorded/automated messages, silent calls, market research, overseas companies, debt collection, scam calls, nuisance and abusive calls etc.”
This means that are a lot of ways and loopholes open to marketing companies.
Edinburgh West MP Mike Crockart is now campaigning with an online petition for a change in the laws used by these organisations.
The Liberal Democrat said: “I would urge [people] to sign up to this petition if they find this a problem – together we can demand action.
“I’ve already had a good response and I’m sure the volume of people registering on the website will be overwhelming.
“Unlike the companies that blight our lives with sales pitches, I can assure you I won’t pass on your details to third parties but only to let your own MP know you have contacted me.”
Sign the petition online at www.no2nuisancecalls.net
