Ofcom probes call centre firm over alleged call abuse claims

Ofcom probes call centre firm over alleged call abuse claims

Person holding cellphone with website of UK authority Office of Communications (Ofcom) on screen with logo

Ofcom has opened an investigation into a call centre solutions provider over concerns that phone numbers sub-allocated to the firm have allegedly been used to facilitate scams.

Manchester-based Primo Dialler is the subject of the probe, which offers predictive dialler and cloud phone system solutions.

The regulator is looking into whether the firm failed to comply with its obligations under the General Conditions of Entitlement (GCs) and whether it has persistently misused electronic communications networks or services under the Communications Act 2003.

“This investigation will seek to establish the facts surrounding this matter and examine whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that Primo Dialler has failed to comply with the above GCs and whether it is persistently misusing, or has persistently misused, an electronic communications network or services,” Ofcom said in a statement.

While Ofcom has not disclosed specific examples of alleged misuse, the probe suggests that numbers provided through Primo Dialler’s systems may have been exploited to carry out nuisance or scam calls.

As a provider of call centre solutions, the firm could face scrutiny if its services were used, knowingly or otherwise, to enable patterns of behaviour that cause harm or distress to recipients.

Such investigations typically focus on whether sufficient safeguards were in place to prevent the misuse of related services and whether the provider took reasonable steps to ensure customers complied with industry rules.

Capacity has contacted Primo Dialler for comment.

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