An English company that sells phone interception devices, claiming to help the elderly prevent harassing calls, has been fined £190,000 by the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for making a large number of unsolicited marketing calls.
According to an announcement released by the ICO on August 27, Elderly Aids Ltd (EAL) made 758,053 marketing calls to consumers who had registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) in the UK between May 2024 and February 2025.
The ICO stated that EAL intended to sell phone interception devices to the elderly, but used a pattern of marketing calls that consumers wished to avoid in promoting their products. The ICO and TPS received a total of 20 related complaints. Complaints mentioned that EAL’s call center staff were aggressive, used misleading statements, and often did not identify themselves.
One complainant mentioned that their father was convinced to pay £139 for the service and was then charged £6.99 per month. The ICO indicated that EAL actually “bombarded” consumers with the harassing calls they claimed to help consumers avoid.
After an investigation by regulators, the company ignored requests for information multiple times and continued to make unsolicited marketing calls. In addition to the £190,000 fine, the ICO demanded that EAL cease illegal marketing calls and comply with caller identification regulations.
The ICO reminds consumers to be cautious of companies actively calling to sell interception devices or anti-harassment call services. Consumers can also register for the TPS for free to reduce unsolicited marketing calls; if they continue to receive harassing calls after registering, they can file a complaint with the ICO.