Regulators have fined a British seller of call-blocking devices, saying the company used the same kind of unwanted phone marketing its products were supposed to help people avoid.
The Information Commissioner's Office imposed a £190,000 penalty on Elderly Aids Ltd after the company placed 758,053 cold calls to sell its products, a campaign that renewed concerns about hard-sell tactics aimed at older and potentially vulnerable people.
Here's what to know
Elderly Aids Ltd made those calls between May 2024 and February 2025, including to people listed on the Telephone Preference Service, who cannot be contacted for unsolicited marketing unless they have specifically agreed to hear from that company.
As The Guardian reported, roughly 20 complaints were lodged with the ICO and the preference service. Complainants said the callers could be aggressive or misleading and sometimes failed to clearly identify themselves.
One complainant said they were "overcharging for call-blocking services that they aren't authorised to sell. My father was persuaded to sign up to pay £139 upfront and a £6.99 monthly fee."
The ICO said the company was "bombarding people with the very nuisance calls it claimed to protect them from."
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More background
Elderly Aids Ltd did not stop at one or two violations, regulators said. The company allegedly continued the calling campaign even after the ICO opened its investigation and requested information.
The watchdog also said the business tried to remove itself from the Companies House register after learning it was under scrutiny. It is registered at a default address.
Andy Curry, head of investigations at the ICO, said: "Not only did this company target vulnerable people who had explicitly asked not to be called — they harassed them to sell call-blocking devices.
"EAL showed a complete disregard for the law and the people they were hounding," he continued. "This penalty should serve as a clear warning to any business that thinks the law does not apply to them — we will hold them to account for both exploiting people in this way and trying to avoid accountability."
What's being done?
Alongside the £190,000 fine, the ICO ordered the company to halt its marketing calls.
The regulator also said it could pursue further action if Elderly Aids Ltd does not pay, including seeking to disqualify the company's directors.
The Telephone Preference Service is an opt-out register. Companies making live marketing calls are expected to check whether people have registered and to respect those decisions unless clear consent has been given.
Russell Roach, director of preference services at the Data & Marketing Association, said businesses that ignore those choices "undermine consumer trust and risk causing significant nuisance and distress."
Where can I learn more?
The following stories aren't about cold calls specifically, but they deal with the same issue: companies making marketing claims that can mislead people. They show how shoppers, watchdogs, and regulators respond when businesses stretch the truth to make a sale.
• At Target, shoppers are being misled by green claims on everyday products that do not hold up.
• Branding experts warn some companies can fool consumers with green labels even when products are not meaningfully better.
• Inditex, Zara's parent company, drew backlash after carbon pollution increased amid operational changes and shipping delays.
• Across online retail, labels can create a false sense of sustainability for shoppers trying to buy responsibly.
• In the U.S. and EU, policymakers are weighing new rules on greenwashing.
When companies rely on deceptive sales tactics, trust erodes, and regulators often respond with tougher enforcement.
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