Ethical Hacking News
A sole trader has been fined £200,000 for sending nearly 966,449 spam text messages to unsuspecting recipients who were facing financial hardship. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) says Chand showed "blatant disregard" for the law and attempted to mislead them during the investigation.
Bharat Singh Chand, a sole trader, has been fined £200,000 by the ICO for sending nearly 966,449 spam text messages. The campaign targeted individuals facing financial hardship with debt solutions and energy saving grants. Chand sent texts from 383 mobile numbers without valid consent from recipients. The ICO received 19,138 complaints about the spam texts and penalized Chand for violating direct marketing rules. Chand has a history of questionable business practices and has been linked to multiple companies.
Bharat Singh Chand, a sole trader from Carmarthenshire, Wales, has been fined £200,000 by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for sending nearly 966,449 spam text messages to unsuspecting recipients. The campaign, which took place between December 3, 2023, and July 3, 2024, targeted individuals who were facing financial hardship, with the texts offering debt solutions and energy saving grants.
The ICO's investigation revealed that Chand had sent the texts from 383 mobile numbers, without obtaining valid consent from the recipients. The messages did not include a website address or any identifying information about the sender, simply inviting the recipient to reply "YES" to find out more about debt services. Those who replied received a phone call from a company calling themselves "The Debt Relief Team".
Chand's activities came to the attention of the ICO during a separate investigation into someone suspected of sending texts on behalf of Chand and giving advice about a SIM farm. The watchdog stated that Chand showed "blatant disregard" for the law and attempted to mislead the ICO during the investigation.
The ICO received 19,138 complaints about the spam texts via the 7726 spam reporting service. The regulator penalized Chand for knowingly and deliberately transmitting or instigating the transmission of the text messages without valid consent, breaking direct marketing rules.
Chand has appealed against the decision, which means he will not be eligible for a 20% discount on the fine, which would have been applied if paid by October 16. The ICO emphasized that the fine was taken to protect the public from the stress and misery caused by these messages.
It is worth noting that Chand has a history of questionable business practices. He has been a registered director of seven companies, including Compensation Claims Direct, Consumer Claims Ltd, Consumer Marketing Solutions Limited, Platinum Home Designs Ltd, Databook Ltd, Bombay Bites Takeaway Ltd, and Blue Box Pictures Ltd.
The ICO's actions against Chand serve as a reminder to businesses of the importance of respecting individuals' rights to privacy and obtaining valid consent before sending marketing materials. The regulator's efforts to protect consumers from spam texting and other forms of unwanted contact are crucial in maintaining trust in the digital economy.
In conclusion, Bharat Singh Chand's case highlights the need for businesses to prioritize ethics and respect for individuals' rights. The ICO's actions demonstrate the importance of regulation in protecting consumers from harm caused by spam texting and other forms of unwanted contact.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Bharat-Singh-Chand-Fined-200000-for-Unlawful-Spam-Texting-Campaign-ehn.shtml
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/10/29/ico_spam_text_fine/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/sole-trader-dispatched-almost-1m-spam-texts-to-hard-up-brits-says-watchdog/ar-AA1PpU2v
https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/29/ico_spam_text_fine/
Published: Wed Oct 29 11:01:53 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
