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Vulnerable people suffered "significant distress" after being targeted by two "predatory" companies in the South East, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has found.

WerepairUK Ltd, based in Tonbridge, Kent, was fined £80,000 for making 42,688 unsolicited calls, while Service Box Group Ltd, based in Hove, East Sussex, was fined £40,000 for 5,361 unlawful calls. WerepairUK Ltd has appealed the decision.

Using intelligence from National Trading Standards, the ICO found people with conditions such as dementia had been sold policies they neither needed or understood.

This included a 90-year-old with dementia, who became "afraid of answering the phone" after repeated calls.

The ICO said the companies had called people who were registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS).

"These calls were made to people who had explicitly opted out of receiving marketing communications, violating their privacy and in some cases causing significant distress," said the ICO in a statement.

"There is clear evidence that in both cases, older people and those living with illnesses such as dementia were targeted.

"Some individuals were subjected to repeated phone calls, attempting to pressure them into buying warranties for white goods, such as fridges and washing machines, that they did not need."

'Afraid of answering the phone'

Juliet Tibbels said her 90-year-old mother, who has dementia, was cold called by multiple companies selling services such as white goods warranties and alarm pendants.

WerepairUK Ltd sold her a white goods warranty and boiler policy, said the ICO.

“Eventually, my mother became afraid of answering the phone," said Mrs Tibbels.

“The people who make these cold calls know very well what they are doing and they are taking advantage of the most vulnerable members of our society.

"They are persuading people to part with money for goods and services they don't need and they know this. They are just lining their own pockets without any thought to the consequences.”

Andy Curry, head of investigations at the ICO, said: "Such predatory marketing practices are unlawful and deeply exploitative."

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