The ICO has fined two energy firms a total of £550,000 for making millions of unlawful automated marketing calls using ‘avatar’ software that mimicked UK-based agents. 

Home Improvement Marketing, based in Pembrokeshire, was fined £300,000, while Durham-based Green Spark Energy was fined £250,000 for 9.5 million calls, some of which targeted elderly and vulnerable people with misleading health claims. 

The regulator warned that robo call technology is making it harder for the public to spot scams and urged people to report suspicious calls to help enforcement.