Property companies are among those that have been censured by the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) for breaching the Do Not Call (DNC) Registry requirements under the Personal Data Protection Act 2012.
Investigations have been taken in response to 1,500 complaints from the public concerning 580 organisations since the DNC provisions took effect on January 2 this year.
The PDPC has commenced taking enforcement action against organisations from sectors such as property, private education, banking and finance, retail, insurance and telecommunications. Complaints relating to suspected unlicensed money-lending activities have also been referred to the police. No details were provided regarding the names of companies.
In a media statement, the PDPC said it is investigating a recalcitrant organisation with a view to prosecution because it has continued to send multiple unsolicited telemarketing messages to numbers listed in the DNC Registry – despite being notified by the PDPC.
PDPC has also offered to compound the offences against at least two other organisations for between $500 and $1,000, while more than a hundred other organisations had been issued notices of warning in lieu of prosecution. Additional offers of composition and notices of warning will be issued over the next few weeks, the organisation said.
“The PDPC will not hesitate to take enforcement action against errant organisations,” said Leong Keng Thai, Chairman, PDPC.
“In addition, we will continue to reach out to organisations to ensure that they understand how to comply with the PDPA so that both organisations and consumers will be able to benefit from telemarketing best practices.”
More than 1,800 organisations have registered with the DNC Registry, and together they have performed checks on more than 55 million telephone numbers.
Andrew Batt, International Group Editor of PropertyGuru Group, wrote this story. To contact him about this or other stories email andrew@propertyguru.com.sg
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