The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is warning against responding to commercial alternatives to TPS and bogus and scam TPS calls.
TPS is the only official UK ‘do not call’ register for opting out of live telesales calls. The TPS register is established and supported by legislation. Organisations which want to make live telesales calls in the UK are legally required to screen their sales lists against the TPS list. It is FREE to sign up to the TPS register.
Commercial alternatives to TPS
There are other companies that offer a commercial alternative to the TPS and may charge for their service. However organisations making live telesales calls are not legally obliged to check against any of these alternative registers. The TPS and Ofcom are not affiliated with any of these organisations. If you choose to explore these commercial alternatives, it is advisable to make sure you understand exactly what services they are offering you and any applicable charges.
Bogus TPS & Scams
TPS also warn of a number of organisations that call people claiming to be the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) and try to charge consumers for registration. It is FREE to sign up to the TPS register. They will never contact you requesting payments or credit card details. Once an individual’s telephone number is on the TPS, it will remain on it and there is no need to update your registration.
If you suspect that you have been contacted by a fraudulent organisation, then you can contact Action Fraud to report your concerns. http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
If you have any information on these types of companies (phone number, web address), please send details to tps@dma.org.uk
Already registered with an alternative TPS service?
If you have already signed up and paid for a commercial alternative to TPS by mistake, don’t worry you can still take action.
You have the right to cancel your order from the moment you place your order until 14 working days from the day after you enter into the contract for the provision of the service or from the day you receive your goods. Businesses are required by law to comply with this right to cancel.
For more help and advice or if you have trouble obtaining a refund
- Report the problem to Citizens Advice online
- Call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 04 05 06 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm)
- Textphone 18001 03454 04 05 06
Your report will be sent by the Citizens Advice consumer service to Kent County Council Trading Standards. A copy is also sent to the local Trading Standards Service where the business is based.
Trading Standards uses this data to target its business advice, compliance and enforcement activity.
Register with TPS
You can register with TPS online
or by phone 0345 070 0707