TCS Combined Solutions Limited (Case reference: 150301)
| Case Number | 150301 |
| Published date | 01 July 2021 |
| Year | 2021 |
| Adjudicated Party | TCS Combined Solutions Limited |
| Procedure Type | Review (Phone-Paid Services Authority) |
1
TCS Combined Solutions Ltd Review Hearing
Case reference: 150301
Applicant: TCS Combined Solutions Ltd
Type of service: Discount Offers and Competitions
Background
1. TCS Combined Solutions Ltd (‘the Applicant’) has been registered with the Executive
since 6 October 2017. The Applicant operated “DiscountMeDirect” (‘the Service’), a
premium rate service that offered alerts to consumers regarding discount offers and
competitions.
2. Between 3 April 2018 and 7 January 2020, the Executive received 100 complaints
from members of the public which alleged that they had received chargeable messages
from the Service without having opted in to it.
3. The Executive wrote to the Applicant on 20 August 2018 to indicate that it was making
preliminary enquiries into the Service. At this time, the Executive made an informal
request for information regarding the Service and its promotion and operation.
4. On 15 November 2018, the case was allocated for a formal Track 2 investigation.
Following allocation, the Executive issued a Warning Notice for interim measures to be
imposed on 12 December 2018. On 14 December 2018 the Code Adjudication
Tribunal (CAT) imposed interim measures with withhold £160,000 in funds.
5. On the application of the Applicant, the interim measures were subject to a review on
18 January 2019. On this occasion, the CAT rejected the Applicant’s application and
increased the total amount to be withheld to £510,000. On 27 June 2019, the
Applicant requested a second review of the interim measures. This application was
rejected.
Adjudication
6. The case regarding the Applicant was heard by way of an oral hearing between 9
December 2020 and 11 December 2020. Due to the pandemic, the oral hearing took
place as a virtual hearing with all parties attending remotely.
7. The Executive raised the following breaches in relation to the Applicant pursuant to
paragraph 4.5 of the 14th Edition of the Code of Practice (‘the Code’):
1) Charged consumers without their consent and/or failed to provide evidence which
establishes that consent contrary to paragraph 2.3.3 of the Code.
To continue reading
Request your trial