In what can only be described as a bad day for the spam-industrial complex, the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) executed search warrants on Wednesday at homes and businesses linked to five companies in London, Liverpool, Bolton, Burnley and Swansea. Laptops, mobile phones and documents were seized in a crackdown on claims management companies (CMCs) that have been plaguing the public with spam text messages about the car finance mis-selling scandal.

Since September 2025, the public has submitted more than 12 million complaints about nuisance marketing texts, as CMCs and other firms try to grab a slice of the billions in compensation set to be paid out to motorists who were mis-sold car loans. In March, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced a £7.5 billion industry-wide compensation scheme for victims. But because nothing can ever be simple, the regulator was later forced to partly suspend the scheme due to legal challenges. The FCA had expected to start paying out an average of £829 this year to those affected by the scandal, which saw drivers overcharged for loans between 2007 and 2024 due to commission payments between lenders and car dealers. A court ordered the suspension until a hearing in December or February next year.

Andy Curry, head of investigations at the ICO, said: “People are fed up with being bombarded by unwanted calls, texts and emails about car finance claims, and we’re taking action.” He added that the raids “send a clear message to the claims management sector: comply with the law or expect to hear from us.” The companies linked to the searches are believed to be responsible for sending a combined 170 million texts between September 2025 and May this year.

The ICO is working with the FCA, the Advertising Standards Authority and the Solicitors Regulation Authority to tackle poor practices. Since January 2024, more than 1,200 misleading adverts have been removed or amended. Some firms face enforcement investigations, while others have had to reduce their “unreasonable” fees or allow consumers to walk away from contracts free of charge.

For those wondering how to complain without being spammed further, the FCA has helpfully noted that there is no need to use a CMC or law firm - people can complain for free using a template letter on its website. This week it launched a nationwide advertising campaign to direct people to the letter, running across TV, radio, print, billboards and social media until 6 September.