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The Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) successfully conducted raid operations yesterday (March 7) at a data centre located in Kwai Chung against two companies in relation to possible contravention of the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Ordinance (UEMO). During the raid operations, 13 computer servers suspected of having generated pre-recorded telephone messages in contravention of the UEMO were seized for further analysis and investigation.
"We have received over 60 complaints from the public against pre-recorded telephone messages on money lending in the last few months. Our preliminary investigation indicated that these messages were generated from the telephone lines of the companies and that nearly 50,000 calls were made a day. We have reasons to believe that the companies have contravened section 18 of the UEMO by sending commercial electronic messages to electronic addresses obtained through automated means. We therefore conducted the raid operations yesterday," a spokesman for the OFCA said.
According to the UEMO, any person who contravenes section 18 thereof commits an offence and may be subject to prosecution. The person is liable to a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for five years on conviction on indictment.
OFCA will analyse the information contained in the seized equipment in considering further enforcement action against the companies.
"Since the commencement of the UEMO in December 2007, we have issued 2,641 advisory letters, 525 warning letters and 17 enforcement notices to senders in breach of the UEMO. We have also conducted three raid operations. We are committed to undertaking prompt and proportionate enforcement action against any commercial electronic message senders contravening the UEMO," the spokesman said.
Ends/Friday, March 8, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:15
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