"Increased fines for rogue diallers welcome but they're not a solution" says Norman Lamb

4.30.20pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 29th Jun 2005

Commenting on the announcement that fines for companies using premium rate internet diallers will more than double to £250,000, Liberal Democrat Shadow Trade and Industry Secretary, Norman Lamb said, "I welcome this long overdue increase in fines for rogue firms exploiting unwitting consumers. Too often the perpetrators behind these rogue diallers are beyond the reach of the criminal justice system and escape paying a fine, however large it is."

"In addition, a fine provides no redress to the consumer who has lost money. We need to have effective methods in place to prevent these scams happening in the first place, Norman Lamb added. "These fines on rogue firms are nothing but a sticking plaster - we need a solution to the problem."