In this episode of Debt Matters, we look at a serious debt story involving unlawful marketing, fake enforcement threats.

On 23 June 2026, the ICO announced a £300,000 fine against Manchester-based KRA Consultancy Ltd after the company sent more than 5.5 million unlawful marketing text messages between April 2022 and May 2025. The texts promoted debt solutions to people turned down for loans, and led to more than 60,000 complaints.

What happened

According to the ICO, this was not ordinary spam marketing. The regulator said KRA sent messages designed to frighten people into responding. Some used fake bailiff-style threats, suggesting that enforcement agents could attend a home and remove goods.

For anyone dealing with debt, that kind of message can feel terrifying. It can make people p ...