Telemarketer fined $168,750

Photo / File

A telemarketing company which switched broadband customers to Slingshot without their consent has been fined almost $170,000.

Power Marketing Ltd pleaded guilty in the Auckland District Court yesterday to 23 charges under the Fair Trading Act.

It comes eight months after Slingshot admitted guilt for its part in the misrepresentations. The internet and phone company was fined $250,000.

Yesterday Power Marketing was fined $168,750, bringing the total fines in the case to almost $420,000.

The charges came after the Commerce Commission received more than 100 complaints from people claiming the telemarketer had misled customers about the service provided by Slingshot, or switched customers to Slingshot's services without their consent, in a practice known in the industry as "slamming".

"This was very poor behaviour on the part of this marketing company," said Commerce Commission consumer manager Stuart Wallace.

Many of those affected were elderly, Mr Wallace said, and had no interest in switching providers.

Slingshot chief executive Mark Callander said the verdict was the final closure for all involved.

"That was a very long time ago from our perspective, but we've finally got closure on the matter," he said. Power Marketing could not be reached for comment.