A deluge of spam emails and texts from ‘cowboy’ firms could replace pensions cold calling when it is banned,
the ABI fears.

The Association of British Insurers wants the crackdown on unsolicited phone calls to be extended to all forms of digital communication.

It echoes the thoughts of Chartered Financial Planner Darren Cooke, who initiated a campaign leading to the Government’s plans for a ban. The PFS has also called for an email and text ban.

Mr Cooke APFS, Cert PFS (DM), director of Red Circle Financial Planning in Derbyshire, previously said: "The original petition did call for a ban to not just cover phone calls but also e-mail and text as well. It is my fear that, although these methods are currently less successful for the fraudsters, they will move to these methods once calls are banned if they are not also banned at the same time."

ABI has told the Treasury that an email and SMS ban would prevent any cold calling legilsation being circumvented by fraudsters.

Yvonne Braun, director of long-term savings and protection policy at the ABI, said: “The ban on cold calling announced in the Autumn Statement is a good first step but the Government needs to ensure consumers are fully protected from the pension cowboys – they should not be allowed anywhere near people's life savings.

"Banning cold-calling and other measures in the consultation should help, but we need to make sure cold calls aren't just replaced by a deluge of spam emails and texts.

“That’s why we think further measures to stop fraudsters from using other forms of technology need to be considered by the Government.”

The ABI's comments have been formally presented to the Treasury in a consultation response.

The Personal Finance Society’s chief executive Keith Richards has told Financial Planning Today: “The ban on pensions cold calling should extend as far and wide as necessary to stamp out the work of financial predators who continue to prey on the vulnerable in our community.

“That includes text messaging, e-mail communication and all other forms of communication that many cold callers use to manipulate consumers into acting contrary to their own personal financial interests."