The effort is an attempt to stamp out mailings to small- and medium-sized businesses telling them they are not registered and demanding 拢95 for registration under the Act, which should only cost 拢35.
The commission has so far run regional press ads and TV work to raise awareness of the scams. However, now the commissioner is understood to be looking at ways of preventing these companies from continuing to send out these mailers.
This could include legal action against the companies, or putting in place legislation to stop the mailings being sent out. However, nothing is in place yet.
Simon Lawrence, joint managing director of Information Arts, says the fact that these companies are allowed to continue this practice is "scandalous" and is shocked that the commissioner is powerless to do anything to stop them.
"Why isn't the commissioner taking steps to stop it? Why can't they act against them. [The practice] is not illegal, but it is certainly disreputable. Someone is obviously selling the data to these companies."
He believes there should be greater awareness of the scams and that companies should only be able to register directly with the commissioner.
"He said: "There should be greater awareness through the trade press, and the DMA should also do more."
The latest of these scams is from a company calling itself Data Protection Enforcement Agency, which demands 拢95 for registration under the Act.
Last year, the Office of Fair Trading banned a number of companies from sending out similar mailings. In November, it banned Chris Yewdall of Manchester and Finbar Fox of Lytham St Anne's, who used the name the Data Protection Agency in a mailing to companies telling them they were legally bound to register with the agency at a cost of 拢95.
The ruling follows court injunctions earlier in the year against DPARS of Manchester and Gary McNiesh, both trading as Data Protection Act Registration Service, and Data Protection Agency Services, also trading as Data Collection Enforcement Agency, and its director Michael Sullivan.
It is not clear whether these companies are linked or whether they are different individuals planning similar scams.
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