If you have developed contacts for your promotional material by purchasing them from other databases, do not be complacent.  You cannot assume that the contacts you have bought have consented to, or even have knowledge of, being included on the database you bought from.  They cannot therefore be deemed to have consented to being sent unsolicited electronic messages under our anti-spam legislation.
 
The New Zealand Companies Office have become aware of many examples of this type of database-sharing and are cracking down on businesses using the contacts and breaching the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act.  Being in breach can see individuals subjected to hefty fines of up to $200,000, and businesses and other organisations up to $500,000.  And that is for a single infringement.
 
Can you be sure you are not in breach?  Check out our Anti-spam tip-list which is free to download here.  Use our 5 tips to ensure you and/or your business are not in breach.