Misleading calls are confusing some customers who have fallen into debt according to the watchdog.
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has said that companies must stop the practice of "cold-calling" debtors and providing misleading advice.
Customer complaints over the practice had been received by the organisation and the Information Commissioners' Office, resulting in the action. A total of ten firms have now been contacted by the OFT and ordered to stop making the automated calls.
It is thought that the companies were deliberately targeting debtors to advertise financial products and services. These included having their cases transferred to a debt-management firm, which was wrongly said to be a not-for-profit financial charity.
Misleading promises of wiping out the customer's debt through participation in a - fictitious - "government" scheme was also found to have been used in some cases.
Nigel Cates, deputy director of consumer credit at the OFT, said: "Taking advantage of people who are suffering distress through debt problems is completely unacceptable and this practice of illegal or misleading cold-calling for debt management services must cease immediately."
He added: "The current economic climate means that it is vitally important vulnerable consumers are protected. We will not hesitate to take action against any business that uses misleading calls to advertise debt management services."
