A recent spate of TV licence scam emails
has led to more than 5,000 complaints over the past three months. There have also been reports of scam text messages being used.
The emails use headlines such as “correct your licensing information” and “your TV licence expires today” in an attempt to convince people to click on the link in the email. A typical message may say that the payment for your TV license hasn’t gone through successfully, and that you risk a fine.
How they work
Cyber crime monitor Action Fraud said fake TV licence emails regarding payment issues had been sent out to try to collect bank details.
Action Fraud said the scam was “particularly nasty as it looks so convincing”. Fraudulent emails try to catch you off your guard by panicking you into taking action immediately. But don’t – it pays to stop and think.
One story tells of an elderly couple who DID enter their bank details, and ended up inadvertently allowing £10,000 to be transferred out of their bank account.
What to do if you get one
If you receive an email or text message that appears to be from TV Licensing (or any other organisation) DON’T CLICK ON ANY LINKS until you have verified that it’s genuine.
See TV Licensing’s own advise on what to do if you receive an email / text reporting to be from them.
It’s not genuine if
TV Licensing say they will never unprompted:
- email you to tell you that you’re entitled to a refund; or
- ask you to pay additional money for our services, e.g. when you’re buying a licence or changing your details.
They will also never ask for:
- your mother’s maiden name;
- your date of birth (unless you’re 74 or over and applying for a free TV Licence).
Delete/ignore/report
The safest thing to do with an email you don’t trust is to delete it.
If you want to check first, you can always contact your trusted IT provider for support. We are available for advice on 0114 287 0510.