TV Licensing has confirmed that an email circulating among customers, which claims a TV Licence payment has failed, is not genuine. The authority has urged anyone who receives such a message to check its website or call for assistance.
A TV licence holder reported receiving a suspicious email in early October, apparently from TV Licensing, with the subject line 'Your licence renewal is overdue'. The message opens with a warning: "Your TV Licence payment has failed."
The email continues: "We are writing to inform you that we were unable to process your most recent payment for your TV Licence. This may have been due to insufficient funds in your account, or a problem with your payment provider."
Fines warning in the fake email
The official-sounding message warns that a valid TV licence is needed to watch or record live television on any channel. It adds: "If you continue to use licensable services without a valid licence, you could face prosecution and a fine of up to 1,000, in addition to legal costs."
Below the text are three buttons: 'Pay Now', 'Update Payment Details' and 'Change Payment Plan'. TV Licensing has confirmed the message is bogus and is not from them.
Often, clicking such links leads to a fake website controlled by scammers, where people are encouraged to hand over personal or banking details. A telltale sign in this particular email is that the 'TV LICENSING' logo at the top is not the real one used by the group.
TV Licensing response
A TV Licensing spokesperson said: "We work with charities and local authorities across the UK to raise awareness of how people can avoid scams.
"We'd encourage anyone who is suspicious or doubtful about whether correspondence that appears to be from TV Licensing is genuine to call us or check our website where there is guidance on how to spot scams."
The group said a common tactic scammers use is to claim there is something wrong with your licence, such as a payment not going through or a refund you are owed.
Three-step process for suspicious messages
If you are ever in doubt about a message you have received, follow these steps:
- Stop - Scammers will try and trick you into giving away your details, often trying to spur you into action with a deadline or a threat of penalties. Don't panic into taking action before thinking it through.
- Check - Check for any telltale signs the message is not real. There may be grammatical errors, your details may be incorrect or your licence number may be wrong.
- Ask - Get a second opinion from a friend or family member, or someone else you trust. You can also contact TV Licensing to verify if the message is real.
If you have entered your personal details on a suspicious site, you can report this to Report Fraud on www.reportfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.
If you gave any of your bank card or bank account details, you should talk to your bank immediately. You can report a scam email to report@phishing.gov.uk and the National Cyber Security Centre will look into the matter.
