TV Licence scams are soaring: how to spot a dodgy message
Update: 9th May 2023
TV Licensing scams are on the rise once again, with Action Fraud issuing a warning about emails taking users to websites where they're asked to hand over personal and financial details.
The fraud reporting agency says it has received more than 3,400 reports about TV Licence scams in the last two weeks alone.
These dodgy emails commonly state the recipient's licence is about to expire or that there has been an issue with their most recent payment.
For more details of how to spot and avoid these scams, read our full story from November 2022 below.
Fake emails purporting to be from TV Licensing and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) are being used to lure people into giving away their bank details.
Scammers have long attempted to mimic genuine messages from these agencies.
Which? has previously reported on victims losing more than £830,000 to TV Licensing scams. We've also warned about fraudsters imitating the DVLA via texts and emails offering refunds or asking drivers to update their vehicle tax information.
Read on to find out how the latest versions of these scams work and how to report a dodgy email.
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TV Licensing scam emails
Scammers are sending fake emails using the official TV Licensing logo. The first email encourages the recipient to update their direct debit details.
It reads as follows:
‘Hello [your email address]. As we couldn’t take the latest payment from your bank account, this amount will also need to be paid when you set up your new Direct Debit.
‘Remember, if you don’t keep up with your payments, we may be forced to cancel your license or pass your details to a debt collection agency. To change your payment method, have a look at all your options.
‘So, all you need to do is make sure there’s enough money in your account. Or, if you prefer to pay the missed amount now, you can sign in online and pay using your debit or credit card.
‘While you’re signed in, please make sure we have your correct bank details.’ The email then includes a link titled 'Setup a new direct debit.'
The email might appear convincing, but the small spelling and grammatical errors are the first giveaway that it is a fake. The immediate request for your 'correct bank details' is also a red flag.
In a second dodgy 'TV Licensing' email, scammers tempt recipients into clicking on a link and giving away their bank details under the guise of claiming a refund.
The email reads: ‘You are eligible to receive a tv license refund but due to invalid records, we were unable to credit your account. Please submit the request and allow us 5-7 days to process it.'
The URL included in the email starts with www.tvlicensing.co.uk (the official TV Licensing website) but also includes ‘.cs.update.your.licence’ followed by a series of random letters.
Which? contacted TV Licensing and it confirmed that these emails are not genuine. It said genuine emails and letters are personalised to include information such as your name, part of your postcode or your licence number.
DVLA unpaid tax email
Scammers are also impersonating the DVLA to steal your personal information.
The latest dodgy DVLA email tries to create a sense of urgency with the subject line: ‘Vehicle Tax Status - Unpaid!’ and uses the Gov.uk logo to appear genuine. The email goes on to say:
‘Dear [your email address]. Your bank has declined twice the latest Direct Debit payment. If you will not update your information, your vehicle is no longer taxed.’
The email includes a link, which states: ‘In order to continue to the payment page please use the following link.'
If you click on this link, malware could be downloaded onto your device, or you may be taken to a website that asks for your personal data.
As with the TV Licensing scam above, the grammatical errors and clumsy layout are a sign that this was written by fraudsters.
DVLA scam
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A DVLA spokesperson told Which? that it never asks for bank details over email, and that the only place customers can access genuine DVLA services is the Gov.uk website.
Video: DVLA phishing emails
The above email is the latest in a series of scams impersonating the DVLA. Last year, we investigated a phishing email claiming to be from the DVLA. You can watch our video below.
How to spot and report scam emails
Scam emails impersonating well-known companies can be hard to spot. The first thing to do is check is the email address that the message is being sent from. For example, TV Licensing sends its emails from donotreply@tvlicensing.co.uk or donotreply@spp.tvlicensing.co.uk.
If you hover over any links included in the email, you’ll be able to see if they lead to an official website or not. Don't click these links. Instead, navigate to the company's website manually and log in to your account to see if you have any notifications.
Scam emails should be forwarded to report@phishing.gov.uk. You can also use Hotmail’s 'report phishing' button or Gmail’s 'report spam' button.
