Fraudsters are sending out fake texts to BBC TV licence holders offering a Covid refund payment in an attempt to steal personal and financial information.
The National Trading Standards Scams Team says the text offers a link to an "extremely convincing" fake website where people are asked to input their bank details to claim a refund.
The text claims you are eligible for a full refund of the £157.50 TV licence fee.
In full, the message reads: “Records show that you are eligible for a full refund due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The text then tells people to visit tvlicenceuk.net in order to reclaim the refund.
But the link does not direct the user to the offical TV licensing website.
Warning people on Twitter, one user shared the message and said: “Beware the TV Licence refund scam people.
“Let all the vulnerable know not to open this link if you are sent a message like this.”
Another added: “Scam alert! Just received this text alert.
“Looks like a scam to me due to its .net address? The site doesn't mention Covid refunds.”
If you're offered a TV licence refund due to #COVID19, it is a scam. Please let your friends and family know - particularly the elderly. https://t.co/YHohuusbGH
— East Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre (@EastMidlandsCRC) January 14, 2021
Anyone who receives the text should not follow the link and make sure you are either visiting tvlicensing.co.uk, or spp.tvlicensing.co.uk.
TV Licensing UK said they will never ask for a refund or attempt to set up a payment plan.
They will also never ask for any personal data before logging onto your own account.
If you do get this text, send a photo or screenshot of the message to textscam@tvlicensing.co.uk.
⚠️TV licence holders have been hit by a fresh scam after reports of the public receiving suspicious coronavirus refund texts.
— Trading Standards (@Bucks_SurreyTS) January 13, 2021
The text claims you are eligible for a full refund of the £157.50 TV licence fee. https://t.co/9gIv6PylQr pic.twitter.com/8Z5mXrQOua
For those who have followed the link, TV Licensing advises to contact Action Fraud.
Spotting TV Licence scams - advice from AgeUK
Any letter TV Licensing sends will include your licence number, your title and your last name and they will only ask you to pay using the following options:
- By post using the address TV Licensing, PO Box 578, Darlington DL98 1AN
- Online at tvl.co.uk/75pay or tvl.co.uk/75apply
- Over the phone on 0300 790 6151
If you are contacted and asked to pay for your TV licence using a different phone number, a different website or by posting your details to a different address, this is a scam.
TV Licensing will not come to your doorstep to collect the licence fee if you are over 75, so anyone who claims to do so is also a scammer.
If you’re unsure about anything, you can call TV Licensing on 0300 303 9695 to speak with someone who can help.
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