Southend Council Trading Standards TV licence scam warning

Fraudsters are targeting residents with fake TV licensing emails which take them to a fake page "designed to steal your money".

The council's trading standards has released a warning and advice today, urging those targeted to forward scam emails to the National Cyber Security Centre at report@phishing.gov.uk. 

A spokesman for Southend Trading Standards shared: "Beware of these fake TV Licensing emails!

"The links within the email take you to a fake page created by fraudsters, designed to steal your personal information and money.

"Forward scam emails to the National Cyber Security Centre on report@phishing.gov.uk."

How to check if TV licensing emails are genuine

• Check the sender - Genuine TV Licensing emails are sent from donotreply@tvlicensing.co.uk or donotreply@spp.tvlicensing.co.uk
• Partial postcode - If you have provided TV Licensing with your postcode details, their emails will include part of your postcode and/or the name on the licence
• Look for your name - If you have given TV Licensing your name, then they will always address you using your last name and title.
• Check the spelling and grammar - Because scammers cannot use genuine TV Licensing web addresses or email addresses, they will try to use slightly different spellings. Look out for things such as hyphens and full stops in odd places. Be suspicious too if there are mistakes in the email with capital letters or other grammatical errors, like missing full stops.
• Check the links - Be wary of emails promising money or refunds. For example, phrases such as, “click below to access your refund”. TV Licensing would never process a refund in this way.
• Always check links in an email before clicking or tapping them. If you are on a computer, hover over the link, but don't click it. If you are on a smartphone or tablet, press and hold on the link, do not release while you are on the link. This will reveal the name of the web address you are being sent to.