Ending free TV licences for over-75s has created a ‘bonanza’ for fraudsters

Ending free TV licences for over-75s has created a ‘bonanza’ for fraudsters targeting pensioners, campaigners warn

  • Fraud surged during lockdown as victims are tricked into revealing bank details
  •  Some over-75s received scam letters, emails and texts ordering them to pay up
  • The BBC was warned that fraudsters will see the transition as an opportunity

The end of free TV licences for the over-75s has created a ‘bonanza’ for fraudsters targeting the elderly, campaigners said last night.

Figures obtained by the Daily Mail reveal fraud has surged during lockdown as scammers trick victims into handing over bank details.

Some over-75s have already received scam letters, emails and texts ordering them to pay up within days of the free TV licence entitlement being scrapped on August 1. 

Under BBC rules, only those over-75s who receive pension credit can still claim a free licence.

Some over-75s have already received scam letters, emails and texts ordering them to pay up within days of the free TV licence entitlement being scrapped on August 1. Pictured: Stock photo of an elderly man watching TV

Charities, campaigners and MPs warned that fraudsters will see the transition to the new rule as an opportunity to exploit vulnerable pensioners. 

Fraud cases soared by 30 per cent in the build-up to millions of pensioners losing their free TV licences and being asked to pay the £157.50 annual fee.

Figures from Action Fraud reveal that TV licence scams against all age groups hit 1,017 between April and June this year, up from 772 in the same period in 2019.

Between April 2019 and June 2020 there were 3,735 reports of TV licence scams, with reported losses of nearly £3.3million.

Action Fraud said 636 of these targeted 70 to 99-year-olds. The true figure is likely to be even higher.

Pictured: Age UK charity director Caroline Abrahams

Pictured: Age UK charity director Caroline Abrahams

Jan Shortt, general secretary of the National Pensioners Convention, said: ‘We have already spoken to members who’ve had letters saying something is wrong with their direct debit and they have to pay as a matter of urgency.

‘Others have had text messages to say if they can’t afford to pay for a licence they should send on their bank details and they will get a free licence for a year – they are all scams.’

Age UK said there were fears thousands of over-75s ‘could fall prey’ to these scams in the coming months.

Charity director Caroline Abrahams said: ‘Fraudsters are always searching for new opportunities to part us from our cash and it seems that the BBC’s decision to make millions of older people pay for their TV licence could be a bonanza for them.’

Tory MP Peter Bone, who is deeply critical of the new rule, said the ‘simple solution’ is for the BBC to reverse its decision. It comes as older people’s group Silver Voices, which is mounting a civil disobedience campaign against TV Licensing over the change, said many ‘hard-up’ pensioners were planning to use their winter fuel payment to pay the fee.

A TV Licensing spokesman said: ‘We will be writing directly to over-75s customers through the post, not via email or text message, and advice on protecting against scams is contained within the letter.’