Watch out for a phishing email scam in the UK which claims you need to setup a new direct debit for your TV licensing.

The email claims that the recipient needs to setup a new direct debit to remain licensed because the latest payment could not be made. The email includes a link that leads to a spoof website designed to look like the real TV licensing website.

An example of the email is below.

However the website this email links to is operated by scammers, and all the information entered into the site by the recipient will be sent straight to them. This includes personal information and credit card information. That’s enough data for crooks to empty your bank account.

It’s a typical phishing email scam. An unexpected email lands in your cyber inbox, claiming you must click a link to avoid an undesired consequence, and that link directs you to a website that asks you for your personal information and financial details.

Avoid phishing scams like this with the following tips.

– Be cautious of unexpected emails asking you to click a link. Always try and avoid clicking links in emails as a good security habit.
– Look at the FROM email address to see who the email was sent from (but bear in mind this information is easily spoofed.)
– If you do click a link, check the web address of the page you’re on to see if the page belongs to the web domain you should be on. For example the UK TV licensing website is tvlicensing.co.uk, and we were taken to a completely different domain after clicking the link in this email.
– Be wary of emails that contain spelling or grammar mistakes.

Learn more about phishing scams in our blog post here.