TL;DR: Which? flagged a scam email on September 16, 2026 that says your latest TV Licence direct debit failed, threatens prosecution or a fine of up to £1,000, and links to a copycat renewal site that steals personal and financial details. Do not click. Check your licence status only by typing the official address yourself and forward the email to report@phishing.gov.uk.
Which?'s latest scam alerts, updated September 16, 2026, include a TV Licence email that arrives addressed to your email address and claims your most recent direct debit did not go through.
What the email says
- Your latest TV Licence direct debit failed.
- You could face prosecution or a fine of up to £1,000 if you keep using licensable services without a licence.
- A link supposedly lets you renew, but it leads to a copycat website that captures personal and financial details as you type.
Why it catches people
A missed payment notice feels plausible, the fine sounds official, and the deadline pressures you to click. The email costs the scammer almost nothing to send, so a small share of victims is enough. The same panic pattern appears in the fake ChatGPT billing email.
How to check and report
- Do not click links. Go to the official TV Licensing site by typing the address, or check your bank for a failed direct debit.
- Check the sender's full address and whether the email uses your name.
- Forward the email to report@phishing.gov.uk, the National Cyber Security Centre's reporting address.
- Forward scam texts to 7726, which is free on UK networks.
If you entered details
Call your bank right away and ask for the card to be blocked. Then read the fake Action Fraud recovery scam so you can recognise follow-up calls that offer to get your money back. UK reimbursement rules are covered in the CRM reimbursement code guide.
For a UK physical-world variant of impersonation, see the card cleaning courier scam. Also this week, City Relay reported exposed access codes in a London property data breach: the City Relay data breach.
FAQs
Is the TV Licence direct debit failed email real?
Which? identified it as a scam. Do not use the link; check your licence account directly or your bank for a failed payment.
Can I be fined up to 1,000 pounds for a missed direct debit?
The email uses that threat to scare people. Check your licence status through the official site, not through the email.
Where do I report a scam email in the UK?
Forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk. Forward scam texts to 7726.
Want to know how exposed you are right now? Run the free digital footprint checker.
Curious what's already out there? Scan My Shadow checks a phone number and email across 1,500+ sources and sends a clear report — no guesswork, just facts. Start your scan.