TV Licensing say I've been watching iPlayer

[SpamIAm]

Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else - I've received an email from TV Licensing saying I've been watching iPlayer so I need to buy a TV licence. I 100% have not been watching iPlayer. I don't even have it installed on any devices 🤷‍♀️ The only option on the email is to buy a licence, even when you click the link that says to let them know if you think it's a mistake...

here we are

www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ288

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46745298

www.theguardian.com/money/2019/jan/07/tv-license-email-scam-fraud-licence

I’ve heard that they can tell you are watching iplayer from your IP address. Not sure how true that is.

An IP is useless without a name of who is using that IP.

Not sure what relevance my username has to anything, but for those interested - Age 14 I became president of the Meat Club, after the former president became a vegetarian (it was a difficult time for the club). My name is Sam, Spam sounds very much like Sam, and was fitting given my passion for meat. That's genuinely true and possibly the most outing thing ever posted on Mumsnet 😂

This is the best thing I have read all week, even if it’s completely made up. It’s worthy of Greg Davies on Would I Lie to You.

I’ve heard that they can tell you are watching iplayer from your IP address. Not sure how true that is.

The ip address is logged with every iplayer session coming from that ip address. However most users wont have a constant ip address so thats only useful in some technical scenarios - which is why iplayer now asks for an email address when you register.

@safariboot

TV Licensing enforcement is contracted out to Capita. You may have heard of their reputation in their handling of disability benefits. They routinely use unethical sharp practice in their TV Licensing work too.

This would explain a lot. They are a bunch of charlatons.

I have been in an almost constant row with TV Licensing for years. I have invited them round, never seen the buggers. I do NOT and never would watch any of the British terrestrial tv channels, as the quality of their output has been dire for the longest of times.

I download any stuff I wish to watch via torrent sites. I can't remember the last time I was vaguely tempted to watch ANYTHING produced by the BBC.

And it is no surprise to me that the BBC has involved themselves with a despicable lot like Capita.

They said they've cancelled my declaration that says I don't need one because of this. I've emailed them back to say I've not even heard of the programme in question and to ask for further info. Of all the channels I would watch, bbc would be the absolutely last one

I used to work with somebody who genuinely did not have a TV set; he was one of the sports staff, and the only thing which interested him was the football. After Saturday morning sport lessons, he'd watch a for a little while on the school set, then go home.
TV licensing could not get their heads around the concept of somebody not owning a TV set; he showed me the cycle of letters which he got sent, becoming increasingly nasty, threatening enforcement officers etc., then it would stop, before the cycle began again. He patiently explained that he didn't have a set, and a visit wouldn't have worried him; he had nothing to hide.
It's true that the fake reminders are very good at first glance; I received one ( I renew online) and it was convincingly done - but I just knew it was the wrong time of year, and close checking showed up small discrepancies.
If you're sure you're in the clear, try contacting them and asking for details, without clicking the link, maybe contacting them by their email address.

I got an email 2 days ago!!!

I haven't watched iPlayer either!

I wondered if it was a trick to get you worried and buy a license. I don't watch normal tv.. only Netflix, Prime and Disney.

Thought I'd just update this with the outcome. I emailed them to say I hadn't been watching it, they replied asking me to confirm my details, and then a few days later I received an automated email thanking me for letting them know I don't need a licence and that my declaration is valid for two years 🤷‍♀️