Wrongly accused of watching BBC iPlayer without a licence

[Cattenberg]

I have never had a TV (or an iPlayer account) at my current address, so since moving here I haven’t had a TV licence.

Today, I got a letter from TV Licensing claiming that someone at my address has watched BBC iPlayer on several occasions in the last few weeks without a licence. I know I haven’t and the only other resident (my eight-year-old) swears she hasn’t and I believe her. In order to watch something on iPlayer, don’t you have to log in first?

The letter says I have to buy a licence and gives me a link to the TV licensing website, but whichever option I select to try to contact them, I am either blocked from sending a message because I don’t have a current TV licence number, or I’m re-directed to the page for buying a new licence. Hmm…

I suppose I’ll have to write a letter to them, but has anyone else experienced this? I do NOT want to watch TV or buy a licence. I’d prefer it if they blocked my property from receiving all BBC services, so I never have to worry about this again.

I’m also wondering if someone could have accessed my Wi-fi, perhaps the next-door neighbours (one set aren’t very nice) or the workmen who occasionally park on the street outside my house as they’re renovating a nearby property.

I usually complete the No Licence required form online but really couldn’t be bothered this year. I don’t have to let Netflix or Disney + know I’m not using their services so why do I need to tell the BBC. Within a few weeks, I’d received the standard threatening letter which promptly went in the recycling bin. I have until Friday apparently to get a licence or declare I don’t need one otherwise they might send someone round. Quaking in my boots I am.

Just return to sender & tell them that you don’t want to pay / finance a company that encourages paedophia - ( jimmy saville, huw Edwards, that bloke from it’s a knock out … the list is long ….

I'd probably ignore it OP - and tell your child not to watch iplayer. If you choose to reply I would tell them that you have not watched it and the only other person living in your house is an 8 year old child. Tell them you will speak to your child but their app/website should not allow under 18s to watch something there is a charge for without verifying an over 18s permission and payment.

How would they know this? Is it just as pp say made up?

How would they access what you’re watching

The letter is about the use of iPlayer, which requires being signed into an account in order to watch, linked to a physical address.

I don't think it's phishing. It's very specific. I've had the same letter - I signed into my account (which was an old one that I no longer used) in order to set up my mum's smart TV. She has a TV licence, I don't.

I got that letter.

I phone to explain, and they were ok about it - but I updated the address on the account to my mum's, just to be on the safe side.

I see, thanks. It’s been a while since I’ve used iPlayer

BBC accounts require an email, which can be any random disposable email address, and they request a Post Code so that iPlayer can suggest regionally appropriate content, but they don't ask for a Postal Address so there is no way to "link" anything to a physical address.

I just created another account right now, signed into iPlayer, no request for any sort of physical address. Postal Codes can narrow it down, but the same Post Code often applies to multiple street addresses, and besides, you can use any valid UK Post Code you like to create the account, so the BBC has absolutely no way determine with any certainty your physical location from your BBC log-in alone.

The letters are speculative phishing.

I am not interested iplayer but seems if you want to access their drivel, give any old burner email address and a random postcard (London Zoo? 😂)

They'd need a warrant to get your ISP to release your web terrific data or share your assigned IP address - which seems extremely unlikely.

Does your bbc online account contain your name and address? Have you been logged in with that account on a TV, laptop or phone and watched something?

I haven't had an iPlayer account for several years (and rarely used it when I did). I definitely haven't watched any programmes since I moved in here, only the short news clips on the BBC website.

I'm afraid to attempt to watch a programme on iPlayer to see if it logs me in automatically, in case that gets me into deeper trouble!

A couple of years ago despite having a licence, BBC decided "something had changed at our address" and we didn't have one and sent a barage of increasingly unpleasant and threatening letters of enforcement then it all went quiet. The letters were just to "the occupier".
There has been no change in residents for many years.

I think they cocked up when it went paper-less, but the transaction was showing on our bank statement.

Thought I would add , your bbc iplayer old account may still be listed as active hence letter. I had this went in deleted account…..no more letters.

I got one, ignored it, not got one since.

There is a page on their website where you can tell them you don’t need a license and they stop bothering you once that form has been completed. I do it every couple of years.

You can look at the news without logging in, go into the website and see if you are logged in (I just checked and I’m not logged in and had closed my account when I cancelled my TV license). Make sure your details aren’t saved on the app on any other devices too.

Whenever I get a letter from an address I don#t recognise I slit it open down one side. If its something I don't want to read, I glue it carefully back together, write NOT KNOWN with a big sharpie and drop it back into the mail.