[ROG]

It appears that the BBC are sending out teams to visit the homes over 75 "s to get them to pay tv licence charges
What a great opportunity for the petty crooks who will no doubt start targeting the older vulnerable.--calling at their homes pretending to be BBC officials.
If anyone put there has vulnerable relations-/neighbours make sure that they dont hand over any cash--ideally contact you or a relation before taking any action.

[Kittyhawk]

Where does it appear?

[riverrock]

Note the quote near the end of this article, saying that they aren't going to send enforcement letters or organise visits.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/14565 ... d-date-evg

So @ROG you'll need to quote your source.

[ROG]

EXPRESS -customer care officers are expected to start visits in august.
Also discussed on LBC this morning--which usually gives true info.

[Mike Tango]

Just contaminated my iPad with the Daily Express website, it says…

Director-general Tim Davie confirmed the BBC would not pursue over-75s required to pay.

In a statement, he said the organisation would not send enforcement letters or organise visits for people who have previously had a free over-75 license.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/14565 ... d-date-evg

Off to submerge iPad in bucket of bleach now.

[ROG]

Seems to contradict as reported in the telegraph and mirror. and LBC
Guess if it happens worry about it then.
If it happens then warn anyone if relevant.

[Flyin'Dutch']

Nobody should hand over any cash to anyone at any time at the door.

@ROG

Posts and statements like yours serve nothing other than that it evokes anxiety in people who are already anxious thereby diminishing the quality of life of those people. There is enough of that stuff going on already in society.

Have a think about that.

[Rob L]

Nobody should hand over any cash to anyone at any time at the door...<snip>..

Respectfully, FD:
We know that as well as you do.

I think ROG's Original Post warning is relevant at all times (not just about any TV licencing stuff). I see his post being aimed at those of us who might have an elderly / vulnerable / friend/neighbour/relative who might be succeptible to "door-to-door" sales.

I support ROG in this thread.

Rob L

[riverrock]

I've seen scams based on things like this - but I've also seen a lot of facebook scare mongering on things which really aren't issues.

Vulnerable people need to be taught to trust noone who comes to the door without an appointment - including TV enforcement, sorry, customer care officers.

[Mike Tango]

Also wise not to trust anything in the likes of Mail, Express, Sun, Telegraph etc. They are just mouthpieces for their billionaire owners and not purveyors of anything remotely resembling reputable or trustworthy news.

[Jim Jones]

Doesn’t matter now if it’s true or not. Enough have been triggered and will clamour again, louder, for the licence to be abolished.

[avtur3]

I've seen scams based on things like this - but I've also seen a lot of facebook scare mongering on things which really aren't issues.

Vulnerable people need to be taught to trust no one who comes to the door without an appointment - including TV enforcement, sorry, customer care officers.

If you look after a vulnerable person then you will know that this is simply impossible, you can have all the conversations in the world with one's elderly and vulnerable relatives about who they answer the door to but it usually mounts to zero when the knock happens.

We've been there and done it several times with my late mother in law, two scams in particular came close to relieving her of over £6k, luckily we were made aware of the activity before money was actually transferred, it is a shocking state of affairs and there is simply NO preventive action which is guaranteed to work.

[riverrock]

@avtur3 absolutely - my point was that it's a generic thing to do your best to protect a vulnerable person to stop the scams, so there is no point in getting worked up about every daily fail article mentioning yet another attack vector.

[ROG]

flying dutch--sorry that I envoked anxiety and worry in you. I didn"t realise that there were lots of vulnerable elderly folk out there on the forum.
Mind you thinking about it.................

[T6Harvard]

Advice about telephone or doorstep scams DOES help protect some folk who may otherwise have been duped.

Yes, unfortunately there are those people who are not capable of resisting the chancers no matter how many warnings they are given.

There are those of us who would not deal with anyone at the door (unless the caller is a particularly skilled psychologist).

But there are people like my Mum who takes the reminders and files them for future use. Mum rings me to tell me she thinks she had a dubious call, asks if she should respond but then happily tells me she knew it was a scam!

Worth the warnings to save those on the margins, particularly with newly evolving scams.

I intervened in a supermarket car park to prevent a scammer taking a lady's debit card. Scammer approached her, handed her a £5 note 'she had dropped', she got her purse out to check but I heard her saying she didn't think she had. I was aware of this type of distraction scam so was able to intervene.

Ironically I ended up scamming the scammer because he shot off leaving me holding the fiver, which I gave to the grateful lady