TV Licence article Discussion

[Deleted User]

You sure it's not a fake email, highly doubt its real to be fair.

If you're watching it at your fellas house then his license covers watching iplayer regardless of what account was logged in.

mrpotatohead2019

yeah it was definitely real - i thought that at first but its from the same email address that i got a reply from last time i told them i didnt need a license.

So why have they sent me this email then if they don't know WHERE i was watching it?

[Deleted User]

If its real then it's just data matching the emails together and sending out some automated spam to try bully you into buying a license, ignore it or ring them and say you're watching it at your fellas house which is covered by a license

Cornucopia

Yes, these emails are real (though there are also scam TV Licensing emails out there, too).

They are based on a simple data matching of email addresses (the one used to complete their no licence needed form, and the one on the BBC account).

They aren't (cannot) be used as evidence to support an allegation of TV Licence evasion (because they prove nothing). They have no way to obtain IP addresses matched to addresses, and IP addresses frequently change.

I'd suggest ignoring the email and deleting the BBC account. You can then open a new one that is consistent with the information on the TV Licence.

mrpotatohead2019

awesome thanks for the info!

mbmonty

mrpotatohead2019 wrote: »

HI all just looking for some clarification.

I have a bbc iplayer account, i've had it for at least 3 years and signed up when i was living in my old house where I had a license. I've since moved and only watch netflix here, I'm hardly even in anyway I spent my evenings and weekends at my partners house and just go home to sleep, so I didn't bother getting a license.

Anyway 6 months ago my partner bought a smart tv and wanted to watch something on Iplayer so rather than faff around creating a new account i just signed in with mine assuming that the license at my partners house would cover it.

We were watching something last night on iplayer and today I have had an email saying we know you've been watching Iplayer and you told us you didn't need a license at your address so you now need to buy one.

My email address for iplayer is the same email address as the one i used to tell them i don't need a license. Am i right in thinking they have assumed that because ive signed into it and watched stuff that im watching it at my house? Can't they tell from IP addresses that im NOT watching it at my house?

Shall i just shutdown my account and create a new one or is it too late and im going to get a fine now?

The first thing you need to remember is that this is a company that uses devious techniques to try and make you admit liability when it does not exist.

So the first thing you do is to do a Subject Access Request requesting all information that have on you, there is a sample on the ICO website. Make sure you specify that you want everything, including logs for alleged use of BBC Iplayer. This prevents any ambush in Court and gives you an opportunity to prove your innocence.

You need to be prepared to refute their so called evidence, currently they think they have you, but they have to provide evidence that shows you were using it at your address.

If you were on a laptop at your girlfriends house running on battery you would not need a licence.

As for the Smart TV at her house I am not aware of any law that says she is not allowed to use your account.

The SAR will show what IP Address on their logs, you then put that IP address into the address below, it will show the ownership of the IP address. If your girlfriend uses a different ISP then it will be a simple matter of you providing evidence that you are on Sky and she is on Virgin or whatever it is. If it is a BT account it may be tricky as they have hotspots.

https://whatismyipaddress.com

Once you have the evidence you write a letter refuting their allegation, you need to be careful to put WITHOUT PREJUDICE SAVE AS TO COSTS at the top of the letter. You then dispute their so called evidence, say that the IP address provided does not belong to your ISP and include evidence of that.

You might even suggest that your iPlayer account seems to have been compromised and so you are going to close it so that there is no confusion

It is interesting to know that they are using data in this way.

I do not watch any BBC TV content except what they provide to Netflix, I had a BBC ID for radio, not aware if they use the same system.

They can't send me a letter or email because they do not even know my name or address and your experience is yet another example of why I do not give my information to anyone. Whether an organisation is hacked or shares they can't share what they do not have.

[Deleted User]

Easier option, delete email, job done

mbmonty

[Deleted User] wrote:

Easier option, delete email, job done

I disagree, look at who you are dealing with, this is a company that was refused entry and lied about seeing live tv through a window (see youtube).

They get warrants rubber stamped in their hundreds by telling lies to Courts.

By refuting and then no longer engaging with any further attempts by them to gather evidence it nails it down. I would then use GDPR to have my details deleted from their systems after closing the account, by then they will have no purpose to keep the data as no longer a customer.

[Deleted User]

It's an email it's nothing, nothing like going to an extreme. They would have to come out and actually catch someone watching it at an unlicensed property.

As I said deleted email, job done, no come back from it

silverwhistle

I'm with 1005922 on this. Allocate as little effort as possible to the situation.
My letters to the occupier go straight into use as kindling and the most effort in the whole affair comes in posting on here! Mind you, in ~35 years of home ownership I've never had a colour tv, so my situation is different to many.