AN MP is warning people to be on their guard after reports of fraudsters sending fake TV licensing demands to homes across the area in the hope of stealing their personal details.

Shipley MP Philip Davies has been contacted by worried constituents who received an email asking for them to pay immediately for a licence by clicking a link and entering payment card details.

Mr Davies has written BBC bosses and Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan asking what measures will be taken to prevent people being scammed.

He said: “Scammers try to catch people off guard and say you need to act immediately in the hope people will panic and disclose their financial details.

"These people are devious and will try anything to scam innocent people and from what I have been told they are using all forms of contact to try and reach as many people as possible through letter, email and text messages.

"The charity Age UK is aware of it and working hard to raise awareness of the fraud. I will be pressing the BBC and government ministers on what they plan to do to stop people falling victim to this scam and telling them about the work Age UK are already doing on this.”

The TV licensing website said it does not send emails claiming someone is entitled to a refund or offering a discount, nor does it use an automated voicemail saying there is a problem and you should call an 0345 number and make a payment.

Mr Davies added: “We can all play a part by telling people about the scam as awareness is vital to stopping others falling prey to the scammers.

"Being a victim of a scam is nothing to be ashamed of, the people that carry out these crimes are persuasive and manipulative but by talking about it we can hopefully end the continued increase in numbers of victims falling prey to the nasty crime.”

Anyone wanting to report fraud should contact Action Fraud - the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime. Crimes can be reported via www.actionfraud.police.uk/reporting-fraud-and-cyber-crime or by calling 0300 123 2040.