Scrapping free TV licences for pensioners will increase the risk of their losing hundreds of thousands of pounds to fraudsters, a charity warns.
Age UK suggests there could be a 13% rise in scammers posing as TV Licensing staff targeting the elderly when the rule change happens in June.
It estimates the cost of such fraud at £320,000.
Nearly 18,000 people of all ages have been sent fraudulent TV licence emails in the past year, Age Concern says, and older people would be particularly vulnerable.
Caroline Abrahams, director of the charity, said: “Fraudsters are always searching for new opportunities to part us from our cash.”
The Conservatives promised at the 2017 election to protect the benefit for the rest of the Parliament, due to run until 2022.
But the BBC was handed responsibility for funding the lifeline from June 2020, under a deal stitched up in 2015.
The Beeb estimates keeping the current entitlement will cost £745million a year.
It plans to curb the benefit, meaning just 1.5 million OAPs are likely to continue receiving free licences when restrictions take effect.
From next June, only over-75s receiving Pension Credit will be eligible - meaning 80% of over-75s, some 3.7 million people, will have to stump up £154.50 to watch their favourite shows.
