Granatt said that his organisation, which oversees the voluntary press card scheme run by the news industry, is to make contact with police forces and other organisations across the country to alert them to the unofficial card.
Despite having a similar appearance to the industry-approved card carried by members of the UK press (inset), Granatt said the pass issued by Demotix had not been sanctioned by the industry.
Currently, 17 national news industry employers, trade unions and professional associations act as "gatekeepers" by issuing official journalist credentials across the UK.
These organisations include the BBC, Sky, ITN, the National Association of Press Agencies, the Newspaper Society and the NUJ and BAJ.
Granatt said: "The National Press Card is the card of professional journalists within the UK.
"All the major media organisations, associations and trades unions are part of the scheme…We have worked hard over many years to establish the National Press Card as the ID for professional journalists.
"It is designed to assure the police and others that the holder is a professional news-gatherer, working full-time to serve the public.
"Our concern is that the police and third parties might be misled by the Demotix card."
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