Warning over fake garden waste subscription scam

A council has warned people to "stay vigilant" after reports of fake garden waste subscription leaflets being sent out to residents.

Bassetlaw District Council said it had been made aware of the scam after it was contacted by a member of the public on Tuesday who had received a suspicious leaflet in the post.

The council said the letter had a QR code printed on it, which led users to a fraudulent payment website.

Anyone who spots the scam has been asked to report it to the council and Report Fraud.

Councillor Darrell Pulk, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said he could tell the document was fake straight away.

"The logo at the top is not actually the council emblem.

"This shows a leaf next to the words 'Bassetlaw District Council', but the real one is actually a map of Bassetlaw with 'B.C' on top of it in a square box," he said.

"We would only send legitimate letters by Royal Mail, it would never be a leaflet through a door, especially where we're trying to get people to pay a bill," Pulk added.

Pulk said the council relied on vigilance from the public to spot scams and urged anyone with concerns to contact the authority.

"Please report it to Report Fraud online or call 03001232040 because the more information we have about these leaflets the more we can do about it," he added.

Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.