Fake council garden waste collection leaflet with QR code
Impersonating: Local Council
What is this scam?
Fraudulent leaflets posing as official local council communications are being posted through letterboxes, prompting residents to renew their garden waste collection subscription. The leaflets carry QR codes that link to convincing fake council payment portals designed to harvest card and personal details. Neighbourhood Alert and Trading Standards have flagged a surge in reports across multiple council areas in April 2026.
Example scam message
YOUR LOCAL COUNCIL — Garden Waste Collection 2026. Your annual garden waste subscription is due for renewal. Scan the QR code below or visit our online portal to pay the £75 renewal fee and keep your fortnightly collection active. Failure to renew by 30 April may result in your bin being removed. [QR code links to council-garden-renewal.xyz/pay]
Red flags to look out for
- Your council will never ask you to pay via a QR code on an unsolicited leaflet — renewals come by letter with your council account details.
- The QR code links to an unofficial domain, not your council's .gov.uk website.
- Vague branding ('Your Local Council') with no specific council name or logo is a red flag.
- Scan the QR code with caution — use a QR scanner that previews the URL before loading it.
What to do if you receive this
- Do not scan the QR code or visit the linked site.
- Contact your council directly via the number on their official website to check your garden waste subscription.
- Report the leaflet to your local Trading Standards office.
- Report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk.
Received this message?
Forward it to 7726 (free on all UK networks) to report it to your mobile provider.
You can also report it to Action Fraud
or email the NCSC at report@phishing.gov.uk.
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Check a message nowSource: Action Fraud