demanding cash to remove rubbish

Residents are being warned to be on their guard against people knocking at their door claiming to be dustmen and asking for cash payments to remove their rubbish.

The advice follows reports in some parts of the borough of householders being approached by a man wearing a red uniform offering to clear away extra rubbish for cash.

The man appears to be targeting homes that are undergoing renovation and which have builder's rubble and bulky items left in the front garden.

He has been calling at these addresses and telling the householders that in return for money the waste will be removed later that day by a refuse truck. He pockets the cash and then disappears. No collection is made.

The scam is made all the more plausible because the man is wearing a uniform similar in appearance to those worn by employees of the borough's waste contractor Biffa.

Refuse collectors employed by Biffa are strictly forbidden from approaching residents and asking for cash or offering to do extra jobs. They face stringent disciplinary action, including dismissal, if they do so.

Any approaches for money by people claiming to be refuse collectors should be reported to the police straight away or the council’s waste management team on (020) 8871 8558. This number can also be used for general refuse collection enquiries.

July 12, 2007