I was waiting for the bus when this man (on the left) subtly flashed a little wallet at the guy on the right and said he was giving him a fine for dropping a cigarette butt. The guy then picked it up and put it in the bin, but the man continued and threatened to take him to court, so I quickly got this video. My spidey senses says it was a scam, especially since the man cut and run when I was videoing, but would like to hear fellow Londoners thoughts. Will send to police/ActionFraud today just in case.

I spoke to the guy after and he said he’d encountered people like this before outside train stations.


Was this a scam? Someone trying to fine a guy for dropping a cigarette butt
byu/hugh-r-man inlondon



by hugh-r-man

15 comments

  1. Scam scam scamitty scam.

    >especially since the man cut and run when I was videoing

    Yes, this the training His Majesties Litter Enforcers all get. /s

  2. This happened to my mate. Not sure whether it was a scam or not but in a risky decision he started dialling the police to confirm this is a legal fine and the guy just left. But his badge looked legit snd everything, worked for the council it seemed? Not sure why he left, guess it was a scam of sorts.

  3. blatant theft by deception scam.. due to the use of threats, I believe these should be prosecuted as robbery

  4. Yes you can be fined for littering.

    In order for it to be littering you need to drop your cigarette butt and walk away from it a certain distance, which is probably why this enforcement officer gave up when the guy picked up his litter

    And these enforcement officers are scum. I got fined outside a hospital not 10 minutes after holding my dads hand as he died. They woman was an absolute nazi and took my details as tears poured down my cheeks.

  6. This scammer barely made an effort with the attire lmao.

    Just walk away. Same goes for private security hired by councils, they literally have no legal power and can fuck off.

  7. If it was genuine I’d have thought the chap would show ID and which authority he was from.

    https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/streets/clean-streets/smoking-related-litter

    > Dropping litter, including smoking related litter, is an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Street Environment Officers, Police Officers or Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) can issue Fixed Penalty Notices if you drop litter.
    >
    > They can ask you for your name and address. It is an offence not to provide details or to provide false information. If you are convicted you can be fined up to £2,500 in the magistrates court.

  9. Oh, dropping a cigarette butt fine guy, huh? Sounds like they’re on a mission to clean up the streets, one litterbug at a time.

  10. Don’t know who i hate more this scammers or twats who drop litter.

  11. If you drop litter you deserve to be scammed, seems like the guy’s doing a public service.

  13. Google kingdom security they are predatory vultures and their employees regularly break the law themeslves such as illegally operating on railway property 

  14. You can put scam on not to the side in this case. Put your cigarettes out and into the bin, and while you’re at it, all the rest of your litter.

  15. In the UK, for such an offence the only thing you can be given on the spot is something called a “fixed penalty notice” ( [https://www.gov.uk/pay-challenge-fine-environmental-offence](https://www.gov.uk/pay-challenge-fine-environmental-offence) ) however you have you have up to 14 days to pay the fine and can also legally challenge it if you want to.

    Anyone wandering around in a pair of joggers holding a card machine, acting aggressively and trying to threaten people into automatic fines is 110% a scammer and you should report this guy.

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