Conmen posing as litter wardens are duping people out of hundreds of pounds by issuing fake fines.
Two bogus wardens have been spotted dressed in black in a bid to look like real litter enforcement officers in Bridgend, South Wales.
Council officials have issued a warning about the pair, who have been demanding instant cash payments of £150 for supposed littering and dog fouling.
Hywel Williams, deputy leader of Bridgend Council, said: "We are urging people to watch out for the scam.
"Genuine enforcement officers always wear official ID badges and lanyards and will never ask for a cash payment for a fixed penalty notice.
"Instead, officers will issue a ticket stating details of the offence, payment options and online, telephone and postal contact details.
"They will never ask for cash up-front or for a personal mobile number."
Last month, one passerby was targeted by the conmen who took their contact number and later demanded extra cash on the phone.
Real enforcement officers would only issue fixed penalty notices of £100.
And as we one gran was left in tears after being told to pay £150 by a genuine council worker for giving pastry leftovers to pigeons in the street.
Sally-Ann Fricker, from Bath, thought she was doing no harm when she chucked the "the end corner of a sausage roll" for the birds to tuck into.
But within minutes she had been confronted by the council's contractors 3GS - dubbed 'litter police' - who "came out of nowhere" and started quizzing her.
The shocked 54-year-old, who had been shopping with her her daughter and grandchildren, was slapped with the £150 fixed penalty.
She arranged to borrow money to cover the cost but was flabbergasted at the ordeal.
She claims the food had been eaten and could no longer be seen.
"It was absolutely ridiculous," Mrs Fricker said.
