Hackney Council has issued a warning to residents as scam letters have circulated the area claiming to be from the council.
The letters state that council officers have been monitoring the household and infers that residents are illegally subletting.
It goes on to explain that a fine of several thousand pounds (£7,300) is owed by the resident and says Hackney council officers will return to the property at an arranged time to inspect it and collect the fined amount.
According to the Council, the letters are a part of a fraudulent attempt to extract money from Hackney residents.
Fraudulent letter Pic: Hackney Council
In a statement, a Council spokesperson said: “The council will never ask residents to give its officers cash payments to resolve breaches of tenancy and lease conditions.
The council also strongly urges residents to not answer their door if someone turns up at the date set out in the letter and to call the police immediately on 999. If any resident receives this letter or one similar, the council asks them to report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040”.