Latest news with #NathanStafford
Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Good Samaritan gardener targeted by cruel AI scam hits breaking point
A hardworking gardener famous for transforming the overgrown gardens of vulnerable Aussies has hit back at a cruel AI scam targeting his followers. Several fake accounts are posting Nathan Stafford's lawn care videos, usually with an American voiceover dubbed over the top, on TikTok and YouTube. The Sydney-based gardener started his mowing company in 2010 and has a 10million strong following across his social media platforms. Mr Stafford also donates a percentage of his merchandise sales to the Heart Centre for Children. However, in the last 18 months, the Good Samaritan has spent countless hours working to stop his followers from handing over money to scammers. Dozens of his videos have been reposted by fake accounts, some of which ask his followers for money under the guise of fundraising. Other videos feature insensitive voiceovers about single mothers and cancer patients. Mr Stafford told 2GB radio host Ben Fordham on Tuesday that the AI scam was affecting both his brand and his business. One video posted by a fake account claimed he was working on a single mother's 'mosquito trap' because she was 'too busy' to notice it was overgrown. 'It's very disappointing because I help a lot of single mothers and I don't find that entertaining at all,' Mr Stafford said. Several fake accounts (pictured) are posting Nathan Stafford's lawn care videos Some of the videos have a American voiceover dubbed over the top (pictured) 'To me it's making a mockery out of that situation. I even saw one last night about a person supposedly having leukemia. I lost a good mate that had leukemia. 'I don't appreciate any of that or find it funny at all. 'They're just trying to empty people's pockets.' He said there were 'hundreds and hundreds' of fake accounts on TikTok that he had been trying to get deleted for almost two years. 'It's really damaging, mate,' he told Fordham. 'Some of these fake accounts have amassed over 200,000 followers and reach out to my followers, pretending to be me, and request money.' Mr Stafford's content typically focuses on helping Aussies who are unable to take care of their own overgrown gardens, free of charge. 'I love doing it, it's a good way to also help people out in the community and spread a bit of positivity on my platforms,' he said. 'My profiles are based on helping people, honesty and all that kind of stuff. 'But (these AI scammers) are going out there and the stories that they're putting on these videos are horrendous. It's so far from the truth. 'I don't appreciate that because that's not what my channel is about.' Mr Stafford has called on TikTok and YouTube to deploy more resources to shut down fake accounts impersonating popular creators. 'Someone needs to step in here and speak with me. It's not just me. There's hundreds of other people that are going through this. It's out of control,' he said.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Gardener's tip for dealing with 'nightmare' issue growing in Aussie suburbs
A gardener is urging those among us battling with neighbours about overhanging branches to stick steadfast with council regulations, explaining to Yahoo News it will help you get out of the "nightmare". Warren Yaghmour has visited dozens of Sydney homes where residents have been stuck in bitter disputes with their neighbours about who is responsible for the branches across boundary lines, and he believes the quickest and easiest way to get out of the dilemma is to know exactly what you legally can and can't do. This is all laid out by councils. "You've got to find out every single suburb's council, and then go through their list and see what you're allowed to do and whatnot," he told Yahoo. "Different species of trees require different assessments, and sometimes you're allowed to trim big branches and sometimes not." Complying with regulations will ensure the resident is on the right side of the argument, and knowing what species can be cut, and at what height, will make the process much more seamless. Warren said he's often stuck in the middle of disputes, some of which have become so tense he's had to call the police. Another Sydney gardener, Nathan Stafford, is no stranger to neighbourhood disputes, once catching on camera a man shouting at him during a job. Like Warren, he has previously urged residents to maintain an amicable relationship. "Don't chuck the branches back over is definitely the first rule of thumb. That will just get you in all sorts of a mess," Warren explained. 🏝️ Council warns against common beach act in Aussie tourist town 🌳 Aussie neighbourhood's fight to save 100-year-old 'landmark' 🪴 Council defends decision to rip out 57 new plants on rural roadside Why do Australians get so wound up by overhanging branches? Yahoo News has reported on multiple incidents involving residents getting caught up in arguments with neighbours about overhanging trees, including a Sunshine Coast woman who tried to have her neighbour's branches removed for two years, and an elderly couple in England who have a cut-in-half tree standing on the edge of their believes tensions become so heightened between neighbours because Aussie cities are becoming increasingly more cramped, so irritation looms large when "everyone's living on top of each other". "Everyone has the same problem, it affects everybody. Everything's tight and bunched up," he explained. "We've got a lot of trees [in urban areas]... if an overhanging tree branch is leaning over and scraping your gutters, you can't sleep. Or, you have to phone a plumber... or it can destroy fences... that's why it starts becoming a major issue." He is urging residents to reach out to professionals if they are facing problems with overhanging trees. Arborists and gardeners can assure council regulations are being complied with, and the health of the tree isn't compromised in the process. "The tree can get infected. It can get diseases. It can get different types of bugs attracted [to it], and then they generally kill the tree, or at least make it sick." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Common gutter mistake costing Aussie homeowners thousands: 'People might not know'
Gutter guards are a popular feature on roofs around the country, with many homeowners installing the devices in a bid to keep things neat and tidy, and free of debris. But, some "people might not know" they can actually create more harm the good, and may even end up costing homeowners more in the long run. This week, a business owner spotted thousands of leaves built up on an Aussie roof with gutter guards. Sydney gardener and landscaper Nathan Stafford has often urged homeowners to think twice before having them installed. Speaking to Yahoo News, he said because gutter guards are commonly bolted down with "hundreds of nails", it's extremely difficult to remove the build-up from beneath them, which he said still occurs despite the whole point of the gutter guard being to prevent just that. Since they make it harder to see inside the gutter, problems like blockages, rust, or mould can go unnoticed until there's an overflow or damage. And when it's finally time to clean them, they can make the job trickier and more time-consuming than if the gutter had been left open. Nathan said he's simply not a fan. "I've been maintaining homes for over 15 years and I've done thousands of gutter cleaning jobs," he earlier told Yahoo. "What happens is, you get them installed and a lot of people think 'well, that's it'. But things fall on top of them, and they have little holes, so over time, the matter breaks down and falls in." "Then it turns into a soil-like substance, and it's very hard. Add a bit of rain to it and it becomes mud, and it starts pulling on the gutters, which impacts the fascia of the roof." Nathan said in recent times he's noticed gutter guards appearing "more and more". He said often, in his experience, homeowners are having to call in professionals to clean their gutters, which become even more clogged with the guards in place than if they weren't. Aussie gardener warns of 'nightmare' plant costing homeowners 'thousands' Aussie gardener defends divisive roadside act after travelling 2,100kms Warning over common backyard plants costing homeowners thousands Marc Plowman is the business owner of an alternative guttering product, Flowmate. He's one of the professionals who often gets the call to address gutters that can fill with leaves. While installing his product for a client, he noticed a neighbour's property with gutter guards and highlighted the leaves building up on the roof in a video. "Unfortunately, a lot of the time, consumers aren't told that they still need to maintain their gutters," he said. "Gutter guards are very costly; for example, gutter cleaning on a standard house would generally be about $350 even after a gutter guard is installed. "This debris that's left on top decomposes and goes down into the gaps themselves. It creates a little ecosystem in there to grow. A lot of this is not always told to clients when they're sold, and people invest thousands into getting them put on and then wonder why they've got a problem." While gutter guards are certainly not a "set-and-forget" product, they might still reduce the frequency and severity of cleaning somewhat, especially for homes with dense leaf coverage. But Marc who sells the Flowmate gutter system said, around 25 to 30 per cent of his weekly jobs involve issues with gutter guards, with many requiring them to be removed or cleaned out. Once removed, he added, any product warranty is usually voided. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Aussies urged to get free garden item heading into autumn
Thousands of Aussies are being urged to grab a free garden waste bag as autumn garden debris accumulates, posing a little-known risk to waterways and wildlife. The ACT government is providing reusable garden bags to all its residents in a bid to reduce the amount of garden debris that ends up clogging drains and floating down waterways, especially as trees drop leaves heading into autumn's cooler weather. Decomposing fallen leaves and other green waste pose a significant risk to water quality. When organic matter decays excess minerals are released into the water and can kill plants and fish once it reaches rivers and the ocean. "When fallen leaves are rained on, they release phosphorus, and when the phosphorous goes into the stormwater drains on roads and private properties, they then go directly into our waterways. This phosphorus can lead to issues like toxic blue-green algae outbreaks," an ACT government spokesperson told Yahoo News. Preventing the debris from getting there in the first place is much easier than trying to remove it in the system, so residents are being urged to use the free bags to tidy up their yards. "Collecting leaves from nature strips and paved areas helps protect Canberra's waterways," the spokesperson said. 👎 Council accused of 'shaming' residents with controversial bin move 🍂 Gardening reminder to residents over common green bin mistake 🗑️ Aussie man praised over 'legendary' bin day video This is the second consecutive year the bags will be provided to Canberra residents, with the initiative so popular last year that authorities ran out. "More bags were purchased to fulfil this demand," the spokesperson said. It's not just the ACT providing free items to residents to encourage them to clean up and dispose of their green waste properly, with councils in New South Wales providing free compostable bin liners and green waste services for years in a bid to collate organic matter. In Queensland, residents are encouraged to visit resource recovery centres to dispose of their green waste and Victoria provides services and compostable bags and bins similar to NSW. Professional gardener Nathan Stafford has taken it upon himself to clean up garden waste gathering on streets before and told Yahoo News previously "drains are only meant for water and anything else that's going down is not good". "Every job [I do], I blow all the clippings into a pile and clean it up or put them back on the lawn because it's good nutrients for the grass," he told Yahoo. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Aussies warned about harmful green bin mistake: 'It's not good'
It's something we do a lot throughout the summer, but Aussies are being reminded about the importance of properly disposing of their green waste after mowing the lawn or trimming back bushes. Because the consequences of neglecting it is likely worse than you think. Grass clippings and leaf litter getting into storm drains can not only clog waterways, it can result in "poor water quality" which can cause headaches for state water suppliers who harvest it for non-drinking purposes, while also harming wildlife. That's because as the organic matter decays in the drainage system, excess minerals such as phosphorus and nitrogen enter into waterways killing plants and fish. The warning has come from Redland City Council in South East Queensland this week, which reminded homeowners that "grass clippings and leaf litter don't belong in stormwater drains!" "Apart from blocking drains, these natural materials break down and release excess phosphorus and nitrogen, which can upset the balance in our waterways, leading to poor water quality," the council said, urging gardeners to "pop them in your green lidded bin or use them as mulch to improve your garden naturally!". The region is bracing for the impact of Cyclone Alfred today and stormwater drains will be flowing furiously with floodwater. Any garden debris in the drains will quickly flow into the region's waterways. Professional gardener Nathan Stafford told Yahoo News it is important for Aussie homeowners to clean up clippings and dispose of them correctly when working in the garden. "Drains are really only meant for water and anything else that's going down is not good," he said. 🎋 Homeowner forks out $3,000 in lawyer fees over neighbour's plant 😷 Gardeners warned over common plant that is 'extremely toxic' to pets 👀 Residents fume over Aussie council's 'lazy' act on suburban street The great thing is, the very minerals that are problematic in waterways actually work wonders for gardens, Stafford explained, saying those little "nasties" can actually be super useful. "Every job [I do], I blow all the clippings into a pile and clean it up or put them back on the lawn because it's good nutrients for the grass," he told Yahoo. Minerals found in decaying matter can help plant growth while others act as a food supply. Simply leaving it on the lawn, rather than blowing it down drains, creates a win-win for gardeners. But same minerals are seen as contaminants in waterways that cause algae infestations to form and circulate stormwater infrastructure. The simple act of cleaning up garden debris is supported by councils across the country, from metropolitan councils like the City of Ryde in Sydney to South Burnett Regional Council in Queensland having instructions on their websites. The message is simple — don't put garden clippings down the drain. The green lidded bin for organic and garden waste continues to spread around the country with NSW last week officially mandating that every council must provide one by 2030. Councils in the state and Victoria have also previously warned about another green bin mistake people were making, reminding people that plants sprayed with herbicide can't go in the green bin. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
