Episode 16 X-Ray


Episode 16

Similar Content

Browse content similar to Episode 16. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

You're watching X-Ray,

0:00:020:00:03

the show that fights for your rights.

0:00:030:00:05

If you've been ripped off...

0:00:080:00:10

Or that deal turns out to be dodgy...

0:00:100:00:14

We'll battle it out on your behalf.

0:00:140:00:17

-Out, please.

-No, no, no, excuse me, don't manhandle me.

0:00:170:00:21

You never checked those vehicles when you sold them...

0:00:210:00:23

We're here to fight your corner.

0:00:230:00:25

Tonight, the families who just want to use their gardens,

0:00:390:00:42

but Persimmon Homes has left them with muddy mountains.

0:00:420:00:46

It's just not safe and I daren't leave the kids out,

0:00:460:00:49

even on this bit, because they will wander down.

0:00:490:00:52

The Powys coach passengers who say ticket prices to London

0:00:530:00:56

just don't add up.

0:00:560:00:58

Going from Aber for £35,

0:00:580:01:01

Newtown, £80,

0:01:010:01:03

Welshpool, £80 -

0:01:030:01:05

it's not fair.

0:01:050:01:07

And Omar gets some tips on avoiding fake autographs

0:01:070:01:10

from a Star Wars legend.

0:01:100:01:13

And I know it's real now, because Darth Vader did it himself!

0:01:130:01:17

First tonight, spring is on its way

0:01:200:01:23

and lots of us are thinking about making our gardens look their best.

0:01:230:01:28

But for some families on a new housing estate

0:01:280:01:31

just a few miles from here, that's a very big task.

0:01:310:01:35

Here's Rachel.

0:01:350:01:36

With breathtaking views and magnificent mountains,

0:01:410:01:46

the landscape of Wales is something we can all appreciate.

0:01:460:01:50

But some homeowners on this new housing estate near Pontypridd

0:01:510:01:55

have found that they're tackling the steepest of slopes

0:01:550:01:58

a bit too close to home.

0:01:580:02:00

In fact, these ones are in their gardens.

0:02:000:02:03

This slope seems a match for Snowdonia,

0:02:090:02:12

and it belongs to Catrina Nicholas and Nikki McLaughlin.

0:02:120:02:15

They moved into this Persimmon housing development 14 months ago.

0:02:150:02:20

But getting the garden they say they were promised has been an uphill struggle.

0:02:200:02:24

This isn't a garden, is it?

0:02:240:02:26

It's like walking up a ski slope.

0:02:260:02:28

No. It is an absolute nightmare.

0:02:280:02:31

It's far from a garden, certainly it's not something that you can use.

0:02:310:02:35

It's just not safe and I daren't leave the kids out,

0:02:350:02:38

even on this bit, because they will wander down.

0:02:380:02:40

We put all our money, all our hopes, our dreams,

0:02:400:02:43

-this was our first home together, wasn't it?

-First home together.

0:02:430:02:46

And it's just not an usable space.

0:02:460:02:48

So, what were you promised?

0:02:480:02:50

We expected to have a relatively flat area, five metres out.

0:02:500:02:54

Then there was supposed to be steps and a gradual slope at the bottom.

0:02:540:02:58

I think the common term used by the sales team is...

0:02:580:03:01

-Gentle slope.

-You will have a gentle slope.

0:03:010:03:03

That we could have dealt with.

0:03:030:03:05

But you can see, it's not a gentle slope.

0:03:050:03:08

When Catrina and Nikki bought their £200,000 home off-plan

0:03:080:03:12

back in December 2015,

0:03:120:03:15

"We'll support you every step of the way" was the promise

0:03:150:03:19

that Persimmon gave.

0:03:190:03:20

We decided we'd forsake the garage because we had a bigger garden

0:03:200:03:24

and what we thought would be an amazing, two-tiered garden.

0:03:240:03:27

So, we made a conscious choice to buy this plot.

0:03:270:03:31

But on the day they moved in, their garden looked like this.

0:03:310:03:37

It was just a mud bath.

0:03:370:03:39

I can remember vividly coming round the corner,

0:03:390:03:41

and I was just in floods of tears.

0:03:410:03:43

The sales assistant was like, "We can sort this out, don't panic."

0:03:430:03:46

Very reassuring.

0:03:460:03:48

"They will be back in January and it will be done."

0:03:480:03:50

But that was January 2016.

0:03:500:03:52

By May, things were no better,

0:03:540:03:56

although senior staff of the company were aware of the residents' plight.

0:03:560:04:00

One of Persimmon's managers even admitted,

0:04:000:04:04

"The gardens need to be resolved,"

0:04:040:04:06

and "they're not the best".

0:04:060:04:09

By the end of the summer, Catrina had had enough.

0:04:090:04:13

So, she asked chartered surveyor Tim Davies to help fight her case.

0:04:130:04:18

Does it differ a lot from the plan?

0:04:180:04:20

As far as I can ascertain, Rachel, yes, it does.

0:04:200:04:23

From the top down to the bottom,

0:04:240:04:27

what is actually here is significantly different

0:04:270:04:30

to what is shown on the plan. It's a lot steeper.

0:04:300:04:33

There's a much bigger drop.

0:04:330:04:35

And that's not the only problem.

0:04:350:04:37

Their garden seems to fall short in other ways, too.

0:04:370:04:41

I think from looking at it,

0:04:410:04:42

the garden seems to be shorter than it should have been.

0:04:420:04:45

To me, that seems to be a breach of contract.

0:04:450:04:47

And Tim's not impressed with the soil, either.

0:04:480:04:52

It's really poor, Rachel.

0:04:520:04:54

The NHBC standards say you've got to have six inches

0:04:540:04:57

of good quality topsoil.

0:04:570:04:58

The majority of it, Rachel, is clay that's been dug out

0:04:580:05:02

of the foundations from the other houses and just dumped on the site.

0:05:020:05:05

What else did you find when you did the survey?

0:05:050:05:08

Stone, rocks, boulders, plastic,

0:05:080:05:11

all of the sort of materials you'd find on a building site.

0:05:110:05:14

How would you describe how Persimmon have conducted themselves?

0:05:140:05:18

Exceptionally poor.

0:05:200:05:21

The consumers have bought a brand-new house,

0:05:210:05:24

expect to have a garden that they've paid for,

0:05:240:05:27

and they're still left with what is in effect a ski slope.

0:05:270:05:30

On the other side of the fence,

0:05:320:05:34

neighbours Claire Edwards and Richard Horne

0:05:340:05:36

didn't get their dream garden, either.

0:05:360:05:39

We were told that there would be a five-metre level at the top of

0:05:390:05:42

the garden, ten steps down, and then a flat area at the bottom,

0:05:420:05:46

with a shed base and a shed.

0:05:460:05:48

It's not what we've got.

0:05:480:05:49

Did you complain to Persimmon?

0:05:510:05:52

We did. We were told they would come back in the spring

0:05:520:05:55

to resolve the issue. Erm...

0:05:550:05:58

But we've clearly been left with an unusable garden.

0:05:580:06:03

And the safety of their sloping garden

0:06:030:06:07

is a big worry for Claire and Richard.

0:06:070:06:10

My nan, erm, came out from the back of the house,

0:06:100:06:13

down towards the bottom of the garden and fell head first down the garden.

0:06:130:06:17

The gradients are awful, really.

0:06:170:06:19

It's very steep. We feel really disappointed and let down by Persimmon.

0:06:190:06:23

And they're not the only ones with a major garden gripe.

0:06:240:06:28

Just a few doors down, their neighbour has been left high and dry, too.

0:06:280:06:32

When Alex Collier and his family moved in,

0:06:340:06:37

this was the sight that greeted them.

0:06:370:06:40

Basically just a pile of mud with a cliff at the end.

0:06:400:06:43

Erm... It was all bumpy and covered in water and mud.

0:06:430:06:47

And what were you promised?

0:06:470:06:49

I was promised a turfed garden, which was slightly sloping,

0:06:490:06:53

which is not what I had.

0:06:530:06:54

After waiting eight months for grass to be laid, Alex gave up.

0:06:560:07:00

Persimmon DID put in a patio but, desperate to use the garden,

0:07:000:07:05

Alex had the rest of it decked at his own expense.

0:07:050:07:08

With everything, it's cost me about £3,300, which I've had to borrow.

0:07:080:07:12

It's totally unacceptable, they shouldn't be allowed to do it to people.

0:07:120:07:16

And with their family stuck indoors,

0:07:180:07:21

Catrina and Nikki's patience with Persimmon has run out, too.

0:07:210:07:25

We've got to that stage now where I've accepted nothing's happening,

0:07:250:07:28

nothing's going to happen, we need drastic measures.

0:07:280:07:31

It's soul-destroying that what should have been our dream home...

0:07:330:07:36

and this is what we're left with.

0:07:360:07:38

Well, we asked Persimmon about this muddy mess.

0:07:410:07:44

They deny the gardens are dangerous and say the gradient was made clear

0:07:440:07:48

at the time of purchase.

0:07:480:07:50

They also say the plot sizes are accurate.

0:07:500:07:54

They blame the 14-month delay on the time it's taken to survey the

0:07:540:07:58

gardens, provide new, enhanced designs and get them agreed

0:07:580:08:01

by the residents and other bodies.

0:08:010:08:04

But there is finally light at the end of the tunnel.

0:08:040:08:08

Work is due to start on the affected homes within the next two weeks.

0:08:080:08:13

So, hopefully, they'll be green gardens by the summer.

0:08:130:08:16

Remember, if there's anything you want us to look into,

0:08:160:08:19

please do get in touch. The number to call is...

0:08:190:08:22

You can e-mail...

0:08:240:08:27

Or send us a tweet at...

0:08:280:08:30

Still to come tonight...

0:08:310:08:32

ScottishPower insist Jane and Les owe them thousands.

0:08:340:08:37

But they're not even their customers.

0:08:370:08:40

You think, "Have I made a mistake, have I done something wrong?"

0:08:400:08:44

Erm, this really affected us.

0:08:440:08:46

Now, on last week's programme,

0:08:470:08:49

we highlighted some really nasty online scams

0:08:490:08:52

and lots of you have been in touch to say that you've been caught out by them, too.

0:08:520:08:57

Alex Folkes from Caernarfon had a worrying pop-up virus warning

0:08:570:09:01

on his computer.

0:09:010:09:03

When he called the number on his screen, the company demanded £400,

0:09:030:09:08

which he didn't pay.

0:09:080:09:10

But Julie from Barry says her autistic son did pay £220

0:09:100:09:16

for what he was told was virus protection.

0:09:160:09:20

The fraudsters then hacked his computer

0:09:200:09:22

and stole more than £5,000 from his bank account.

0:09:220:09:26

Luckily, the bank has refunded him.

0:09:260:09:29

And to help you stay one step ahead of the scammers,

0:09:290:09:33

we've put some useful links on our website for you.

0:09:330:09:36

Next...I've been to meet some angry passengers

0:09:370:09:40

who say one coach company's fares are anything but fair.

0:09:400:09:45

Every morning at 7.55,

0:09:520:09:55

the National Express 409 leaves Aberystwyth on its way to London.

0:09:550:10:00

It stops off at places like Newtown and Welshpool,

0:10:000:10:05

before arriving in the big city at 3pm.

0:10:050:10:09

Now, Aberystwyth is 250 miles away from London Victoria bus station.

0:10:100:10:17

Newtown is 200 miles away

0:10:170:10:21

and Welshpool, 190.

0:10:210:10:24

So, common sense would tell you that tickets would get cheaper

0:10:240:10:29

the closer you are to London.

0:10:290:10:31

Right?

0:10:310:10:33

Carole Thomas thought so, too.

0:10:340:10:37

But her recent journey from Newtown to London turned out to be pricier

0:10:370:10:41

than she'd bargained for.

0:10:410:10:43

So, I had to go down and see my mum - she's had a stroke,

0:10:430:10:46

she's in a home and see my dad's grave.

0:10:460:10:49

And when they said it was £80, I nearly fell on the floor.

0:10:490:10:53

She was even more annoyed when husband Graham discovered

0:10:530:10:56

that people getting on the same bus at an earlier stop

0:10:560:10:59

had paid less than half the price.

0:10:590:11:02

I said, "Well, that's not fair," going from Aber for £35,

0:11:020:11:07

Newtown, £80,

0:11:070:11:10

Welshpool, £80.

0:11:100:11:12

That's when Margaret Thomas gets on.

0:11:120:11:14

She was confused by the price difference, too,

0:11:140:11:17

and asked National Express to explain.

0:11:170:11:20

They said it's the volume of people going on in Welshpool and Newtown.

0:11:200:11:25

Maybe, you know, just one person.

0:11:250:11:28

But the bus is already coming from Aberystwyth

0:11:280:11:31

and I just don't understand.

0:11:310:11:33

Now, you may be thinking,

0:11:350:11:37

why not just buy the cheaper Aberystwyth to London ticket

0:11:370:11:40

and get on at a later stop?

0:11:400:11:42

Well, the company's conditions of carriage forbid you from doing that,

0:11:420:11:47

and anyone breaking the rules could be asked to leave the bus.

0:11:470:11:51

Let's ask a transport expert to explain this pricing palaver.

0:11:510:11:56

Aberystwyth is quite a different market to Newtown.

0:11:560:11:59

Aberystwyth is a student market in the main,

0:11:590:12:02

so they are time-rich,

0:12:020:12:05

cash-poor, very price-sensitive.

0:12:050:12:08

It's a very big market, a very important market,

0:12:080:12:10

and the company wouldn't want to lose it to the competition

0:12:100:12:14

which is there from other coach companies

0:12:140:12:16

and also from the railways.

0:12:160:12:17

Do you think it's fair that bus companies are allowed to do this,

0:12:170:12:20

to charge more for a shorter journey?

0:12:200:12:22

I guess from the customers' point of view, individual customers would think it's not fair.

0:12:220:12:26

But from the company's point of view, they have to make profits -

0:12:260:12:30

that's what these schemes are all about.

0:12:300:12:32

This isn't a one-off, either.

0:12:330:12:36

We found a return ticket from Newport to Liverpool for £42,

0:12:360:12:40

but getting on the same bus 13 miles earlier at Cardiff

0:12:400:12:44

would cost £6 less.

0:12:440:12:47

It seems National Express aren't giving all their customers

0:12:470:12:50

something to sing about.

0:12:500:12:53

So, what is going on?

0:12:580:13:00

Well, National Express told us that they set their ticket prices

0:13:000:13:04

according to demand and not mileage or time-of-day.

0:13:040:13:08

They say this helps them make the best use of the capacity on their

0:13:080:13:11

coaches and helps them keep their prices competitive.

0:13:110:13:14

However, after looking again at the routes that we highlighted,

0:13:140:13:18

National Express have now reduced their lowest available fare

0:13:180:13:22

from Newtown to London to match the price from Aberystwyth.

0:13:220:13:27

However, they're not cutting the fares from Welshpool.

0:13:270:13:31

They're also lowering the price of tickets from Newport to Liverpool.

0:13:310:13:35

So, really good news for some passengers, at least.

0:13:350:13:39

Next, it's time for a news update.

0:13:390:13:42

There's a major clamp-down happening on the streets of Swansea.

0:13:460:13:49

A joint operation by police,

0:13:490:13:51

the local council and the DVLA

0:13:510:13:53

has seized almost 100 untaxed and uninsured vehicles.

0:13:530:13:58

You have been warned!

0:13:580:14:01

If you're trying to trace your family tree,

0:14:010:14:04

watch out for scammers who claim you've inherited money from a long-lost relative.

0:14:040:14:08

Fraudsters are trawling legitimate ancestry websites to find

0:14:080:14:13

details of potential victims.

0:14:130:14:15

Then they ask for an upfront fee to release a non-existent pay-out.

0:14:150:14:19

And new laws aimed at stubbing out smoking will soon mean less choice

0:14:210:14:25

for cigarette buyers.

0:14:250:14:27

In May, packs of ten will disappear from shelves and by 2020

0:14:270:14:32

menthol cigarettes, which are popular with younger smokers,

0:14:320:14:35

will be banned completely.

0:14:350:14:37

Now, lots of us like to shop around for the best deal

0:14:400:14:44

on our energy bills.

0:14:440:14:45

But for one couple, switching supplier sparked a nightmare

0:14:450:14:50

they definitely hadn't bargained for.

0:14:500:14:53

Like many of us, school caretaker Les Gornall and his wife Jane

0:14:560:15:01

have been hit by big energy bills in the past.

0:15:010:15:04

So they decided that prepayment meters could help them keep track

0:15:040:15:08

of their spending.

0:15:080:15:10

Much easier to pay as you go.

0:15:100:15:12

You've got no direct debit to worry about.

0:15:120:15:15

So, we were with British Gas for over ten years.

0:15:150:15:18

Money was tight, but we always maintained our gas and electric payments.

0:15:180:15:22

Back in 2014,

0:15:240:15:26

the couple from Aberystwyth decided to switch energy supplier.

0:15:260:15:30

ScottishPower seemed to be offering a better deal,

0:15:300:15:33

so we decided to go with them.

0:15:330:15:35

But the switch didn't go as smoothly as they'd hoped.

0:15:370:15:41

We received the electric key to put in the meter pretty quickly,

0:15:410:15:45

but we didn't receive the gas card.

0:15:450:15:48

ScottishPower told them to keep topping up their British Gas card

0:15:480:15:52

until the new one arrived.

0:15:520:15:54

Can I have £40 on the card, please?

0:15:540:15:56

So, they did, but the weeks ticked by

0:15:560:16:00

and they reached the end of their tether.

0:16:000:16:02

I spoke to someone and said, "Forget about it now,

0:16:020:16:05

"because it's been going on too long, I'm staying with British Gas."

0:16:050:16:07

I didn't want to be running out and leaving my children,

0:16:070:16:11

whoever's in the house, or grandchildren, and myself, with no gas.

0:16:110:16:15

Jane and Les cancelled both of their ScottishPower accounts,

0:16:150:16:19

and stuck with British Gas for electricity and gas.

0:16:190:16:23

I thought everything was all finished, gone now, closed off.

0:16:230:16:27

A few weeks later, I get a gas bill

0:16:270:16:30

from ScottishPower.

0:16:300:16:32

When we started receiving the ScottishPower bills,

0:16:320:16:35

when we knew that we were with British Gas, we were very concerned.

0:16:350:16:40

The whole point of a prepayment meter is that you don't get bills.

0:16:410:16:45

But ScottishPower kept sending them.

0:16:450:16:48

The couple complained and refused to pay,

0:16:480:16:52

so ScottishPower threatened to install a prepayment meter.

0:16:520:16:56

But we already had a prepayment meter, so it was just...

0:16:560:17:00

It was laughable, really.

0:17:000:17:02

Although you know that you don't owe them money,

0:17:020:17:06

it was very worrying for us.

0:17:060:17:07

Then, in 2015, came news which made the mounting bills seem insignificant.

0:17:100:17:15

I was diagnosed with cervical cancer.

0:17:160:17:18

Also at that time, our grandson was diagnosed with leukaemia.

0:17:190:17:23

And the bills kept coming from ScottishPower.

0:17:240:17:27

When I phoned a few times, I even said, "Do you understand,

0:17:290:17:31

"I'm going through enough stress as it is,

0:17:310:17:33

"I haven't got time to mess about with you, I need to sort this out."

0:17:330:17:37

I just didn't know how they could be so cruel, to be honest.

0:17:370:17:40

You explain to people that this is what is happening,

0:17:400:17:44

you know that this is not your fault, why these bills are coming in,

0:17:440:17:47

but again, you still feel that, maybe I've done something wrong.

0:17:470:17:50

Then, the situation hit a new low.

0:17:520:17:54

Letters from debt collection agencies started to arrive,

0:17:560:17:59

demanding almost £4,300.

0:17:590:18:03

That's when you think, "Oh, my God, this is serious."

0:18:030:18:07

And that's when you think, "Oh, have I made a mistake,

0:18:070:18:10

"have I done something wrong?"

0:18:100:18:12

Erm, this really affected us.

0:18:120:18:15

It just makes you feel so low.

0:18:170:18:20

We asked an expert on energy policy what he made of Jane and Les's case.

0:18:200:18:25

Well, it sounds like a mess.

0:18:250:18:26

The bit that really concerns me is how many times they had to contact

0:18:260:18:29

the supplier and say, "You're billing us and we're not even your customer."

0:18:290:18:32

The fact that they were on the wrong kind of meter

0:18:320:18:35

all should have made it obvious, this should have been investigated

0:18:350:18:38

and resolved really quickly.

0:18:380:18:40

It certainly shouldn't get to the point where they're getting

0:18:400:18:42

collection agents coming round for a debt that they don't even owe.

0:18:420:18:45

That just should not happen, that's not right.

0:18:450:18:47

I just want this whole experience to end.

0:18:510:18:54

This whole nasty experience.

0:18:540:18:56

It's always in the back of your mind.

0:18:560:18:58

You know, you think the letters have stopped,

0:18:580:19:00

then they start coming again.

0:19:000:19:02

We just want it to end.

0:19:020:19:04

Well, after rumbling on for almost three years,

0:19:070:19:11

Jane and Les's billing nightmare is finally sorted.

0:19:110:19:16

ScottishPower have held up their hands and admitted the couple

0:19:160:19:19

ARE British Gas customers.

0:19:190:19:21

They say a mix-up with meter serial numbers led to the couple being

0:19:210:19:25

bombarded with bills that were meant for someone else.

0:19:250:19:29

They have sincerely apologised for any distress caused,

0:19:290:19:33

and say they will be offering compensation.

0:19:330:19:35

About time, too.

0:19:350:19:37

Next, time for a quick update on a story that we brought you two weeks

0:19:390:19:42

ago, when a viewer questioned a deal he'd spotted at his local garage.

0:19:420:19:48

Evan Macier from Aberdare was looking for a new car at Evans Halshaw in Treforest,

0:19:500:19:54

when he spotted signs about a £99 vehicle administration fee.

0:19:540:19:59

The sticker said the charge was optional.

0:19:590:20:02

But the salesman didn't seem to agree.

0:20:020:20:05

I asked him, "Were any of the cars stolen?"

0:20:050:20:08

He said, "No." I said, "Do any of these cars have outstanding finance?"

0:20:080:20:11

And again, he said, "No."

0:20:110:20:12

I said, "So, what's the £99 fee for?"

0:20:120:20:15

And he goes, "It's like an insurance."

0:20:150:20:18

And he told me it was a compulsory thing.

0:20:180:20:21

I was quite frustrated with that.

0:20:210:20:23

Now, Evans Halshaw say they've reminded staff

0:20:240:20:27

that the admin charge is an optional extra,

0:20:270:20:30

but it seems this isn't a one-off.

0:20:300:20:33

Joanne Hopkins from Caerphilly bought her car from the same Treforest branch in January

0:20:330:20:38

and says she was also told the fee was compulsory.

0:20:380:20:42

Evans Halshaw say they're looking into her case.

0:20:420:20:45

And the Merthyr Tydfil branch -

0:20:450:20:48

Sue Leake from Pontypool had the same experience.

0:20:480:20:51

After watching X-Ray, she complained and got her £99 back.

0:20:510:20:56

And it really is worth remembering that you can check a vehicle's

0:20:560:20:59

history online yourself for a fraction of the price.

0:20:590:21:04

Now, is there an actor,

0:21:050:21:08

a musician or a sports hero that you really admire?

0:21:080:21:11

Well, if you fancy getting their autograph,

0:21:110:21:14

make sure you don't get stung.

0:21:140:21:17

Omar has the story.

0:21:170:21:19

For decades, dedicated fans have queued up for hours

0:21:220:21:25

to catch a glimpse of their favourite pop stars and actors.

0:21:250:21:30

If they were lucky, their hero would sign their autograph book.

0:21:300:21:34

But times have changed, and now,

0:21:360:21:38

there's a new way to get that celebrity signature.

0:21:380:21:41

The world of film and comic conventions

0:21:410:21:43

has become hugely popular,

0:21:430:21:45

and I want to see what all the fuss is about.

0:21:450:21:48

I'm here at Film & Comic Con Cardiff.

0:21:490:21:51

I've never been to anything like this before.

0:21:510:21:54

Basically, half of Cardiff is here dressed up as their favourite

0:21:540:21:57

characters and a lot of characters that I've never heard of before.

0:21:570:21:59

We've got Mario here, we've got Mario. Yes, Mario!

0:21:590:22:03

Come on, I just high-fived Mario!

0:22:030:22:05

That's how amazing this place is!

0:22:050:22:06

And all of these people are up bright and early on Saturday

0:22:060:22:09

for reason and one reason only - they want to meet their heroes.

0:22:090:22:12

It's the eighth time the event has been held in Wales,

0:22:140:22:17

and it's the biggest yet.

0:22:170:22:19

More than 5,000 fans have come here

0:22:190:22:21

and many are planning to buy the autographs of people they admire.

0:22:210:22:25

Prices can vary from £10 to several hundred for the privilege

0:22:250:22:29

of meeting your idol in person.

0:22:290:22:32

Right behind me, there are stars from Doctor Who, Game Of Thrones,

0:22:330:22:36

Star Wars... Literally just a couple of metres behind me

0:22:360:22:39

is the man himself,

0:22:390:22:41

Dave Prowse, AKA Darth Vader.

0:22:410:22:45

And I think it's time for me to really commit to this.

0:22:450:22:48

I'm going to get dressed up as my favourite character.

0:22:480:22:51

Captain X-Ray, here to save the Welsh consumer!

0:22:520:22:56

I think I'm ready for the rest of the day now!

0:22:560:22:58

At organised events like this,

0:23:010:23:03

there are strict rules to make sure the signatures on sale are genuine.

0:23:030:23:07

But in the outside world,

0:23:090:23:11

fraudsters are cashing in on the trade in celebrity autographs.

0:23:110:23:15

Fakes have become such a problem,

0:23:150:23:17

it's thought that most of those sold online aren't the real thing.

0:23:170:23:21

I want to know what fans here think about this problem.

0:23:250:23:28

I think I have one, actually,

0:23:280:23:30

I think someone gave me one for my birthday.

0:23:300:23:32

There's plenty of these events all over the country,

0:23:320:23:35

and to meet the actors, it's perfect.

0:23:350:23:38

Why would you want to buy them online?

0:23:380:23:40

Hopefully, it's regulated in here,

0:23:400:23:42

and you know what you're buying is genuine.

0:23:420:23:44

I wonder what Dave Prowse, aka Darth Vader,

0:23:450:23:49

thinks of the dark side of autograph collecting?

0:23:490:23:51

How does it feel knowing that someone out there is profiting

0:23:510:23:54

by faking your signature?

0:23:540:23:56

Well, it's just... Well...

0:23:560:23:58

I think it's terrible, if somebody IS faking the signature.

0:23:580:24:02

But usually what happens is that people come to the conventions like this,

0:24:020:24:06

and they will buy, you know, they will buy photographs or

0:24:060:24:09

signed photographs, or signed various things that they've got.

0:24:090:24:13

And do you think it's better value for the fans?

0:24:130:24:16

-Oh, of course.

-Instead of just paying for a piece of paper?

0:24:160:24:19

-Yeah.

-To meet the guy... Darth Vader!

-Yeah, yeah.

0:24:190:24:21

-It's actually Darth Vader, it's actually him!

-That's right.

0:24:210:24:24

Yeah, you're right, yeah.

0:24:240:24:26

And before I go, I can't resist getting my own signed photo of Dave.

0:24:260:24:30

Thank you very much.

0:24:300:24:32

Mr Dave Prowse!

0:24:320:24:33

-And I know it's real now because Darth Vader did it himself!

-Yeah!

0:24:350:24:38

If you can't get a signature in person at an event like this,

0:24:380:24:42

there are ways to reduce the risk of buying a fake,

0:24:420:24:46

such as buying through a dealer who's been vetted by the

0:24:460:24:49

Universal Autograph Collectors' Club

0:24:490:24:50

or the Autograph Fair Trade Association.

0:24:500:24:53

But if you suspect you already have a fake,

0:24:550:24:58

you could get it checked out by a professional authenticator,

0:24:580:25:01

like Garry King, known in the trade as the king of autographs.

0:25:010:25:05

Well, sometimes, a forger will over-present something,

0:25:060:25:10

so he'll make it look really fabulous.

0:25:100:25:14

And then, your eyes are drawn away from the thing that you really need

0:25:140:25:18

to be concentrating on, the signature.

0:25:180:25:20

But you must always assume that the signature is a fake.

0:25:200:25:23

Allow that signature to prove to you that it's genuine

0:25:230:25:27

and not the other way around.

0:25:270:25:29

And while some may look real, technology has had a hand

0:25:290:25:32

in writing them.

0:25:320:25:34

This is a genuine Neil Armstrong signature,

0:25:340:25:36

and this one is the autopen example.

0:25:360:25:38

-As you can see...

-They look exactly the same.

-They are.

0:25:380:25:41

-I would never know.

-The main difference is,

0:25:410:25:43

when you sign your name,

0:25:430:25:44

the pressure that you put on the pen varies,

0:25:440:25:47

so that is why the density of the colour varies all the way through.

0:25:470:25:51

It's almost like a wave, isn't it?

0:25:510:25:52

It will be heavy and light, heavy and light.

0:25:520:25:55

Exactly, whereas the autopen conversion,

0:25:550:25:57

you can see it's the same all the way through, it doesn't vary at all.

0:25:570:26:00

That's what you've got to remember, it's a machine that's doing it, not your hand.

0:26:000:26:03

Time for a little challenge.

0:26:050:26:07

One of our researchers has faked my signature.

0:26:070:26:10

But will Garry spot it?

0:26:100:26:11

Garry, I'm not in love with myself.

0:26:120:26:14

Nine of these are real autographs, one of them is a fake.

0:26:140:26:17

-Do you want to give this a go?

-OK.

0:26:170:26:19

You can actually hear the cogs turning,

0:26:230:26:26

and I don't know if he's going to be able to pick the fake.

0:26:260:26:29

This one.

0:26:300:26:32

Shall we have a look?

0:26:320:26:34

Three, two, one...

0:26:340:26:35

-Ah!

-I can see it, yeah.

0:26:350:26:38

You can. Oh!

0:26:380:26:40

You really are the king of autographs!

0:26:400:26:42

Thank you.

0:26:420:26:44

So, how did you spot it?

0:26:440:26:45

Well, it wasn't too difficult, because your O,

0:26:450:26:49

which looks more like a D...

0:26:490:26:51

This one's much more rounded.

0:26:510:26:53

I can see it, now that you've pointed it out.

0:26:530:26:55

And this underscore here, this one is much slower,

0:26:550:26:58

and it's got a curve on it and it's not got a point on it.

0:26:580:27:01

But that's actually quite good.

0:27:010:27:03

If he spent more time on that,

0:27:030:27:05

he could forge your signature quite easily - so be careful.

0:27:050:27:08

-OK. Right, I won't tell him who I bank with!

-No!

0:27:080:27:12

Today's been a real eye-opener into the colourful world

0:27:140:27:17

of autograph collecting.

0:27:170:27:19

And it seems people here want signatures from just about anyone -

0:27:190:27:23

even Captain X-Ray!

0:27:230:27:25

And you know it's real because I've done it myself!

0:27:250:27:29

I think Omar really enjoyed making that film.

0:27:340:27:37

And we'll put all those tips on how to avoid buying fake autographs

0:27:370:27:41

on our website for you.

0:27:410:27:43

Remember, if there's anything you would like us look into,

0:27:430:27:46

please do get in touch, we are here for you.

0:27:460:27:49

The contact details are on your screen now.

0:27:490:27:51

Next week...

0:27:510:27:53

Chrissie thought she'd found the car of her dreams,

0:27:530:27:56

until the garage which sold it to her left her in the lurch.

0:27:560:27:59

I had the six months warranty, I had peace of mind,

0:27:590:28:03

and it just literally turned into a nightmare.

0:28:030:28:06

We'll be back in our usual slot next week - that's 7.30 on Monday.

0:28:070:28:11

We'll see you then, have a great weekend. Bye-bye.

0:28:110:28:14

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS