0:00:02 > 0:00:07These days, our money must work even harder for us and one of our biggest expenditures is on our property.
0:00:07 > 0:00:12Last year, we spent a staggering £15 billion on repairs to our homes,
0:00:12 > 0:00:16but how can any of us be certain we've not been taken for a ride?
0:00:16 > 0:00:20- How much will it cost? - It's hard to say, but I reckon 325.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23300 quid for doing that... 1,500 quid to take that out.
0:00:25 > 0:00:32With audacious, secret filming, we'll reveal just how easy it could be for you to be duped.
0:00:32 > 0:00:37- I'm afraid you've been ripped off. He's not a bona fide tradesman. - He's not?
0:00:37 > 0:00:39I knew something was suspicious.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41BLEEP-BLEEP
0:00:41 > 0:00:46We lift the lid on some of the UK's most shocking tradesmen rip-offs.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50An awful leak came right through the bedroom. I was absolutely livid.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54- The house was a death trap.- We didn't know if he would get violent.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57On today's show...
0:00:57 > 0:01:01the jaw-dropping seven-grand bill for this North Wales housewife
0:01:01 > 0:01:06when our rogue Roger tries to charge her for a new roof which she doesn't need.
0:01:06 > 0:01:11A completely new roof there. Probably about seven and a half grand.
0:01:11 > 0:01:17Rotten rogue gardeners and burglars in Yorkshire brought to justice through video surveillance
0:01:17 > 0:01:20after repeated attacks on the elderly.
0:01:20 > 0:01:27Through the unlocked door, suspect comes in. Wearing black gloves. He doesn't want to leave fingerprints.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30And prepare for a truly criminal scam
0:01:30 > 0:01:34when a prison officer from Kent falls for every trick in the book.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38The little printed circuit board needs replacing.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42- Right.- We can replace that. That's going to be 300.- Really?- Yeah.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Stand by for Dirty Tricks Of The Tradesmen.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Hello. I don't know about you, but I don't know a huge amount
0:01:55 > 0:01:58about trades like roofing or plumbing.
0:01:58 > 0:02:03That's why we rely on tradesmen and we expect them to be professional and to do a good job.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07The vast majority of them are professional and hard-working.
0:02:07 > 0:02:13It's only a small majority who give tradesmen a bad name with their dirty tricks.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17Today, we're meeting people who have been ripped off by the cowboys.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20With your help, we'll show you just how easy it is
0:02:20 > 0:02:24to fall for some of the oldest tricks in the tradesmen's books.
0:02:24 > 0:02:29People have been setting up their friends and relatives for a visit from our own tradesmen
0:02:29 > 0:02:33to show you how to avoid being taken to the cleaners.
0:02:34 > 0:02:40This is Roger Bisby. He has over 40 years' experience under his builder's belt.
0:02:43 > 0:02:49There's nothing he hates more than a dirty trickster out there to make a fast buck.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54But we're asking Roger to become a rogue just for today. Why?
0:02:54 > 0:02:58Well, because if he shows us what the tricky tradesmen do,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01he can show us how not to get conned.
0:03:03 > 0:03:09We'll create minor household problems and send in Roger to show us how easy it is to be ripped off.
0:03:09 > 0:03:16It's all being filmed in secret and Roger will work with our cameraman Luke who is posing as an apprentice.
0:03:16 > 0:03:22We'll find out in just a moment where they're springing their first scam.
0:03:22 > 0:03:27According to Gas Safe, one in three of us trust a tradesman to do gas and boiler work
0:03:27 > 0:03:33on the recommendation of a friend or neighbour without checking their registration or qualifications.
0:03:33 > 0:03:39This can be so dangerous not only for the wallet, but also for the safety of our homes and families.
0:03:39 > 0:03:45Roger's on his way to Kent now to find out whether a prison officer is sharp enough to spot a rogue
0:03:45 > 0:03:48when he meets one during a simple boiler repair.
0:03:50 > 0:03:56Jeweller Jackie Kitney works and lives in Kent with daughter Lucy and husband Gary.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00Gary works in the prison service. She tells us he's a wind-up merchant
0:04:00 > 0:04:03which is why she wants Roger to pay him a visit.
0:04:03 > 0:04:09We do a lot of practical jokes. My husband's always doing them on me because I'm quite nervous.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12In 14 years, I've never actually paid him back,
0:04:12 > 0:04:15so if I can have a bit of help to do it, I'll do it.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18Gary is wary of anything to do with plumbing.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22What's more, their boiler has a history of being unreliable.
0:04:22 > 0:04:28It's been repaired five times. Jackie is turning off a valve to stop hot water reaching the shower.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33Roger has been called and he's boiling over with ideas for how to trick her husband.
0:04:33 > 0:04:39Apparently, they woke up this morning and had a cold shower. My heart bleeds for them.
0:04:39 > 0:04:45Fixing the hot water problem will take us a few minutes. We've got to make it into something much bigger.
0:04:45 > 0:04:50- I've got a little prop for you which I got from an old laptop. - It's a printed circuit board.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Printed circuit boards cost a lot of money,
0:04:53 > 0:04:59so if I can persuade him that it's gone, we can up the game and charge him a couple of hundred quid.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02Roger's such a con man.
0:05:02 > 0:05:09The idea is to trick Gary into thinking the water won't heat up as the circuit board needs replacing.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14Then he'll offer an expensive boiler replacement worth several thousand pounds,
0:05:14 > 0:05:20knowing Gary will probably accept the cheaper circuit board job for £300.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24Either way, Roger wins. The prop circuit board is just a convincer.
0:05:26 > 0:05:32Since the boiler in this house is working fine, all Roger needs to do is turn that valve back on.
0:05:32 > 0:05:37The cost of this should only be the call-out charge for a plumber,
0:05:37 > 0:05:41around £40, but Roger is banking on taking home far more than that.
0:05:41 > 0:05:47To avoid suspicion, Jackie is spending the day at home with Gary, but she'll keep out of Roger's way.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50He shows up just after three o'clock.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57- Hello. Mr Kitney?- Hello, mate. - I'm the plumber.
0:05:57 > 0:06:02- Oh, yeah.- Is that all right?- Yeah. Do you want to take your boots off? - Yeah, definitely.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06Gary thinks his house-proud wife Jackie booked Roger.
0:06:06 > 0:06:12Even so, anyone working with gas-fired central heating should be registered with Gas Safe.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Gary should insist on seeing Roger's Gas Safe ID card
0:06:15 > 0:06:19and because he hasn't, he's already fallen at the first hurdle.
0:06:19 > 0:06:26When you say you've got no hot water in the shower, you've got no water in the shower or no...?
0:06:26 > 0:06:30- I've got water coming out, but it's coming out cold.- OK.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32I don't know what she's done.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36- Do you want a brew or something? - That would be great.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41While their refreshments are sorted, Roger decides to take a look at the boiler downstairs.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43I'll have a look at your boiler.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46- Hello.- Hiya. Are you all right?- Yeah.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Good acting, Jackie.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51- This one?- Yeah, that's the one.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54- Blimey, it's a small one, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:06:54 > 0:06:59- Watch Roger go. - Had any trouble with it? - At first, but it's all right now.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04These were not great. They weren't the best boiler they ever made.
0:07:04 > 0:07:11As this boiler has been repaired five times, Roger can lay it on thick about it being unreliable.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15They replaced it with the same circuit board over and over again,
0:07:15 > 0:07:21then they twigged that these circuit boards are rubbish, then got a circuit board made by somebody else.
0:07:21 > 0:07:26If that goes wrong again, don't throw any more money at it because they're rubbish.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29So with a seed of doubt planted in Gary's mind,
0:07:29 > 0:07:35Roger checks the thermostat, or at least pretends to. He knows there's nothing wrong with it.
0:07:35 > 0:07:41It all helps as he prepares to spring that first trick. Watch him go for it.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43- OK...- What's the damage?
0:07:43 > 0:07:47The little printed circuit board on the upstairs controller
0:07:47 > 0:07:53- that controls the hot water and the rest of it...- Yeah. - It needs replacing, basically.
0:07:53 > 0:07:58- Right.- That's going to be 300 to replace that.- Really?- Yeah.
0:07:58 > 0:08:04You think that's bad, Gary. Watch out because Roger is about to hit you with another dirty truck.
0:08:04 > 0:08:11If I do the boiler, then you won't need that, basically, if we put a new boiler in.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15Blimey, Roger! Two dirty tricks in the same breath?
0:08:17 > 0:08:21Still to come, Roger has Gary on the ropes with his lies.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24In the end, that boiler will let you down.
0:08:24 > 0:08:30- But will Roger be caught red-handed as he takes a huge risk in Gary's house?- Can you open that window?
0:08:35 > 0:08:39There's nothing like the smell of burnt circuit boards in the morning,
0:08:39 > 0:08:45but seriously, Roger is doing us all a great service, revealing some of the sneaky tricks that rogues play.
0:08:45 > 0:08:50They come in all shapes and sizes and ages, as we'll see in our next story,
0:08:50 > 0:08:55but even the youngest rogues discover that the law soon catches up with them.
0:08:55 > 0:09:01The North London borough of Enfield has seen its fair share of rip-off roofing and dodgy driveways,
0:09:01 > 0:09:07but no-one here was prepared for the teenage cowboy who for legal reasons we'll call David Jones.
0:09:07 > 0:09:13At an age when most men might be studying at college, this 17-year-old had pocketed thousands
0:09:13 > 0:09:19and subjected local residents like Alan and Patricia Christopher to the most audacious tricks available.
0:09:19 > 0:09:24If I said, "I'm not going to pay you that amount," I thought he could turn.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26We didn't know if he would get violent.
0:09:26 > 0:09:31These kind of tricks are usually carried out by older people,
0:09:31 > 0:09:33usually in their 20s and 30s,
0:09:33 > 0:09:37but he was well practised even by the age of 17.
0:09:37 > 0:09:44David Jones had plenty of tricks up his sleeves, including a novel way of striking up new business.
0:09:44 > 0:09:50He'd just stroll up to total strangers on the street, people like 72-year-old Alan Christopher
0:09:50 > 0:09:53who had only left the house to buy a newspaper.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56This boy said, "How are you doing?"
0:09:56 > 0:10:00And I looked up and I thought, "I don't recognise him."
0:10:00 > 0:10:02I said, "Do I know you?"
0:10:02 > 0:10:08He said, "I see you walking up and down this street a lot." Irish, he was.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12"I clean out gutters." I thought to myself, "That's handy."
0:10:12 > 0:10:15"Could you do mine?" He said, "Yes, £20."
0:10:15 > 0:10:20£20 to clean out the gutters sounds like a bargain to me, but Jones had Alan hooked
0:10:20 > 0:10:27and that offer of a good deal was his key to pulling his next trick and staging a much bigger problem
0:10:27 > 0:10:30as Alan and wife Patricia recall.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33The next day, he came round. He went up the ladder.
0:10:33 > 0:10:39He said the guttering's OK, but he said, "You've got problems at that end of the gutter."
0:10:39 > 0:10:45He had a handful of wood chippings. He said, "Look, all the wood is rotten!"
0:10:46 > 0:10:51He said, "You need a whole lot of new wood along there."
0:10:51 > 0:10:53He said, "I'll do you a good job."
0:10:53 > 0:10:58I thought, "If he's only going to charge £20, £25 to clean the gutter which was good,
0:10:58 > 0:11:01"he won't charge an exorbitant price."
0:11:01 > 0:11:06Having fed the Christophers a load of nonsense about the state of their roof,
0:11:06 > 0:11:10David Jones was about to bag himself a pot of gold.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13I said, "Well, how much is that going to cost then?"
0:11:13 > 0:11:19He said, "Seventeen-fifty." The way he said it, it didn't sound a lot.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24Then he said it was 1,750 and I thought, "He already took the guttering down
0:11:24 > 0:11:29"and we've got to have it done," so I had to go along with the price.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34By now the couple suspected they'd been trapped in a roofing swindle.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38Amazingly, their first concern was not to call for help,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41but how to avoid a confrontation if they didn't agree.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45You can't suddenly say to him, "That's too much money."
0:11:45 > 0:11:51We didn't know if he would get violent. Who knows? He was quite a sturdy fella. We were a bit worried.
0:11:51 > 0:11:58Alan and Patricia coughed up £500 as a deposit, but did not demand a receipt.
0:11:58 > 0:12:04They hoped they'd seen the last of David Jones, but the audacious roofer had pound signs in his eyes.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08He was determined not to let them off lightly and he wanted more cash.
0:12:08 > 0:12:14He knocked at my door. I said, "Have you come for your money?" He said, "Yes." I knew how much we agreed on.
0:12:14 > 0:12:20I had it all ready. I thought, "This is a lot. He must be charging me about £500 an hour."
0:12:20 > 0:12:25Fearing violence, Alan handed over the remaining £1,250.
0:12:25 > 0:12:30But this time, he was successful in securing a receipt from Jones
0:12:30 > 0:12:33who signed it under his false name.
0:12:33 > 0:12:39Jones and two accomplices finished the job, but the Christophers knew they'd been overcharged.
0:12:39 > 0:12:45When they complained to Trading Standards, it turned out officer Tom Howorth was looking for evidence
0:12:45 > 0:12:50to prosecute the teenage trickster who had been conning the whole neighbourhood
0:12:50 > 0:12:52and Alan had just what he needed.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57They said, "Have you got a receipt?" I said, "Well, only on a bit of scrap paper."
0:12:57 > 0:13:02They said, "Don't touch it. It's got his fingerprints on it."
0:13:02 > 0:13:08We looked for fingerprints and the handwriting was compared with a sample of handwriting that we had.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12When those were tied together, we knew that we had the right man.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16In the end, it was forensic science which identified Jones.
0:13:16 > 0:13:22On four counts of fraud, he was given a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.
0:13:22 > 0:13:28He was also given an Anti-Social Behaviour Order to prevent him or others under his instruction
0:13:28 > 0:13:33from cold-calling homes to carry out building work for two years.
0:13:33 > 0:13:38He was ordered to pay full compensation plus costs to the Christophers. If he fails to pay up,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41he could end up behind bars.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44It's important that people look out for this man.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48If he comes offering work to you, we'd like to hear about it.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52The Christophers learnt an important lesson.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56Only hire tradesmen once you've checked their credentials.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00It's also made them ultra-wary of people cold-calling at their door
0:14:00 > 0:14:04and nice, friendly teenagers chatting to them in the street.
0:14:04 > 0:14:10We know that it could happen again to us and we're trying to forget it.
0:14:10 > 0:14:16- Who will we trust in future?- That's right.- If someone comes knocking at the door, we say, "No, thank you."
0:14:21 > 0:14:26Coming up, the tale of rogue tradesmen banged up in Yorkshire
0:14:26 > 0:14:29after a complicated surveillance operation.
0:14:29 > 0:14:35They have T-shirts with different trading names on, magnetic signs that they could apply to the vehicle.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38They could change their identity and carry on offending.
0:14:38 > 0:14:43Plus, a woman in North Wales is pushed to sign up for unnecessary roof repairs
0:14:43 > 0:14:46in Roger's most conniving con trick yet.
0:14:46 > 0:14:52Look at all this in the gutter! No wonder they were blocked and overflowing.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57Hello. Mr Kitney? I'm the plumber.
0:14:57 > 0:15:02First, time to discover if prison officer Gary Kitney swallows Roger's lies about the boiler packing up.
0:15:02 > 0:15:08There's no hot water in the shower because Gary's wife Jackie, who set him up,
0:15:08 > 0:15:11turned off the valve to help us spring the trick.
0:15:11 > 0:15:16Roger knows it, but he's busy flannelling Gary about the failure of a circuit board.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21- The little printed circuit board needs replacing. That's 300.- Really?
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Roger is looking for bigger earnings from this job
0:15:24 > 0:15:29and reckons things will work out cheaper for Gary if he buys a new boiler.
0:15:29 > 0:15:35If I do the boiler, then you won't need that, basically, if we put the new boiler in.
0:15:35 > 0:15:40- BLEEP - So, you know, that's one way to sort of look at it long-term.
0:15:40 > 0:15:46If you just want it done now, I'll just go and get the new circuit board and shove that in,
0:15:46 > 0:15:51but in the end, that boiler will let you down, so, you know...
0:15:51 > 0:15:57Roger, give the man time to think! Mind you, he's following classic cowboy behaviour,
0:15:57 > 0:16:01bombarding him with science and not giving him time to change his mind.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06I don't want to put you under pressure. I'll just phone to check I can get that board.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14Right, I've given him the ultimatum.
0:16:14 > 0:16:19In a way, I hope he goes for the 300 quid because that's an easier job for us.
0:16:19 > 0:16:26The other way, we've got to change the boiler and although we'll make more money in the end, it's work.
0:16:26 > 0:16:31By giving Gary a choice of a job costing two grand and one costing £300,
0:16:31 > 0:16:36the cheaper one doesn't seem that bad in comparison, even if it's still a rip-off.
0:16:36 > 0:16:41This trick is frequently used by con men in all kinds of building scenarios.
0:16:41 > 0:16:47- Is that 300 quid all in, like? - Yeah, for that circuit board. - Fitting and all that?- Yeah.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50- That's got call-out on it an' all? - Yeah, everything.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54- Can I do a bit by cash and a bit by cheque?- Yeah, I'll get it now.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58All right, OK, I won't be long. I'll be back.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00So Roger's plan has worked.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05Gary's gone for the cheaper option which will be a doddle for our trickster.
0:17:05 > 0:17:10Roger just has to appear to drive off and buy a new circuit board. That's the easy bit.
0:17:10 > 0:17:15The tricky bit will be convincing Gary he's removed the old one.
0:17:15 > 0:17:22We've got the circuit board which we pretended to go and buy. I just ripped it out of an old computer.
0:17:22 > 0:17:28I'll pretend that's the part we're putting in. He'll want to see the old part, so I'll slip this one in,
0:17:28 > 0:17:32pull it out again, pretend it's the old one, burn it up with a match
0:17:32 > 0:17:36and hopefully he'll go for that if I make it smell horrible.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40After wasting time round the corner, the guys head back to the house.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42Roger will be taking a real risk here.
0:17:42 > 0:17:48Let's hope that blackening the circuit board will convince any doubt in Gary's mind.
0:17:48 > 0:17:53- Just in the nick of time. - You found it?- He was just closing.
0:17:53 > 0:17:59They were all ready by the door to go home and they looked at us like they didn't want us back in there.
0:17:59 > 0:18:00Nightmare, isn't it?
0:18:00 > 0:18:07If Gary were to come upstairs now, who knows what this prison officer would do to our dirty trickster?
0:18:10 > 0:18:13There he goes with the matches. What a rotter!
0:18:13 > 0:18:17That's why you must keep a close eye on what tradesmen get up to.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22Can you open that window?
0:18:25 > 0:18:27He's done it. The prop is prepped.
0:18:27 > 0:18:33He's done absolutely nothing to that thermostat, except remove the cover.
0:18:33 > 0:18:38- All he has to do now is replace it and turn the water back on.- Right...
0:18:38 > 0:18:41- It's all good. Lovely. - Well done, Roge.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44- Nice.- Another satisfied customer.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Let's just check we've got the...
0:18:48 > 0:18:50SHOWER WATER RUNNING
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Oh... Lovely.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55- Are you all right?- Yeah, all done.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57- All done.- And it's beautiful.
0:18:58 > 0:19:04Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Roger, and from here it looks like a pretty dirty trick.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08If you ever think of replacing that boiler...
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Do you want the old unit?
0:19:11 > 0:19:16There goes the old circuit board, accessorised with a match flame.
0:19:18 > 0:19:23- He's checking it.- He's checking the hot water's going?- Yeah.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26It should be all right. It's all guaranteed work.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28It'll be fine.
0:19:28 > 0:19:34Well, today, Gary Kitney let a perfidious plumber into his house without checking for Gas Safe ID.
0:19:34 > 0:19:40Roger lied about the state of his boiler and charged him for a new circuit board which he didn't buy.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44Gary was bamboozled into a job that never needed doing.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47Now Roger is going in for the kill.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51- OK, my friend?- All right.- You've got the...?- I've got the receipt.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54- I've got the bill for you. - Let me see that.- Of course.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57- 150...- And 150 there. - OK, that's brilliant.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02And there goes 300 quid for nothing.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06Have you a cheque guarantee card, so I can put it on the back? Sorry.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11Of course you're not sorry. Cheque guarantee cards are no longer needed
0:20:11 > 0:20:16and an unscrupulous workman could take down all the details necessary to carry out a fraud,
0:20:16 > 0:20:20but Gary doesn't question it and hands over the card.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24- Brilliant. OK, lovely.- Thanks for coming out.- Cheers. Thanks for...
0:20:24 > 0:20:30Two, four, five, six, seven... That's it, got it. Lovely.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33All right, lovely. Thanks a lot, mate. Cheers.
0:20:33 > 0:20:38Gary has just handed over £300 for absolutely nothing.
0:20:38 > 0:20:44Roger has taken his card details and left Gary with an old circuit board he took out of his old computer.
0:20:44 > 0:20:50Remember, Gary never asked for ID at any time and he was pushed into a job he didn't need.
0:20:52 > 0:20:58With Roger out of sight, it's time for our producer to call on Gary and reveal the truth of the scam.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04Hello. Hi there. We're from the BBC.
0:21:04 > 0:21:09We're investigating people who do plumbing work, electricity work.
0:21:09 > 0:21:15- Right.- Have you or any of your neighbours had any weird experiences?- Is this a wind-up?
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Yeah...
0:21:17 > 0:21:23- We had somebody this afternoon fixing something.- What did they do? - The shower wouldn't work.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27- Did you end up paying a lot of money?- I thought it was a lot, yeah.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30I'm a bit suspicious, but it was a lot of money.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33- How much did you pay?- 300 quid.
0:21:33 > 0:21:39- We've been following Roger for a while.- Is that what you're doing here?- Yeah.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43- Were you following him?- Yeah. - Come on, Jackie! Tell him the truth!
0:21:43 > 0:21:46BLEEP! BLEEP!
0:21:46 > 0:21:48It's a lot of money, isn't it?
0:21:48 > 0:21:51This is BLEEP!
0:21:52 > 0:21:57- It's like a bad dream. - Courtesy of your wife.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Come here!
0:21:59 > 0:22:02'He was fairly plausible, yeah.'
0:22:02 > 0:22:06Would I trust my wife again? That's debatable.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09Ah, no. He looks like he's gonna punch me.
0:22:09 > 0:22:15I'm still getting over it. I've got it back now, but I'm more bruised and battered.
0:22:15 > 0:22:23I could have been up to two grand lighter if I took the second option and took the boiler.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26I've been ripped right off. 'I'll be more cautious.'
0:22:26 > 0:22:32I'll probably use more information and a little bit more research, rather than doing things off the cuff
0:22:32 > 0:22:39and thinking, "That's convenient," and letting anybody into your home and trusting them.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41Maybe I'll do more research.
0:22:41 > 0:22:48Gary was a great sport there, but what should you and I do to avoid being the victim of a con?
0:22:48 > 0:22:54First, never let tradesmen out of your sight. You don't want them planting faked props.
0:22:54 > 0:23:00Second, ensure you check their credentials, maybe asking Trading Standards for advice.
0:23:00 > 0:23:06Finally, always seek three written quotes before agreeing to any work.
0:23:10 > 0:23:15According to government figures, there are just over 25 million households in the UK,
0:23:15 > 0:23:21which means around 25 million rooftops. That may explain why roofing clocks up
0:23:21 > 0:23:25the biggest number of scams reported to Trading Standards - almost 30%.
0:23:25 > 0:23:31Roger's keen to see if he can trick an intelligent lady into thinking she needs a new roof.
0:23:34 > 0:23:39Kerry Ann Pritchard from North Wales has called us in to set up her sister, Paula Duncan.
0:23:39 > 0:23:44Friendly sibling rivalry, by the looks of it.
0:23:44 > 0:23:50It's really important to me to get one over on my sister. She used to play tricks on me.
0:23:50 > 0:23:56To get one over on Paula, she will spring the trick with help from her sister's husband, Steve.
0:23:56 > 0:24:04She'll hesitate and maybe call Steve or text Steve or something. She'll need to hear what he has to say.
0:24:04 > 0:24:09Roger has seen pictures of Paula's house and noticed a few tiles missing.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13What dirty tricks can he play using this information?
0:24:13 > 0:24:19The roof has been losing bits and pieces, bits of tiles. That's something you can't ignore.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23I've got my assistant, Luke. What have you got for me?
0:24:23 > 0:24:29I've got some roof tiles, which is fairly self-explanatory. And fancy a game of tennis?
0:24:29 > 0:24:35I haven't got time, but we can play an entirely different game with these to block up the down pipes
0:24:35 > 0:24:40- from the gutters.- That's a popular trick with the con men.
0:24:40 > 0:24:45Roger's also got a bag of mud, which he plans to use as gutter gunk.
0:24:45 > 0:24:52I think he's ready for action. So the missing tiles give Roger the excuse to get up onto the roof.
0:24:52 > 0:24:58Once he's repaired them, his first trick will be to use the bag of mud and tennis balls
0:24:58 > 0:25:01as proof of a blockage he's cleared.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05It seems far-fetched, but it's been done before.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09Then he'll lie to Paula about the state of her roof.
0:25:09 > 0:25:15That could mean £300-woth of repairs and the chance to sign her up for several thousand pounds more
0:25:15 > 0:25:19for a whole new roof. That's his third trick.
0:25:19 > 0:25:24It usually costs £50 to replace a roof tile and from £25-£75
0:25:24 > 0:25:28to clean out gutters, depending on the house.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32If he persuades Paula to sign up for a three-grand repair,
0:25:32 > 0:25:36that's a mark-up of around 6,000 per cent.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40Roger arrives at Paula's home at around 4pm.
0:25:54 > 0:26:00- Hello!- Hiya. - I've come to look at your roof. Is that all right?- Yeah. It's me.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03- It's you?- Yeah, it's me.
0:26:03 > 0:26:08- Em, there's a couple of tiles on the roof. You spoke to my husband? - Yeah.
0:26:08 > 0:26:14I noticed them and I worry about things like that. We had a bit of bad weather recently.
0:26:14 > 0:26:19He's making himself at home! Checking how little he can get away with.
0:26:19 > 0:26:24I can see a couple at the front missing. And some round the side.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28All right. I'll get the ladders out.
0:26:28 > 0:26:35- Brew?- Yeah, I'd love one. - Sugar?- Not for me.- Tea, no sugar. - Thank you.- Coffee, one.
0:26:39 > 0:26:45Well, she's a lot of fun. There's a few tiles missing. It could do with some repair
0:26:45 > 0:26:50so we'll go up and have a look and see what we can make of it.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Do I look good?
0:26:52 > 0:26:55You look so sexy I could eat you!
0:26:55 > 0:27:01Yeah, enough of the bromance, boys. Let's get on with the task in hand.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03- It's all right, Lukey?- Yeah.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Gonna have a look...
0:27:10 > 0:27:12Make sure they can still get BBC1!
0:27:18 > 0:27:21Recce over, just how ropey is Paula's roof?
0:27:21 > 0:27:26Actually, it's not in the best condition. It's a very exposed area.
0:27:26 > 0:27:32So it really could do with quite a bit of extensive work on it. Am I the man to do it or not?
0:27:32 > 0:27:38Should she get a few quotes or trust me to go ahead with it? See what she says.
0:27:38 > 0:27:44Is that a trick question, Roger? Clearly Paula should ask for quotes from at least two other roofers
0:27:44 > 0:27:50and hearing what they all have to say. She should also challenge Roger to give her a quote now
0:27:50 > 0:27:57- rather than let him make repairs first, otherwise he can charge whatever he sees fit.- Very windy!
0:27:57 > 0:28:02- Better than hot air, Roger.- OK, first one out.- Paula, where are you?
0:28:02 > 0:28:07I know it's a rough day, but you should watch him like a hawk.
0:28:09 > 0:28:15Carelessly throwing tiles is classic cowboy behaviour. A reputable roofer would place them in a bucket
0:28:15 > 0:28:18and lower them safely to the ground.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20- OK, clear!- Want it down?- Yeah.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25It's all about getting off the roof and pocketing the cash
0:28:25 > 0:28:31as quickly as possible. A quick trip to the van for a tube of mastic sealant means
0:28:31 > 0:28:35he can seal his tile repairs against the elements,
0:28:35 > 0:28:39but it's also his excuse to smuggle the bag of gunk onto the roof.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43I think he's about to spring his first dirty trick.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50Look at that, mate. That can just block the gutter.
0:28:50 > 0:28:55Look what else I found. Look at all this in the gutter.
0:28:55 > 0:29:00- No wonder they were blocked and overflowing. Yeah? - Paula's not looking happy.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04But it's a classic trick so she can see the evidence of damage,
0:29:04 > 0:29:09but will she be suspicious of this bag of muck?
0:29:09 > 0:29:12It doesn't look like it yet.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18Hello. Sorry. Come and have a look and see what I've done out here.
0:29:18 > 0:29:25Let's see how Roger proceeds. Will he flannel her about her gutter being blocked, which it isn't?
0:29:25 > 0:29:31- Or will he lie about the state of her roof? - I've done all those over there.
0:29:31 > 0:29:35The flashing was out. It's loose on top by the lead.
0:29:35 > 0:29:41- Oh, yeah.- So I've put that back in. See where all those chips are out of the hip?- They were on the roof?
0:29:41 > 0:29:45Yeah, those are the bits. The round tiles are called the hips.
0:29:45 > 0:29:50All those need to be taken off, checked. Some are frost-damaged.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54I might as well do new ones.
0:29:54 > 0:29:59That sounds like an expensive lie. So you're really going for it?
0:29:59 > 0:30:03You can have a new roof, yeah? A completely new roof there.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07- Probably about seven-and-a-half grand. Yeah?- How much?!
0:30:10 > 0:30:16Still to come: as Paula digests that figure, will she buy Roger's lie about the blocked gutter?
0:30:16 > 0:30:20- Oh, you're joking. That's all from...- The gutter, yeah.
0:30:20 > 0:30:26Will Roger get away with one of his dirtiest tricks or will Paula have the last word?
0:30:26 > 0:30:30- Can I not wait for Steve for that? - OK.- I trust you, but...- Oh, yeah.
0:30:35 > 0:30:41He's a pretty persistent fellow. Remember, you don't meet rogue tradesmen very often.
0:30:41 > 0:30:47They are in the minority, but once in a while a bunch hit the headlines with their audacious tricks.
0:30:47 > 0:30:53It took determined efforts from police and Trading Standards to bring these villains to justice
0:30:53 > 0:30:56and some extraordinary surveillance work.
0:30:58 > 0:31:02This amazing CCTV footage is the moment a pair of conmen
0:31:02 > 0:31:07are caught in the act of a distraction burglary.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11We had an elderly victim who had been targeted on two previous occasions
0:31:11 > 0:31:14by these heartless conmen.
0:31:14 > 0:31:19What makes it all the more shocking is that the victim is a partially-sighted
0:31:19 > 0:31:25- and hard-of-hearing 99-year-old pensioner.- We put cameras in for her own protection
0:31:25 > 0:31:32and also, as we know, these sort of criminals do tend to target victims on more than one occasion.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36They'll go back, having been successful, and try it again.
0:31:36 > 0:31:42A distraction burglary is the term used when a team of rogue tradesmen cold call at a home.
0:31:42 > 0:31:49One person distracts the occupier in one room whilst an accomplice enters to look for valuables elsewhere.
0:31:52 > 0:31:58The distraction burglary West Yorkshire Police caught on tape took place on November 16th, 2010.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03You can see as she comes in she goes up to the door
0:32:04 > 0:32:08and she peeks through and she just jumped in shock.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12She's then going to unlock the door to let the person in.
0:32:13 > 0:32:18He bows down and she leans in towards him. She's quite hard of hearing.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22And he points there towards the front living room,
0:32:22 > 0:32:27with a glove on his hand - he doesn't want to leave any fingerprints.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34Not just that, but look carefully at what he does as he leaves the door.
0:32:34 > 0:32:41He only pretends to lock the door, so his accomplice is free to enter the victim's house.
0:32:41 > 0:32:47The second suspect, wearing gloves, comes in, has a quick look and goes into the rear bedroom.
0:32:47 > 0:32:52Straight to the wardrobe where her handbag is kept. He looks for money.
0:32:52 > 0:32:58On the previous occasion, there was £500 stolen from that handbag, the victim's pension money.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02Unluckily for our burglars, they've now been caught on camera,
0:33:02 > 0:33:08but would the CCTV footage be enough to bang these dirty tricksters to rights?
0:33:08 > 0:33:13We couldn't identify this male ourselves, so we passed it out to external agencies and the press
0:33:13 > 0:33:17with the hope that someone might identify him for us.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20So who was the man at the door?
0:33:22 > 0:33:27Working in collaboration with Trading Standards, he was identified
0:33:27 > 0:33:30as 26-year-old James Cunningham from Castleford.
0:33:30 > 0:33:36He was already on bail awaiting a court date after being charged with money laundering
0:33:36 > 0:33:40and conspiracy to defraud by Trading Standards.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44I was absolutely shocked that despite numerous times we'd dealt with him
0:33:44 > 0:33:47and his previous convictions,
0:33:47 > 0:33:52shortly after charging him, he'd carry out such a disgraceful offence.
0:33:52 > 0:33:57It turned out Cunningham was linked to a notorious gang, the Price family.
0:33:57 > 0:34:02Ruth's team had been investigating them with covert filming
0:34:02 > 0:34:08after a string of gardening, roofing and other scams between 2006 and 2010.
0:34:08 > 0:34:13This gang would use a number of different methods to get work from consumers.
0:34:13 > 0:34:17They would claim neighbours had complained about overhanging trees,
0:34:17 > 0:34:22they'd make claims about a price and then drastically increase it.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26The gang pressurised one 85-year-old woman
0:34:26 > 0:34:29to part with £52,000.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33Another 80-year-old was defrauded out of £23,000 for gardening work.
0:34:33 > 0:34:38The Prices and Cunningham conducted cons across the country,
0:34:38 > 0:34:44but after 18 months of investigation Trading Standards obtained a warrant to search the Prices' house.
0:34:44 > 0:34:50What we found were multiple items of clothing in different business names
0:34:50 > 0:34:56and also magnetic signs they used on vehicles that allowed them to change business names
0:34:56 > 0:35:00and trade as one company on one day and the next be completely different.
0:35:00 > 0:35:06Anyone would think that after being charged with his part in the scams and money laundering,
0:35:06 > 0:35:10Cunningham would hold off from his criminal activities.
0:35:10 > 0:35:16What the police footage showed was that only a spell behind bars would stop him offending.
0:35:16 > 0:35:21In July, 2011, at Teesside Crown Court, the CCTV footage helped
0:35:21 > 0:35:27put James Cunningham away for a total of five years and four months for conspiracy to defraud,
0:35:27 > 0:35:31money laundering and the distraction burglary.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34There were victims who were absolutely devastated,
0:35:34 > 0:35:41completely shocked and destroyed by the fact that they'd been misled and defrauded in this way.
0:35:41 > 0:35:48The gang are all now behind bars, but sadly there will still be other dirty tricksters out there.
0:35:48 > 0:35:56If someone comes to your door and you're not familiar with them, just don't answer the door.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00We would encourage everybody to come forward and report to ourselves
0:36:00 > 0:36:04to enable us to target these offenders and stop them.
0:36:07 > 0:36:12Too right. And Trading Standards respects your confidentiality in all investigations,
0:36:12 > 0:36:16so there's nothing to fear by reporting rogue activity.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20You could be stopping another consumer from becoming a victim.
0:36:20 > 0:36:26Now what about Paula Duncan? Our rogue tradesman is pushing her with some heavy duty tricks.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29Hi. I've come to look at your roof.
0:36:29 > 0:36:34Roger's doing his best to con Paula out of a small fortune for roof repairs.
0:36:34 > 0:36:38He's replaced some missing tiles and planned two dirty tricks -
0:36:38 > 0:36:41to pretend her gutter is blocked with manky tennis balls,
0:36:41 > 0:36:46then to lie about her roof being unstable and liable to collapse.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50He's already dropped a bombshell about the cost.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53Probably about seven and a half grand. Yeah?
0:36:53 > 0:36:57A nasty surprise. Who has that sort of money lying around?
0:36:57 > 0:37:01While she's swallowing that one, he still has his gutter trick.
0:37:01 > 0:37:07- He's after hard cash today. - We've just cleared the gutters out.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11- There was loads of rubbish in there. - Really?- We got it all out.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15- Oh, you are joking. That's from there?- The gutter, yeah.
0:37:15 > 0:37:21- I'll show you.- Oh, my God. - Kids have chucked the balls up, years ago, probably.
0:37:21 > 0:37:27That's the second trick paid off, so now it's time to go in for the money. Here goes.
0:37:27 > 0:37:34- If we say for the tiles, replacing the tiles, 250 quid for that. Yeah?- OK.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38And then for the gutter... another oner.
0:37:38 > 0:37:43- Say 350 for that. - That's for today?- Yeah.
0:37:43 > 0:37:48- You've gone a bit pale!- No. Steve's left me a little bit of money.
0:37:48 > 0:37:53What did he leave you? Not enough. Obviously. It's never enough.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55All I've got is 200.
0:37:55 > 0:37:59Considering Paula's roof is fine, she doesn't deserve this.
0:37:59 > 0:38:05She's being put on the spot here. She failed to get a written quote and has been rushed,
0:38:05 > 0:38:10so where is she going to find the £350 Roger's demanding?
0:38:10 > 0:38:17- Steve will be here about quarter to seven. He finishes work at six. - Do you want us to take a cheque?
0:38:17 > 0:38:19I like a bit of cash, obviously.
0:38:19 > 0:38:25- I'll just text Steve...- Yeah. - It may seem unkind of him to keep pushing her,
0:38:25 > 0:38:29but he's behaving just like a real, intimidating rogue tradesman.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32Like all con artists, he won't leave without cash
0:38:32 > 0:38:37and, ideally, a signature, on a contract for work in future.
0:38:37 > 0:38:42350 for this today.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46But being a roguish Roger receipt, it won't be worth anything.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49I'll fill you one out in a sec.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52This is it.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55Lovely.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59And there it is - £200 in cash with a cheque for £150
0:38:59 > 0:39:03for a job that didn't need doing!
0:39:03 > 0:39:08Storm damage...frost damage... hip tiles...
0:39:08 > 0:39:14But Roger's not finished yet. His second trick, about the state of the roof, is still to pay off.
0:39:14 > 0:39:20Will Paula sign up for a whopping £3,000 of roofing repairs in future?
0:39:20 > 0:39:26If you want us to do that work and just give us a signature, we'll do it for £3,500.
0:39:26 > 0:39:31We've given you a discount because we've done the first bit.
0:39:31 > 0:39:37I can't believe he's going for it. £3,500?! It's getting higher and higher.
0:39:38 > 0:39:43Today Paula Duncan waited in for a tradesman to check a handful of missing tiles.
0:39:43 > 0:39:48He made her think her gutters were blocked and her roof about to collapse.
0:39:48 > 0:39:55He stung her for £350 and he's pushing her to sign up for £3,500 more.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57Will Paula fall for it?
0:39:57 > 0:40:03- So if you want to sign that for us...- Can I not wait for Steve? - That's up to you.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06If I commit and we've no money...
0:40:06 > 0:40:11- I wouldn't want to pressure you. - I trust you, but... - Oh, yeah, absolutely.
0:40:11 > 0:40:18Well done, Paula. By checking back with her husband she's saved herself from a 6,000% rip-off.
0:40:18 > 0:40:22Even so, the simple repairs were worth no more than £80-£100
0:40:22 > 0:40:29so Roger has still ripped her off to the tune of at least £270. He's happy, but is Paula?
0:40:30 > 0:40:37With Roger off the premises, it's time for our producer to step in and take the burden off Paula.
0:40:37 > 0:40:42- Hi there.- Hi.- We're in the area doing some filming for the BBC.
0:40:42 > 0:40:48- Oh, right.- Have you had any experiences in the past few weeks of builders,
0:40:48 > 0:40:52- plumbers, painters who you've not been happy with?- Just now.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56- When did you get here? - Just now? What happened?
0:40:56 > 0:41:00They've just done the roof. Sorry, I'm a bit confused.
0:41:00 > 0:41:06They've just put a few tiles on the roof for us and taken 200 cash and 150 cheque.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11I've just got an invoice. I feel sick. Oh, God...
0:41:11 > 0:41:16We've been doing some investigating into the guy who came round.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20I'm afraid to tell you he's not a bona fide tradesman.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22He's not?!
0:41:23 > 0:41:25Oh, my God.
0:41:26 > 0:41:30Come on, guys. It's time to bring in sister Kerry Ann
0:41:30 > 0:41:34- who set this up as a sibling prank. - Oh, my God! That's him!
0:41:34 > 0:41:36What are YOU doing here?!
0:41:36 > 0:41:39I feel sick! I'm shaking!
0:41:41 > 0:41:45'I've been panicking about the missing roof tiles for a while.'
0:41:45 > 0:41:50He's just got carried away with that, hasn't he? I fed him
0:41:50 > 0:41:53and he's taken it all. Yeah, that's what it is!
0:41:53 > 0:41:59- What is this? - I'll give you the cheque back. - Give me the lot, you horrible man!
0:41:59 > 0:42:05I didn't doubt him for a second. He had the harnesses, this orange helmet with headphone things.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07Looked all official.
0:42:07 > 0:42:12It was just a bad dream and now it's all...and...
0:42:12 > 0:42:17- and I have fixed some of your roof. - You really have?- Proper job.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20'In future, I would...'
0:42:20 > 0:42:22Normally people ask for a quote.
0:42:22 > 0:42:27And I didn't get that chance cos they'd started the work.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30And then I started to panic, to be honest.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33They got me. They really did get me.
0:42:33 > 0:42:34Yeah...
0:42:34 > 0:42:36Funny, though.
0:42:41 > 0:42:47Thanks for taking it so well, Paula. Remember, Roger's acting for us. He's not a rogue in reality.
0:42:47 > 0:42:53And you can rely on the majority of tradesmen being honest and hard-working.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55Only a very few play dirty tricks.
0:42:55 > 0:42:59The crucial thing to remember is if in doubt, keep them out.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02Thanks for watching. See you next time.
0:43:12 > 0:43:16Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd - 2011
0:43:19 > 0:43:21Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk