0:00:02 > 0:00:07Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12- Police! - Police officer, stay where you are!
0:00:22 > 0:00:23You're under arrest.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28In this series, I'm going to be investigating
0:00:28 > 0:00:30the world of the criminals who make
0:00:30 > 0:00:31their money at your expense,
0:00:31 > 0:00:34and I'll be showing you how not to get ripped off.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38Coming up... How one man died penniless
0:00:38 > 0:00:42after buying hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of fake shares...
0:00:42 > 0:00:46This is where Dad finished his life.
0:00:46 > 0:00:52You can see that where he has been sitting, he's eroded the mould away, but the mould is there.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Officers raid a suspected fake number plate factory...
0:00:55 > 0:00:59- Counterfeit number plates? What do you mean by that? - Listen to what I'm saying to you.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03And the fake prizes that nearly cost one couple their marriage.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05I nearly lost the wife.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08That would have been the biggest mistake of my life.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18A number plate tells the world the identity of your car,
0:01:18 > 0:01:22but if it was a fake, you could drive off without paying for petrol,
0:01:22 > 0:01:26park illegally, go through speed cameras, even use it for serious crime
0:01:26 > 0:01:32and you might not get caught, which makes fake number plates a valuable commodity to a criminal.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35And we're going to meet the people who are tracking them down.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41A police and Trading Standards arrest team are out on a raid.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45They're investigating a company they think might be producing counterfeit number plates.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49Deborah Charles is leading the unit.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53They're not requesting the correct documentation from people.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57It means that anybody can get any number plate, and that's not people...
0:01:57 > 0:02:03They might be trying to avoid congestion charges, they might be cloning vehicles for other purposes,
0:02:03 > 0:02:09driving explosives up and down the motorway, without anybody knowing who that vehicle is registered to.
0:02:14 > 0:02:19And as soon as they arrive, they find one of the company directors about to get into their car.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23Oh, hello, I'm Deborah Charles from Milton Keynes Trading Standards.
0:02:23 > 0:02:29We're here because BEEP isn't registered, first of all, with the DVLA, as a business,
0:02:29 > 0:02:34and, secondly you're not asking to see the documents that are required to be seen.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40Show plates are only meant to be used when the car is off the road.
0:02:40 > 0:02:45However once a number plate is made, it could be used on the road, illegally.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Suppliers of number plates for use on the road
0:02:48 > 0:02:54must be registered with the DVLA, and unregistered suppliers could be a source of fake number plates.
0:02:54 > 0:02:59This supplier is not registered and everything points to a large-scale business.
0:02:59 > 0:03:05One director is taken to the police station for further questioning, but there's no sign of the other.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Deborah's hoping he'll be able to provide some answers.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10He's on his way.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14And before long...
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Hi, I'm Deborah Charles from Milton Keynes Trading Standards.
0:03:17 > 0:03:25We've got a warrant here to search the premises, because you haven't kept copies of,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29or seen, relevant documentation, in relation to people applying for number plates.
0:03:29 > 0:03:34So far so good. This fella seems to be taking everything rather well.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39And what you've been arrested for is counterfeit licence plates.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Counterfeit licence plates? No, no, no, no.
0:03:42 > 0:03:47- You've stood there with an attitude the whole time...- No, I haven't... - Yes, you have, let me speak.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50- No...- Counterfeit number plates, what do you mean by that?
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Listen to what I'm saying to you. Just listen...
0:03:53 > 0:03:58- No need to talk to me with attitude, there's no need for it. - I haven't come with no attitude.
0:03:58 > 0:03:59All I'm telling you is what I know.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02I'll help, but I'm not having someone speak down to me.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06I'm not even talking down to you. I'm not even talking down to you.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09If you interpret it in the wrong way, that's your problem, mate.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13All I'm saying is that's what's been said and that's what's happening, all right?
0:04:13 > 0:04:16I am not disputing that. Have I disputed that once?
0:04:16 > 0:04:20But I'm telling what I've been told, and then you're telling me I'm talking down to you.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24But you've been stood there, like this, speaking down to me the whole time.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28- I haven't talked down to you whatsoever.- Let's get on with it.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32- Why can't we go yet? - Cos I need transport.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36- Let's go, I'll drive us there. - We are not driving in your car. - Why not?- Cos we're not.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41It seems he's more worried about how he's parked his car than a possible prison sentence.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44You're under arrest, you're not moving your car, OK?
0:04:44 > 0:04:48- No, but you've got no right to... - I have, you're under arrest.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51But Deborah's not to be put off the scent.
0:04:51 > 0:04:56We're going to take the equipment from here.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00We're going to take all of the computer equipment, all of the equipment that
0:05:00 > 0:05:05- we believe is required in evidence in court to prove the offences. - These are personal laptops.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07That's my personal one there, and all.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10They'll be previewed, we'll see quickly if there is anything on
0:05:10 > 0:05:14- there and if we need to keep them or not.- It's ridiculous, is it not?
0:05:14 > 0:05:16There's old women getting raped and mugged and...
0:05:16 > 0:05:20- There isn't, mate, not this morning. - There ain't this morning?
0:05:20 > 0:05:23- I bet somewhere there's an old woman getting raped.- No.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26I bet there is, somewhere in the world. And there's one, two, three...
0:05:26 > 0:05:29I don't know how many. But it's ridiculous, is it not?
0:05:29 > 0:05:32You could also argue that there are people driving around
0:05:32 > 0:05:36- with number plates that they are not entitled to.- This fella's coming far from quietly.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39Excuse me, I want to see my little girl. Simple.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43- No, we don't normally do that.- What do you mean, "You don't normally do that?"
0:05:43 > 0:05:46When we arrest people, we don't normally do requests.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50We don't take them into the house. Normally, we'll take you to the police station.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54- We're waiting for the transport and then we will be going straight away.- Let's go.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00The transport arrives and the suspect is taken to the local police station.
0:06:03 > 0:06:08Then, it's just a case of bagging and tagging the evidence. And it just keeps coming...
0:06:08 > 0:06:10and coming...
0:06:10 > 0:06:13and coming.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16I am quite surprised at the scale, you know?
0:06:16 > 0:06:20We weren't necessarily expecting the quantity of blank media.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24They are obviously set up as quite a big business.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26They are obviously turning over
0:06:26 > 0:06:28quite a number of number plates each day.
0:06:28 > 0:06:34With so much evidence to go through, it will be some time before this case is closed.
0:06:49 > 0:06:54Raymond Kaye and his wife Paula live in the village of Aldbrough, near Hull.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58Teenage sweethearts, they'd been together over 50 years,
0:06:58 > 0:07:03before their marriage was threatened by the conmen offering fake prizes.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05It wasn't love at first sight, not for me.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08But after we'd been going out about four and a half years,
0:07:08 > 0:07:15quite a few of our friends had said, "Are you ever going to get together, cos you're always together?"
0:07:15 > 0:07:18And we thought about it and said, "Shall we?"
0:07:18 > 0:07:20and that was... We got engaged.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24We've been married almost 51 years.
0:07:25 > 0:07:30Ray was with the armed services for most of his working life and was the main breadwinner.
0:07:30 > 0:07:31I've always been...
0:07:31 > 0:07:35I'm going to sound big-headed here, but I've always been good with money
0:07:35 > 0:07:39and always looked after her and the kids.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42If they wanted clothing, the money was there for the clothing.
0:07:42 > 0:07:49After he retired, Ray's health began to decline and newspaper offers of supplements caught his attention.
0:07:50 > 0:07:56I was feeling a bit down one time and I saw this advert in the paper and I sent away for this item.
0:07:56 > 0:08:01They did send me the stuff that I had asked for.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03The next then another letter came, another,
0:08:03 > 0:08:07"Send this... if you send this, you will get so much money."
0:08:09 > 0:08:13Because he bought those supplements, Ray had become a target for the conmen.
0:08:13 > 0:08:19His name was now on a list and offers of fake prizes began to pour in.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23But to claim them, he had to order more goods.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27About a year ago, they started saying, "Well, you've won more presents now.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31"Such things as laptops, cameras, televisions.
0:08:31 > 0:08:36"And they're all stored in a warehouse and it's all there, guaranteed."
0:08:36 > 0:08:38It all looked perfectly legal and above board to me.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41With their 50th anniversary approaching, Ray wanted to win
0:08:41 > 0:08:46enough money to take Paula on a holiday to the Canadian Rockies that she had always dreamed of.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51All the time I've been married, my wife has always said to me,
0:08:51 > 0:08:57"I'd like to go on the trip to Canada, round the Canadian mountains."
0:08:57 > 0:09:03Ray wanted to keep his plan a secret, but the huge increase in mail hadn't gone unnoticed.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06She was alarmed and told him he was being conned.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10I don't mind him sending for an odd thing,
0:09:10 > 0:09:17but then it became a daily thing. And I begged him to stop, but I couldn't stop him.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20I didn't believe her at all, because of all these good letters they give.
0:09:20 > 0:09:26"How can you be telling it is a scam, Paula, when there's all these and they all seem...
0:09:26 > 0:09:32"The testimonials from other people, I've got this and I've got that? Look, they have won them."
0:09:32 > 0:09:36Despite Paula begging him to stop, Ray kept sending off
0:09:36 > 0:09:39for more things, in the belief he would win the prizes.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Paula was now very worried about the amount of money he was spending.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47We have a joint account and we always have had.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51My pension goes into that joint account.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54He couldn't see it, he really couldn't see it and he said,
0:09:54 > 0:09:57"What I do is nothing to do with you."
0:09:57 > 0:10:00And this is when it became all out of context.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03He became obsessed. It's an addiction.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07I don't care what anybody says, it's certainly some kind of an addiction.
0:10:07 > 0:10:12There was one time, and I can't tell you which firm it was,
0:10:12 > 0:10:18but he had won £35,000 and there was a car coming
0:10:18 > 0:10:25at 9:30 in the morning to take him to Hull Station, on first class,
0:10:25 > 0:10:29to take into London, where there would be a chauffeur waiting for him,
0:10:29 > 0:10:32to take him to the place where he would be presented with the cheque.
0:10:32 > 0:10:37And my husband sat waiting for this car and I said, "It's not going to come."
0:10:37 > 0:10:41He said, "I think this one is. It really is."
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Nothing. Nothing whatsoever.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48Ray was now being contacted by dozens of companies
0:10:48 > 0:10:51and his mail order addiction was spiralling out of control.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Right, this is where I keep my stuff.
0:10:55 > 0:11:01He was now ordering all manner of products in a desperate attempt to win those huge prizes.
0:11:01 > 0:11:07This I want to show you specially, it's for washing my car down and doing the windows and all that.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11Hygiene wipes for sweating and that.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15And that's just an ornament thing, for photographs.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Ray attempted to conceal his purchases from Paula,
0:11:19 > 0:11:23but their small bungalow offered few hiding places.
0:11:24 > 0:11:30Every corner of the house was things pushed in, pushed in, wherever I went.
0:11:30 > 0:11:37Down the bottom...and then all on the back of the...on the top shelf... In the corner, here.
0:11:37 > 0:11:38I was supposed to, sort of,
0:11:38 > 0:11:43ignore what was around, because it was nothing to do with me. I felt pushed out,
0:11:43 > 0:11:47because we always did things together.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51And I've thought, "He's not the same person." And I've told him he's not.
0:11:51 > 0:11:56Despite their years of happy marriage, Paula had had enough.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58'I was ready to leave.'
0:11:58 > 0:12:01I don't know where I would have gone, but I would have found...
0:12:01 > 0:12:05Maybe some sheltered housing or something like that, because I couldn't cope any longer.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08It brings tears to me eyes, I'm sorry.
0:12:11 > 0:12:17Later, we'll see how a neighbour investigated the conmen and came to Ray and Paula's rescue.
0:12:17 > 0:12:22I checked them on the internet, and they all came up on the FBI's known mailing scams.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35Benefit fraud is costing this country £1 billion a year,
0:12:35 > 0:12:42and every penny of that is money the cheats are taking away from things like education and health.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46Across the country, councils and the police are pursuing benefit fraudsters.
0:12:47 > 0:12:52Here in the London Borough of Hillingdon, investigators are tackling the problem head on
0:12:52 > 0:12:54and raiding the suspects.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57If we can find the gentleman and the passport, I will be delighted.
0:12:57 > 0:13:02It's dawn and the Hillingdon team are being briefed on a suspect
0:13:02 > 0:13:07they believe bought a fake French passport, in the name of Stephane Naguie,
0:13:07 > 0:13:11and then used it to claim nearly £30,000 in fraudulent benefits.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16It's time to pay him an early hours visit.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27This is the flat where the suspect fraudster should be living,
0:13:27 > 0:13:33because it's the address the claims are being paid out to. But is there anyone home?
0:13:37 > 0:13:41There's no response, but perhaps a wake-up call from the investigator will work?
0:13:41 > 0:13:44It's ringing.
0:13:44 > 0:13:49And he answered and said "Hello?" And I just ended the call.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53He's answered the phone but still hasn't opened the door.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Time to get tough.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Suddenly, there is movement inside.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03Police, open up!
0:14:03 > 0:14:07Somebody is finally opening up, but is it the suspect?
0:14:07 > 0:14:10There's no way you didn't hear our bashing!
0:14:10 > 0:14:13- Morning. We're the police.- Morning. - Whose flat is this?
0:14:13 > 0:14:18There are two men inside and they say it's their friend's flat,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21but they can't explain why they didn't open the door.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24This man checks out fine.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28But the other man looks a lot like the suspect they are looking for -
0:14:28 > 0:14:34the man they believe has a fake French passport in the name of Stephane Naguie.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37But he says his name is Saimi.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42Well, we believe that you are the person in this photograph here, so I'm going to be arresting you
0:14:42 > 0:14:46on suspicion of offences under the Identity Card Fraud Act, 2006.
0:14:47 > 0:14:52He says his full name is Sammy Maisie and that this isn't his home address.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55But officers find evidence that he might be lying -
0:14:55 > 0:14:59a bank account in that name, at this address.
0:15:01 > 0:15:02Sammy Maisie, 21... BLEEP
0:15:08 > 0:15:11HSBC account is in your name at this address.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15More evidence is piling up that he does live here -
0:15:15 > 0:15:18post, photographs and other possessions.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22- We've got National Insurance. - Yeah, I'll have those, too.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25- That's you, is it? - Where are your belongings?
0:15:25 > 0:15:26Who is this person?
0:15:28 > 0:15:31The police are not convinced his real name is Sammy Maisie, either.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37What is your real name? What is your real name?
0:15:41 > 0:15:43What's your real name?
0:15:47 > 0:15:49It's proving to be a difficult question.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53And although there's no sign of the fake passport
0:15:53 > 0:15:56in that the name Stephane Naguie, the fraud team and police
0:15:56 > 0:15:59suspect this is the man who set up the fake claim.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04The council decided that, on the evidence from the flat,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07they would not be able to prove conclusively that he was the man
0:16:07 > 0:16:09shown in the fake French passport.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14But investigations reveal that the name he gave police, Sammy Maisie,
0:16:14 > 0:16:16was a fake identity.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20He was found to be in possession of a fake Belgian passport
0:16:20 > 0:16:24and a fake UK National Insurance identity card.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28He was sentenced to six months in jail.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31The council have also proved that no-one called Stefan Nagui
0:16:31 > 0:16:36lived at the address, so have stopped paying the housing benefit claim.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47Raymond Kay and his wife Paula were torn apart by his addiction
0:16:47 > 0:16:52to the offer of fake prizes from dozens of mail-order companies.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57When the couple went away for a short break, they asked neighbour, Michelle,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00to feed their cat and look after the house.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03She was shocked by what she found.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07When I opened the door, the mail that was behind the front door,
0:17:07 > 0:17:11I would expect a small business to receive, or a large business,
0:17:11 > 0:17:15not a pensioner and certainly not at a residential address.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19They were offering prize-winning lotteries in other countries.
0:17:19 > 0:17:25I checked them on the internet a they all came up on the FBI's known mailing scams.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29Michelle dug deeper and found the fake prize con men were making
0:17:29 > 0:17:34so-called "sucker lists", of people who are responsive to their cons.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37Ray had found his way onto several of these lists
0:17:37 > 0:17:41and they were being freely traded on the internet.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44He's on a mailing lists that cover over 55s,
0:17:44 > 0:17:48he's on mailing lists that cover people who are guaranteed to respond
0:17:48 > 0:17:54to prize draws - clairvoyants, health products -
0:17:54 > 0:17:56all that type of thing.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59He's probably on about ten to 15 lists at the moment.
0:17:59 > 0:18:04Even faced with Michelle's evidence, Ray at first refused to believe it.
0:18:04 > 0:18:09He was in the grip of an addiction and the con men knew it.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13It took him six months from me initially speaking to him.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16He actually avoided me for three months.
0:18:16 > 0:18:21But finally, Michelle knew all her work hadn't been in vain.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24At last, she had got through to him.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27I found out when I came home from work and I saw Ray
0:18:27 > 0:18:30ripping up loads of mail and putting it in his wheelie bin
0:18:30 > 0:18:33and I could have given him a big cuddle and kissed him,
0:18:33 > 0:18:37because it was just such a relief that he had actually woken up to it.
0:18:40 > 0:18:41It was destroying him,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45you know, emotionally and financially.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48He was rushing out and meeting the postman in the morning.
0:18:50 > 0:18:55It took him two months to sort out mail that he had got over Christmas.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59It's... It's just horrendous.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09He now realises he has been scammed and has got to deal with that.
0:19:09 > 0:19:14But he has got to deal with the constant reminder every single day,
0:19:14 > 0:19:15because the post is still coming.
0:19:15 > 0:19:21This is roughly two-and-a-half weeks - mail that I get over a two-and-a-half week period.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24Michelle worked tirelessly to clear Ray
0:19:24 > 0:19:29from the fakers' mailing lists, but with little success.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33They are not regulated by any of the UK laws, so therefore they don't
0:19:33 > 0:19:36have to take any notice of you and, at the end of the day,
0:19:36 > 0:19:38they know what they are doing is wrong.
0:19:38 > 0:19:43They are scammers and they are not going to stop. And there's nothing you can do to stop that post coming.
0:19:43 > 0:19:48Ray, of course, never won the money to take Paula on their dream trip
0:19:48 > 0:19:50to the Canadian Rockies.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53In fact, he lost their life savings.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56But he managed to come to his senses before he lost Paula.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00I nearly lost the wife, that would be the biggest mistake of my life.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04I wanted to take her on that trip and I can't.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08I have no money... Not enough money any more, it's all gone.
0:20:08 > 0:20:13So what I'm trying to say to anybody who cares to listen, don't do it.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15It's not worth it.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17I'd been married 50 years
0:20:17 > 0:20:20and then nearly made the biggest mistake of my life.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27As Ray's beginning to rebuild his life with Paula,
0:20:27 > 0:20:30he's leaving nothing to chance.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33And he's hoping others can learn from his mistakes.
0:20:33 > 0:20:39Now, I'm very happy to be relieved that I'm not going to do it again.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42I know it. I'm angry I lost my money, very angry,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45but there's nothing I can do about that.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49Me money's gone. I'll never get a penny of it back, but...
0:20:50 > 0:20:52Our money.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54Sorry, I'll rephrase that, "our money".
0:20:54 > 0:20:59That's correct, it is our money and...I've lost that.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06Mary, thanks for joining me today.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09You're the founder of Think Jessica. Tell me why.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13Well, my mother was called Jessica and she died in 2007.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15For the last five years of her life,
0:21:15 > 0:21:19she was hounded by criminals sending scam letters -
0:21:19 > 0:21:22letters from so-called officials telling her that she had won lotteries,
0:21:22 > 0:21:27letters from clairvoyant telling her that to clear this bad luck, she had to send cash.
0:21:27 > 0:21:32She believed they were genuine and that she just wouldn't stop from responding with cash.
0:21:32 > 0:21:37You said this was going on for five years, you were obviously aware of it. Why didn't you get it stopped?
0:21:37 > 0:21:38There was nowhere to go for help.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42I went to every charity, went to the police. I contacted Royal Mail.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46- I went everywhere, but nobody would help.- What was the end result?
0:21:46 > 0:21:50I believe the scam mail did contribute to her death.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54The clairvoyants told her that there was an evil force on a higher plain
0:21:54 > 0:21:57and my mother believed that something evil was upstairs.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00She couldn't go upstairs without having panic attacks and she collapsed.
0:22:00 > 0:22:05I mean I genuinely believe that the scam mail contributed to my mother's death.
0:22:05 > 0:22:06How much did your mum get taken for?
0:22:06 > 0:22:11Probably, we estimate, it could have been up to £50,000.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13But because she was sending it in all various ways -
0:22:13 > 0:22:16postal orders, cash, whichever way she could,
0:22:16 > 0:22:20we can't put an exact figure on it. But all we can say is that,
0:22:20 > 0:22:23for the last five years of her life, she was sending them everything she'd got.
0:22:23 > 0:22:28The answer seems obvious to me - why aren't the Post Office stopping it at source?
0:22:28 > 0:22:33Well, the Royal Mail have a legal obligation to deliver all addressed mail,
0:22:33 > 0:22:37and that is something that is being looked at at the moment.
0:22:37 > 0:22:42What should people do if they know of someone, or think they know somebody, who is being scammed?
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Well, you've got to talk about it.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48We've got to raise the awareness so people think they're not special -
0:22:48 > 0:22:53they think, "Just a minute, I'm one of millions that is being suckered into this."
0:22:53 > 0:22:57So getting round there, talking about it, possibly contacting us
0:22:57 > 0:23:01via the Think Jessica website. Just don't keep quiet.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Would you have a personal message for these scammers?
0:23:04 > 0:23:08I think if they could see the devastation that they cause
0:23:08 > 0:23:11and elderly people that are now actually homeless,
0:23:11 > 0:23:17have lost their homes, because of scam mail, then I think...
0:23:17 > 0:23:20are they human? What sort of people can do this?
0:23:20 > 0:23:23I mean, they're targeting the most vulnerable and it's very...
0:23:23 > 0:23:25it's cruel, very cruel.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34Later, the fake faith healer who pushed his victims to the edge.
0:23:34 > 0:23:39I could never forgive him for what he put me through.
0:23:39 > 0:23:45And how one retired businessman died in poverty, thanks to fake investments.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48This is a real nasty crime.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51You'll never meet the people who did it to you.
0:23:51 > 0:23:56You'll just know that somebody out there is enjoying your money.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05In some communities, people with problems turn to faith healers
0:24:05 > 0:24:09for help, whether it be with family, finance or even fertility.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12But some faith healers aren't that interested in supporting people
0:24:12 > 0:24:16through their difficult times by drawing on their faith and their religion.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19Oh, no. They're interested in something completely different,
0:24:19 > 0:24:22and you've guessed it - it's their money.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29The Asian community is one built on strong family bonds and also
0:24:29 > 0:24:33a strong sense of privacy, but sometimes these can be exploited.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38One woman agreed to tell us how the fakers took control of her world
0:24:38 > 0:24:42when her parents tried to force her into an arranged marriage.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44She wants to remain anonymous.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48We'll call her Alisha, but that's not her real name.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51It was something I would never agree to.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53I met someone while I was at college
0:24:53 > 0:24:55and I was just hoping
0:24:55 > 0:24:59that between us we'd both be able to convince our families.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02Unfortunately, that's not what happened.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05My family found out about our relationship
0:25:05 > 0:25:07and completely went berserk over it.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10There was nowhere for me to go.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13There was a lot of abuse - physical, mental,
0:25:13 > 0:25:17and it's got to a point I couldn't actually deal with the situation.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20I was suicidal.
0:25:21 > 0:25:26'Alisha had limited contact with her boyfriend and was desperate.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28'She turned to her friend for help.'
0:25:28 > 0:25:34She was quite concerned for my mental health and was quite concerned about the situation I was in.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38I was getting death threats from my brother, constantly.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41'The friend suggested she went to a faith healer.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43'These are people that try to solve problems
0:25:43 > 0:25:45'from their religious faith
0:25:45 > 0:25:48'and are commonly used within the Asian community.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54'Alisha felt she had run out of options, and this advert caught her eye.
0:25:54 > 0:25:59'Peer Syed Sahib claimed to have a 100% success rate
0:25:59 > 0:26:02'and was only charging £50 -
0:26:02 > 0:26:04'a small price to have her life back.'
0:26:04 > 0:26:05When I spoke to him,
0:26:05 > 0:26:10he was able to tell me that I wasn't the first person in this situation.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13I wasn't the first person who had turned to him for help
0:26:13 > 0:26:17and I took some comfort in his words.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19I felt that perhaps this is the answer.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23Peer Syed Sahib asked for a selection of photos
0:26:23 > 0:26:26to allow him "to focus on the source of her problems."
0:26:26 > 0:26:30When I sent him the photographs and the £50, he'd come back
0:26:30 > 0:26:34and said, "This is not a problem for me.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37"I can resolve this. Your family will be fine.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39"I can take all your problems away."
0:26:40 > 0:26:45'But soon he was asking for more money. A lot more money.'
0:26:45 > 0:26:48I was in a very desperate situation.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52I don't know how things could be worse for me at the time.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54So I took a loan out and sent him the £4,000.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58Without the support of her boyfriend,
0:26:58 > 0:27:00she was in a dangerous situation.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04Despite the threats and violence from her family,
0:27:04 > 0:27:08Alisha was advised by Peer Syed Sahib not to leave home.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12I was constantly being beaten up. I was being threatened.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14I was having death threats.
0:27:14 > 0:27:19I was being threatened that I would be killed and scattered around the countryside.
0:27:19 > 0:27:24All the time - it was all the time. It never stopped.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31At Sandwell Trading Standards,
0:27:31 > 0:27:35a number of complaints about faith healers had begun to trickle in.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38We first became aware of Peer Syed Sahib
0:27:38 > 0:27:41in late 2007
0:27:41 > 0:27:45when we received a complaint from a middle-aged couple who had been
0:27:45 > 0:27:48trying to have a child for some considerable time.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50They had exhausted all the medical avenues
0:27:50 > 0:27:54and they were still unable to have a child so, in desperation,
0:27:54 > 0:27:58'they saw an advert for this faith healer, Peer Syed Sahib,
0:27:58 > 0:28:00'and they turned to him.'
0:28:00 > 0:28:02And then he asked for...?
0:28:02 > 0:28:042,200? Really?
0:28:04 > 0:28:08We have to make it clear that there's no law in this country against being a faith healer.
0:28:08 > 0:28:14'People hold many faiths in the UK and we have freedom of expression.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16'What we had to really decide in this case,
0:28:16 > 0:28:21'whether Peer Syed Sahib was using the faith healer angle
0:28:21 > 0:28:24'as a vehicle through which to perpetuate his crime.'
0:28:24 > 0:28:27It was the high value that Peer Syed Sahib
0:28:27 > 0:28:30put on his services, along with the sweeping promises,
0:28:30 > 0:28:34that gave Trading Standards cause for concern.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37This is the advert to which our complainants responded.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41As you can see, he guarantees results in less than a week.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44100% guarantee of results in a week.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47One case, I think he said he needed to go to India
0:28:47 > 0:28:49to go up a mountain and make prayers.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52Presumably he would have used the money to buy his ticket.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54That's the sort of thing we're talking about,
0:28:54 > 0:28:58whether that amounted to £16,000 - we said that it didn't.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02The team decided to do a test purchase
0:29:02 > 0:29:05to see if he backed up his guarantees.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07They secretly recorded a conversation.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10'Salam?'
0:29:10 > 0:29:12'Hello? Yes, Peer Syed Sahib?'
0:29:12 > 0:29:13'Who's phoning?'
0:29:13 > 0:29:16'Mr Matush.'
0:29:16 > 0:29:18'How can I help you?'
0:29:18 > 0:29:19'I just need your advice.'
0:29:20 > 0:29:25Later, the fake faith healer turns out to be not all he seems.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29He was living a rather lavish lifestyle.
0:29:29 > 0:29:33You don't live where he lives unless you've got a serious amount of money.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44As a child, Lorna Rapley spent most of her free time
0:29:44 > 0:29:49working her father's market garden to the north of Liverpool.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52This is the three-bay greenhouse.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54We spent a lot of time digging channels under here
0:29:54 > 0:29:56and put heating under here
0:29:56 > 0:30:00and we used to have a woodchip burning stove here to heat it.
0:30:00 > 0:30:05But as you can see, it's now quite well overgrown with bramble.
0:30:05 > 0:30:10Evenings after school were often spent sowing, planting and potting.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13We've spent many a day and night in here and it didn't matter
0:30:13 > 0:30:15whether it was summer or winter.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18There was lighting in here.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20And we just got on with the work.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24So it was quite interesting, growing all the things that we grew.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28A lot of hard work but it was pretty to look at at one time. Not like now.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34Lorna's dad Alfred Mason had built a thriving business.
0:30:34 > 0:30:35But when he retired,
0:30:35 > 0:30:39he lost all his money, thanks to fake investments and fake shares.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45'The con involves fake financial advisers cold-calling investors.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49'The victims are pressurised into buying shares with the promise
0:30:49 > 0:30:53'of high returns, but they usually turn out to be worthless.
0:30:53 > 0:30:59'It's called "the boiler house con," and that's because of the high-pressure selling involved -
0:30:59 > 0:31:02'tactics their victims are often completely unused to.'
0:31:02 > 0:31:09What you're walking on here are plant pots, plastic plant pots.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11He didn't bother throwing them away.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15This is where we planted primroses...
0:31:17 > 0:31:22..polyanthus, pansies, daisies - all the bedding plants we grew here.
0:31:22 > 0:31:27And this looked beautiful. It was just a mass of colour.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32When I think of all the hours of work that we had to put in
0:31:32 > 0:31:38on this place to keep it going, and how it's just gone to this mess,
0:31:38 > 0:31:40it's heartbreaking.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44An entrepreneur in his working life, in his retirement,
0:31:44 > 0:31:47Alfred was open to the enticing deals that the scammers were offering,
0:31:47 > 0:31:49and the way that they were offering them.
0:31:49 > 0:31:54He did like to give advice. He liked to feel important.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57He liked people to go to him for advice.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01He liked to talk to people very much. He was...
0:32:02 > 0:32:06He didn't necessarily like to talk with people -
0:32:06 > 0:32:08he liked to teach people things.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14And so I suppose that's one of the reasons why these scams
0:32:14 > 0:32:19that he got into appealed to him so much, because these people
0:32:19 > 0:32:23would phone him and would be prepared to listen to him.
0:32:23 > 0:32:28And, if one deal went wrong, Alfred wasn't necessarily put off.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31If he started to become aware that he was losing money,
0:32:31 > 0:32:35he probably wanted to make it back.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39So, as he lost money with one company,
0:32:39 > 0:32:42he would then invest in another company,
0:32:42 > 0:32:44hoping to make back his losses.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48Probably not realising the second company was another scam.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52So, he just lost more and more, all the time.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56One of the companies that Alfred was persuaded to invest in
0:32:56 > 0:32:58was Almena Properties.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02They said they owned land around the Olympic site in London,
0:33:02 > 0:33:04and that its value was likely to rocket.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07The conmen had published glossy brochures
0:33:07 > 0:33:11and gave the impression they were based in the City of London.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14One of the officers on the case was DCI Dave Clark
0:33:14 > 0:33:17from the City of London Police.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20The buyer himself in this case, was actually out in Spain,
0:33:20 > 0:33:22'in the Barcelona area,
0:33:22 > 0:33:27'with strong links back to the UK, to give that air of legitimacy,'
0:33:27 > 0:33:30that the business exists within the UK,
0:33:30 > 0:33:35and to give people the confidence that they are actually investing in a UK business.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38Having paid £40,000 into this scam, Lorna's dad Alfred
0:33:38 > 0:33:43got in contact with the police. But the fake investment had left him
0:33:43 > 0:33:45with little money for looking after his home.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49He just lost interest completely, and he wouldn't allow me to come
0:33:49 > 0:33:53and help him at all. He wouldn't allow me, because there was nowhere for me to stay.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57He wouldn't let me in the house. He was ashamed of this.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01And he was ashamed of the house. And it looks very nice on the outside,
0:34:01 > 0:34:03and everybody thinks, "Oh, what a lovely house."
0:34:03 > 0:34:06But if they could only see what it was like inside.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11Later, we see what sort of life Alfred had been reduced to,
0:34:11 > 0:34:14as he lost more and more money to the fakers.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16This was his kitchen.
0:34:16 > 0:34:20He had all of his pots and pans and plates and cups...
0:34:20 > 0:34:23and mouse droppings inside of them.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31After rejecting an arranged marriage
0:34:31 > 0:34:34and having threats from her family,
0:34:34 > 0:34:36Alisha paid a faith healer to help her.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38I felt that I was trapped,
0:34:38 > 0:34:40that I had given all the money
0:34:40 > 0:34:44and I wanted something back in return, so I couldn't back out now.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46I had invested time and money.
0:34:46 > 0:34:50I felt that continuing with him was the only option I had.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54Meanwhile, Sandwell Trading Standards were trying to
0:34:54 > 0:34:56gather evidence that the faith healer was
0:34:56 > 0:35:00abusing his position of trust and conning his victims.
0:35:00 > 0:35:01They recorded his claims.
0:35:01 > 0:35:07'I can see you guarantee 100 % results in less than a week.'
0:35:07 > 0:35:09'Yes.'
0:35:10 > 0:35:13Alisha had already paid him thousands of pounds to try
0:35:13 > 0:35:16to get her out of her arranged marriage.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19There was the big part of me that knew I couldn't get anything from this person,
0:35:19 > 0:35:23but I just wanted to believe that things were going to be OK for me.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27I didn't know what else to hang on to, I didn't know where else to go.
0:35:27 > 0:35:32As Alisha's life fell apart, so did her finances.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35All this money came from credit cards, loans,
0:35:35 > 0:35:40anything I could get, I applied for. So I was just completely drained.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44My father was quite ill and suffered a series of heart attacks.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47He was in a coma in hospital.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50I obviously wanted to see him.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54When I went to the hospital, I was blamed for him being in that state.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58So, that was my fault, and I wasn't allowed to spend any time with him.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02Forbidden from saying goodbye to her dying father,
0:36:02 > 0:36:03Alisha was only left
0:36:03 > 0:36:06with one option.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08I just left. I just took a single bag and I left.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10I didn't know where I was going.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12I didn't have any money,
0:36:12 > 0:36:14I didn't know what I was doing.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17I did send one final text to the faith-healer
0:36:17 > 0:36:20saying how badly he had let me down, how disappointed I was,
0:36:20 > 0:36:25and how I could never forgive him for what he put me through.
0:36:25 > 0:36:29In fact, trading standards had just arrested Peer Syed Sahib.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33It turned out he wasn't an elderly religious leader at all...
0:36:33 > 0:36:39but was Niem Mohammed, and he was born in Liverpool, and at his house,
0:36:39 > 0:36:42were some of the riches that Alisha's debts had paid for.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45These are photos that were taken on the day
0:36:45 > 0:36:48that we raided his property.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52This shows the extent of the gentleman's wealth.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54So, here we have a Louis Vuitton storage box.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58Here we have a view of the bedroom which shows just about every
0:36:58 > 0:37:02designer perfume that you could possibly wish to possess.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06A nice, big television with a DVD sound-system, Sky,
0:37:06 > 0:37:09there's his nice Bentley.
0:37:09 > 0:37:14His nice Ferrari. He was obviously making some money somewhere.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17There's his personal stash of cigars,
0:37:17 > 0:37:19complete with storage box, humidifier.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22We also found plenty of champagne.
0:37:22 > 0:37:29I think we had an inclination that he was living a rather lavish lifestyle.
0:37:29 > 0:37:30You don't live where he lives
0:37:30 > 0:37:33unless you have a serious amount of money.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37Niem Mohammed was prosecuted at Wolverhampton Crown Court
0:37:37 > 0:37:40and Alisha came face to face with the man
0:37:40 > 0:37:43whose fake claims had ruined her life.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45Seeing him was very difficult.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49He didn't look anything like I had seen him initially.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53When I was in court, when I was in the box, he was there.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56He just didn't seem to care at all.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00And he was still taking calls from clients who were seeking
0:38:00 > 0:38:03spiritual help, while he was in court.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07Niem Mohammed was sentenced to 18 months in prison,
0:38:07 > 0:38:11but his affect on Alisha will be longer lasting.
0:38:11 > 0:38:16On an emotional level, I find it very, very difficult to trust people.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19Financially, I have struggled to make ends meet
0:38:19 > 0:38:21and that's when it hurts even more.
0:38:21 > 0:38:27I do get angry that I have wasted two years of my life like that.
0:38:29 > 0:38:34I just hope this person will never be able to do what he's done again.
0:38:34 > 0:38:39But a part of me feels sad that I know that he is still capable of it.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42And I know there isn't much out there anyone can do
0:38:42 > 0:38:47to stop vulnerable people from falling into that trap.
0:38:56 > 0:39:01Lorna Rapley's father Alfred Mason lost £40,000 to a con
0:39:01 > 0:39:05involving fake shares in a property company.
0:39:07 > 0:39:11The criminals responsible were based in Spain.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13The police raided them and arrested four people.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17They even found scripts that guided the con men on how to coax
0:39:17 > 0:39:20the most money from their victims.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23It's a callous, faceless way of doing business.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27They hide behind the computer, they hide behind a false identity,
0:39:27 > 0:39:30and they hide behind Skype telephone lines that they think
0:39:30 > 0:39:34they're safe to use and cannot be traced on, so to me, it is...
0:39:34 > 0:39:38they are heartless, absolutely heartless and callous.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42Adrian Davison, who led the gang was sentenced to seven years
0:39:42 > 0:39:46in prison with others receiving terms of around two to three years.
0:39:46 > 0:39:50But the property swindle was only part of Alfred's story.
0:39:50 > 0:39:55Back home, Lorna delved deeper into her father's correspondence.
0:39:55 > 0:40:00These are contract notes that Dad has paid for shares,
0:40:00 > 0:40:03and, I mean, they just mount up.
0:40:03 > 0:40:08There's £2,000 on this particular transaction.
0:40:08 > 0:40:14Here, £3,500. There's one here for £6,260.
0:40:14 > 0:40:19She eventually discovered that her dad had lost his entire
0:40:19 > 0:40:25life savings of over £800,000 to different fake investments.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28When it is all in one place like this,
0:40:28 > 0:40:31and it's all compacted, you feel very...
0:40:31 > 0:40:36You get more of a sense of an impact of what has actually happened.
0:40:36 > 0:40:41Having lost all of his money, Alfred was secretly living in squalor.
0:40:43 > 0:40:49This is where Dad was sleeping before he had to go into hospital.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52You can see where he's been sitting, he eroded the mould away,
0:40:52 > 0:40:55but the mould is there.
0:40:55 > 0:41:02And underneath it all, mouse droppings. Yes, he knew.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04He knew they were there.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06But he just didn't bother to do anything about them.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11Lorna later discovered he had also been sleeping in his car,
0:41:11 > 0:41:15because he didn't even have the money left to heat his house.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20He had all his pots and pans and plates and cups...
0:41:20 > 0:41:26and mouse droppings inside of them. There was mouse droppings everywhere.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28I haven't actually cleared this up.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31The hall floor was covered in mouse droppings
0:41:31 > 0:41:33and bits of chewed up newspaper.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35But this was his kitchen.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39Lorna's dad eventually died of cancer,
0:41:39 > 0:41:42before seeing the con men brought to justice.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45She's now beginning to clear out her family home.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48We'd like to do it up somehow, and rent it.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51I think that's what we'd like to do.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54But, you know, how many years that'll take, I don't know,
0:41:54 > 0:41:57because it will need a lot of time and money spending on it.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02What should have been her own restful retirement is now being
0:42:02 > 0:42:07spent dealing with the impact of her dad's fake investments.
0:42:07 > 0:42:12Dad lost his trust in people. I've lost my trust in people.
0:42:12 > 0:42:18This is a real, nasty crime that is vindictive and personal
0:42:18 > 0:42:20and embarrassing.
0:42:20 > 0:42:25And you lose such a lot from it.
0:42:25 > 0:42:30We'll never get it back. You'll never meet the people who did it to you.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34You'll just know that somebody out there is enjoying your money.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38If we can stop people making that mistake,
0:42:38 > 0:42:42that would be a fantastic legacy that my dad has left.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55That's all from Fake Britain today. Bye for now.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:20 > 0:43:23Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk