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 > 0:00:12Police! Stay where you are!
0:00:22 > 0:00:24You're under arrest.
0:00:25 > 0:00:32In this series, I'll be investigating the world of criminals who make money at your expense.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35I'll show you how not to get ripped off.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38- Today on Fake Britain:- Hello.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42We're with the UK Border Agency on the trail of the fake workers.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46Is this you? Can I see your passport?
0:00:46 > 0:00:53We go undercover to discover the true value of this woman's fake insurance claim.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56It's hundreds of thousands of pounds.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00And how a fake inheritance cost one pensioner his home.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04I admit I was stupid. I made a mistake.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Instead of binning the letter, I kept it.
0:01:13 > 0:01:18Liverpool has always had a strong immigrant community,
0:01:18 > 0:01:26but there are strict rules on whether they are allowed to work, designed to protect local employees.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28Hello. Immigration. Are you OK?
0:01:28 > 0:01:32It's up to the UK Border Agency to enforce these rules.
0:01:32 > 0:01:38Today they're clamping down on workers who use fake documents to get jobs.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42They're checking up on four takeaways in one evening.
0:01:42 > 0:01:47They're just the sort of places to attract foreign short-term workers.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53The team are backed up by the latest technology -
0:01:53 > 0:01:58portable fingerprint devices - to find out who they're talking to.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02When you claim asylum, we fingerprint you.
0:02:02 > 0:02:07And translation services are on hand to work out what they are saying.
0:02:09 > 0:02:14This man is an asylum seeker without permission to work in the UK.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17What are you doing in the kitchen?
0:02:17 > 0:02:19I am watching TV. Arabic.
0:02:19 > 0:02:25- The team aren't happy with his excuses.- So if we check the cameras in here, yes,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28it will show that you're not working?
0:02:28 > 0:02:33Despite his protests, the team have enough suspicions to remove him.
0:02:33 > 0:02:38He's not allowed to be behind the counter or in the back.
0:02:38 > 0:02:44There's a maximum £10,000 fine for bosses who employ an illegal worker.
0:02:46 > 0:02:54The team can move on to their next target. They've done the kebab shop. Now it's time for the curry house.
0:02:54 > 0:03:02- Just take a seat there for me. Thanks, everyone.- Getting in quickly means less chance of anyone bolting.
0:03:02 > 0:03:09- Who's in charge?- I'm in charge. - Will you stand up for me? Thanks. Will you empty your pockets?
0:03:09 > 0:03:12What nationality are you, sir?
0:03:12 > 0:03:16Is your passport in your room? OK. Joe? Got a passport upstairs.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19- When did you first come to the UK? - '91.
0:03:19 > 0:03:24One employee is saying that he came into the country to study,
0:03:24 > 0:03:29- but it's a story they have to check out.- Any teacher. Your favourite.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Or the teacher you hated most.
0:03:32 > 0:03:37Another seems to think playing dumb is the right way to go, but Kate is on to him.
0:03:37 > 0:03:44I don't like the fact that you don't speak any English and you entered the UK on a student visa.
0:03:44 > 0:03:51How are you expected to go to study in the United Kingdom when this language is English?
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Do you understand?
0:03:55 > 0:04:00Part of the work involves checking everyone's ID.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04What's he wearing on it? It's quite distinctive.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Yeah, perfect. That's our man.
0:04:07 > 0:04:13This man is legitimate, but for others the most basic questions can prove difficult.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15What's your wife's surname?
0:04:16 > 0:04:20- And if that's too tricky... - What's her first name?
0:04:20 > 0:04:22My girlfriend?
0:04:22 > 0:04:24- My wife?- Yes, your wife.
0:04:24 > 0:04:31- I have a gentleman here with me. His English is not very good.- Kate calls on the translation service.
0:04:31 > 0:04:36Could you confirm this gentleman's name, date of birth and nationality?
0:04:36 > 0:04:41- While this officer just keeps on trying.- What's your wife's name?
0:04:41 > 0:04:43I've asked you three times now.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Are you lying to me?
0:04:46 > 0:04:49You ARE lying to me? OK.
0:04:49 > 0:04:54It looks like this fake worker has finally come clean.
0:04:54 > 0:04:59- So where is your passport? - I don't have passport. - You don't? OK.
0:04:59 > 0:05:06- How did you get into the country? - I came from France.- In a lorry? - Yeah, lorry.- Back of a lorry.
0:05:06 > 0:05:12But it's still going to be hard to deport him if they don't know who he is.
0:05:12 > 0:05:19- Go with that gentleman there.- He lives above the restaurant. A search will help get to grips with him.
0:05:19 > 0:05:25Listen, if you want us to help you, you'll have to start talking to us and telling the truth.
0:05:25 > 0:05:32- But he'll prove to be one of the team's trickiest cases yet. - You're just talking rubbish.
0:05:37 > 0:05:43Britain has one of the highest underage drinking rates in the world. A fake ID is often used
0:05:43 > 0:05:50to prove people are old enough to buy alcohol. Technology is helping criminals make a lot from these.
0:05:50 > 0:05:56They're very good and increasingly hard to spot. That makes it very difficult for the people out there
0:05:56 > 0:05:58trying to get them off the streets.
0:06:01 > 0:06:08Newquay is one of Britain's favourite resorts, but recently the beaches have been disturbed
0:06:08 > 0:06:12by something altogether less peaceful.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16Newquay, 2010!
0:06:16 > 0:06:22Newquay's got itself a reputation as being THE place where teenagers come to celebrate after their exams.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28They shouldn't be allowed out in dresses.
0:06:28 > 0:06:33And many of the underage revellers try their luck with fake IDs.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37But recently two teens died after falling down cliffs.
0:06:37 > 0:06:44The town is keen to get to grips with underage drinking and fighting fake IDs is part of the battle.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48PC Chris Pashley is on the frontline.
0:06:48 > 0:06:53The underage drinkers will try to get into licensed premises,
0:06:53 > 0:06:55using whatever means they can.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59It's easier for the girls to appear older than the boys.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04They dress up and can appear very much over 18.
0:07:04 > 0:07:05Yes!
0:07:05 > 0:07:11Police have the power to confiscate alcohol from drinkers they think might be underage.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14And they've got quite a collection.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18It gives you some idea of the type of alcohol that is
0:07:18 > 0:07:21seized from juveniles, 16-year-olds.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25From beer, cider, right through to strong spirits.
0:07:25 > 0:07:31This lot was taken over just a four-week period and gives an idea of the size of the problem.
0:07:31 > 0:07:36Anything that is already opened is simply tipped away.
0:07:36 > 0:07:44This is all just unopened, so you can probably treble that without even batting an eyelid.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48At the end of the summer season, this will be auctioned off...
0:07:49 > 0:07:53..for the Help For Heroes charity.
0:07:53 > 0:08:01And behind the seized alcohol there's another issue. Again, seized over four weeks, the fake ID.
0:08:02 > 0:08:07Newquay has a policy to only accept driver's licences or passports,
0:08:07 > 0:08:11but that hasn't stopped underage drinkers trying to get alcohol.
0:08:11 > 0:08:17They come from websites which identify them as a novelty item,
0:08:17 > 0:08:22rather than a true ID, but they're just valueless, really.
0:08:22 > 0:08:28Catching young drinkers with fake ID is a continual game of cat and mouse.
0:08:28 > 0:08:33Newquay has a scheme to make sure if there's any doubt the drinker gets carded.
0:08:33 > 0:08:38On these particular premises, they've got 21 Challenge on their jackets, which they all wear,
0:08:38 > 0:08:45so they're identifiable. That's part of the whole principle of challenging for ID. Excuse me.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Come here, chap. Thank you.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58The police can even get parents to come and collect underage drinkers.
0:08:58 > 0:09:05- It's part of a project called Operation Exodus.- Have you had any ID issues, picked up anything?
0:09:05 > 0:09:10Yeah, we had one last night. It's not a particularly good one.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14No real hologram on it. It's sort of flimsy.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17OK, lovely. I'll put that with the others
0:09:17 > 0:09:24Talking to some of the revellers, it's clear they've used fake IDs, and successfully.
0:09:24 > 0:09:31- Fake IDs for winners. - We got them off the internet. It's a UK citizen card or something.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35While others continue to slip through the clampdown.
0:09:52 > 0:09:58Around the corner, another drinker has been caught using someone else's ID.
0:09:58 > 0:10:03You cannot provide ID that is false. They're legitimate in taking that.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08- OK?- If the girl...- We will return it to the person whose ID it is.
0:10:08 > 0:10:14- If she wants to come to the police station, she can. Goodbye. - One second...- No, go away.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18- You're not saying anything that's helping. Go away.- James!
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Take him away. Bye-bye.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24This ID was given by the blonde lady there.
0:10:24 > 0:10:30She isn't the person that it is. She's borrowed it from a friend's sister.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34They want the ID back. Well, they've used it in an illegal way.
0:10:34 > 0:10:40It's been seized by the nightclub and their policy is to give all IDs to the police.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43We dispose of them as we see fit.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48If this girl does come to the police station providing ID, we might return it to her,
0:10:48 > 0:10:54but we will give her some words of advice as to why it shouldn't be used by any other person.
0:10:54 > 0:11:00- While the police in Newquay continue to deal with the after effects of fake IDs...- What are you doing?!
0:11:00 > 0:11:06Put it away. OK? You've got pubs everywhere, toilets everywhere. The last thing I want to see is that.
0:11:06 > 0:11:12..other authorities have been trying to deal with the problem at source.
0:11:12 > 0:11:19Later: we see how Trading Standards have made some shocking discoveries when clamping down on ID fakers.
0:11:19 > 0:11:26We also discovered large amounts of adults buying cards, even a coach driver who was banned from driving.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35Imagine a letter like this landing on your doormat.
0:11:35 > 0:11:41You open it up and it says - wow! - you are due a large inheritance.
0:11:41 > 0:11:47Too good to be true? Probably, but still, one phone call won't do any harm, will it?
0:11:47 > 0:11:51Be careful. It's the fake inheritance scam.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57Walter McKinlay is a former entrepreneur living in Suffolk.
0:11:57 > 0:12:03Although he lost his wife six years ago, he was still looking forward to a well-earned retirement.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06That was until a letter landed on his doorstep.
0:12:06 > 0:12:13It was from a Mr Lunn and stated that someone with the same surname as Walter had recently died
0:12:13 > 0:12:17in a car crash in Malaysia. Because there were no next of kin,
0:12:17 > 0:12:22it said Walter could be entitled to a share of the inheritance.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26I was intrigued, curious. Normally, I would have binned it,
0:12:26 > 0:12:32but I was very curious about it. There was a phone number there, so I phoned up.
0:12:32 > 0:12:38But what started as a simple phone call was to change the rest of Walter's life.
0:12:39 > 0:12:44Mr Lunn told Walter there were £15 million in the will
0:12:44 > 0:12:47and that just under £6 million could be his.
0:12:47 > 0:12:52Put there was a hitch. A payment was required to release the money.
0:12:52 > 0:12:59To me, 7,000 wasn't a lot of money and I was intrigued. I wanted to know more.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Unfortunately for Walter, once he'd made this first payment,
0:13:03 > 0:13:07Mr Lunn was back on his email asking for more.
0:13:07 > 0:13:13A letter from the Inland Revenue in Malaysia said the dead man owed them around £200,000
0:13:13 > 0:13:19in unpaid tax. The inheritance couldn't be released before the bill was paid.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23Walter handed over a share of what was owed.
0:13:23 > 0:13:30The documents that I was receiving from the lawyer appeared so official to me, the headings,
0:13:30 > 0:13:34it was right, it was genuine.
0:13:34 > 0:13:40As far as retired entrepreneur Walter was concerned, he'd entered a business arrangement,
0:13:40 > 0:13:44so he didn't bat an eyelid when another demand arrived.
0:13:44 > 0:13:49This time the family of the dead man's girlfriend, who also died in the crash,
0:13:49 > 0:13:54was looking for compensation and it needed to be sorted fast.
0:13:54 > 0:14:00It was moving very quickly because of the pressure they were putting on me to get things done.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03Not just the emails, but the phone calls.
0:14:03 > 0:14:08- I was up at three o'clock in the morning.- The demands kept coming,
0:14:08 > 0:14:13but each time a payment was made, a new request for money arrived.
0:14:13 > 0:14:18Because the pace was moving so fast, I was having to respond so quickly,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21I began to get in deeper and deeper.
0:14:21 > 0:14:27With every bank transfer, Walter believed he was one step away from a £6 million payout.
0:14:27 > 0:14:32It was moving too quickly. I had lost control. I lost control of myself.
0:14:32 > 0:14:39I know that I was quite ill. I was so stressed out. I was totally out of character.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43I was argumentative, I wasn't tolerant with anybody.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46And that was just not me. Not me.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51Then, in early 2010,
0:14:51 > 0:14:55Walter finally received the news he was waiting for.
0:14:55 > 0:14:5930 million transferred into their business account.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02At last, his share could be released.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06I went into my local bank to see if it had been transferred.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09It wasn't, it wasn't.
0:15:09 > 0:15:14So then I sent two messages to the Alliance Bank in Malaysia
0:15:15 > 0:15:20asking where the funds were in the account. And...
0:15:21 > 0:15:27they responded to me stating that there was no account by that number.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30Then when I got that message,
0:15:31 > 0:15:33I was literally mortified.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37What have I got? I'm shaking like I am now.
0:15:37 > 0:15:44Walter made one last call to the scammer. He was met with a simple response.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46"It's time business was closed up."
0:15:49 > 0:15:53That was his version. That was his words.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55Since then, there's been nothing.
0:15:55 > 0:16:03In total, Walter had lost over £400,000 in the fake inheritance scam.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06I went to my local police station
0:16:06 > 0:16:10and asked them if they could trace two people.
0:16:10 > 0:16:15And a WPC came down and said to me,
0:16:15 > 0:16:20"Don't send any more money and contact the Malaysian Embassy."
0:16:20 > 0:16:25I telephoned up the Embassy and they didn't want to know.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28So I was in a right fix.
0:16:28 > 0:16:34Walter had kept the whole thing secret from his family. It's a decision he now regrets.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38I've let my family down, my best friend...
0:16:38 > 0:16:41and my late wife.
0:16:43 > 0:16:48Walter's lost everything and now had to put his house up for sale.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52He's clear what he feels towards the people who ripped him off.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56I don't think much about the scammers. I call them scummers now.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01I admit I was stupid. I made a mistake.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Instead of binning the letter, I kept it.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08I am very, very angry, very bitter.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16Whether that will ever disappear from me, I don't know. I doubt it.
0:17:26 > 0:17:32- Who's behind these inheritance scams?- Organised criminal gangs.
0:17:32 > 0:17:39They might be sending out inheritance scams one day and lottery scams or prize draw scams the next day.
0:17:39 > 0:17:45- What do you think the answer is? - Raising awareness. Everybody now should be talking about this,
0:17:45 > 0:17:49should be looking out for not just the elderly, but anyone vulnerable.
0:17:49 > 0:17:55even if you have fallen for it, be confident enough to say, "I think I've fallen for a scam."
0:17:55 > 0:18:02If you don't want to talk to family, go along to Trading Standards. Take it there, show them what you've done.
0:18:02 > 0:18:08Don't be embarrassed about it. These things are sophisticated. It's not stupid people falling for them.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12Anybody, hit at the right time, could fall for them.
0:18:17 > 0:18:23Later: we see how private detectives help to clamp down on a fake insurance claim.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26The subject, off. In the subject vehicle.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31And we find out how some horse lovers are being taken for a ride.
0:18:31 > 0:18:39He looked absolutely beautiful. It was a childhood dream made real. It just all fell apart, really.
0:18:44 > 0:18:50The UK Border Agency in Liverpool are checking for takeaway workers using fake IDs.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54Hello. Immigration. You OK?
0:18:54 > 0:18:58Some have been removed as the agents think they're working illegally.
0:18:58 > 0:19:04If we check the cameras in here, it will show that you're not working behind the counter?
0:19:04 > 0:19:10- Others eventually admit they're fake.- This is somebody else's identity? Not you?
0:19:10 > 0:19:16Upstairs, the worker shows them his room, but he hasn't finished messing the team around.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20He's never applied for a visa. He came in the back of a lorry.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24Have you got a bank card? With your name on? National Insurance card?
0:19:24 > 0:19:31But they still can't find out who he really is. Without that, it's difficult to deport him.
0:19:31 > 0:19:37You've lived here for two and a half years. You must have something with your name on.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39He doesn't seem to be helping much.
0:19:39 > 0:19:45I think the main thing now is to go through everything and find out who he really is.
0:19:45 > 0:19:50At last they try everyone's favourite hiding place.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52And bingo!
0:19:53 > 0:19:59But it looks like he gave them another wrong name.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06Bank statements with a different name are under his mattress.
0:20:07 > 0:20:14- You've got nothing at all in this bedroom that confirms who you are. - So you're just talking rubbish.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17- Is this really your bedroom?- Yeah.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19What size feet are you?
0:20:19 > 0:20:22What size feet are these?
0:20:22 > 0:20:24- Seven.- Sevens.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33- Seven and a half. - The team still don't believe him.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37Can you do us a favour, mate, and just ask the manager
0:20:37 > 0:20:41to come upstairs to the residential area, please?
0:20:41 > 0:20:46- Not this one? No? - He used to room with me.
0:20:46 > 0:20:52- Thanks to the manager, it looks like the game's up. - Is this his bedroom?- Yes.
0:20:52 > 0:20:59- He shows the team the fake worker's real bedroom.- Before we start looking, you've lied to us once.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03Have you got any ID documents over there? We're gonna look.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07OK? So if you've got anything there, you can tell us now.
0:21:09 > 0:21:14By law, employers have to have a photocopy of an immigrant worker's passport on file.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17Where's the real passport, mate?
0:21:17 > 0:21:19I-I have no passport.
0:21:19 > 0:21:24So is this you? That's the fake one, isn't it?
0:21:24 > 0:21:30This man's used his cousin's passport and faked the photo. It's finally time to come clean.
0:21:30 > 0:21:35- Has your cousin got your real passport?- No.- Are you sure?- Yeah.
0:21:35 > 0:21:41The punishment for faking a passport can be up to ten years in prison and he would be deported at the end.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Have you got a contact number for your cousin?
0:21:44 > 0:21:48If the cousin has helped, it could also mean prison for him.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51I know I lie you.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54You know that you've lied to me. All right.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58- So you've got no questions at the moment?- No.- You understand. OK.
0:21:58 > 0:22:03This time he's fingerprinted and the records will be kept.
0:22:03 > 0:22:08The Border Agency will be able to contact his embassy for a travel document
0:22:08 > 0:22:10to send him back to Bangladesh.
0:22:10 > 0:22:15Coming up, the night's still young for the UK Border Agency team.
0:22:15 > 0:22:20We'll see what comes back, but he's said he came in on a freight train.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29Alcohol abuse costs Britain billions of pounds a year
0:22:29 > 0:22:33with one million hospital admissions put down to booze.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36SHOUTING AND JEERING
0:22:36 > 0:22:42- And UK rates of under-age drinking are among the worst in the world. - Binge drinking is good.
0:22:42 > 0:22:48But young drinkers buying alcohol on fake ID is not just a problem in Newquay
0:22:48 > 0:22:51as Andrew Rees at Chester Trading Standards can testify.
0:22:51 > 0:22:57The investigation began when we got a telephone call from a very concerned parent.
0:22:57 > 0:23:02She was concerned that her 15-year-old daughter had purchased one of these cards
0:23:02 > 0:23:06and was using it to go out with her friends and buy alcohol.
0:23:06 > 0:23:12That was followed by another inquiry from another Trading Standards authority with a similar complaint.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16An under-age person had obtained a card and was using it to buy alcohol.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18It didn't take long to find the site,
0:23:18 > 0:23:23although it claimed to be selling the fake IDs for novelty purposes only.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27We were surprised by what we saw on the internet site
0:23:27 > 0:23:33because in this particular case, it was quite clear that the site included advertisements saying
0:23:33 > 0:23:39that these cards would fool barmaids. "Go out with your older friends." Yeah, that was a surprise for us.
0:23:39 > 0:23:45These testimonials were enough to convince Andrew that the cards were aimed at young drinkers,
0:23:45 > 0:23:47but they still needed more evidence.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49We made our own test purchase.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53We got a 15-year-old to submit his details, purchase a card
0:23:53 > 0:23:58and request a card to show that he was 18, 19. It's incredibly easy
0:23:58 > 0:24:03and with the option to pay by card or cash in a brown envelope posted off to the mailbox address.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06The mailbox address enabled the business owners
0:24:06 > 0:24:08to hide their own address,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11but that wasn't going to deter Andrew and his team.
0:24:11 > 0:24:18They set up a surveillance operation to see just who was going to pick up the cash and orders for the cards.
0:24:18 > 0:24:24It's important that you prepare properly and find an appropriate site to do the surveillance from.
0:24:24 > 0:24:30You want to make sure your cover isn't blown, so you can carry out the surveillance for maximum benefit.
0:24:30 > 0:24:35It was only a matter of hours before the owner turned up and she'd even helpfully dyed her hair,
0:24:35 > 0:24:38just in case they lost her.
0:24:40 > 0:24:45Following her car, they had no idea whether she was really going to take them to her home.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52In the end, she took them to a residential address.
0:24:52 > 0:24:58One arrest warrant later and the Trading Standards and local police were ready to go.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02The whole set-up was there. It was being run from a bedroom in a private house.
0:25:02 > 0:25:07Cards were in the process of being made when we arrived at that house.
0:25:07 > 0:25:13And if you think you can't run much of a scam from an unassuming bungalow, then think again.
0:25:13 > 0:25:19What surprised us was the amount of business they were doing - far bigger than we anticipated.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Thousands and thousands of these cards had been made.
0:25:22 > 0:25:28It was approaching £250,000 over a relatively short period of time, 18 months to two years.
0:25:30 > 0:25:35This is just a sample of the many hundreds of cards that we seized on the raid.
0:25:35 > 0:25:41From student cards to international driving licences, all the fake IDs seemed to be there.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44The driving permits were popular with the younger people.
0:25:44 > 0:25:50But as the team delved deeper, they came across some even more disturbing sales.
0:25:50 > 0:25:55We initially looked at this case as being one where people were buying fake ID to buy alcohol,
0:25:55 > 0:26:01so for people typically under 18, but we also discovered large amounts of adults buying cards -
0:26:01 > 0:26:07people without full driving licences buying driving licences to enable them to drive.
0:26:07 > 0:26:13We had a taxi driver who had bought one and even one had gone aboard to a coach driver banned from driving.
0:26:13 > 0:26:19Adrian Holmes was sentenced to two and a half years in prison as the driving force behind the business,
0:26:19 > 0:26:24while his partner Lucy Sanders was given an 18-month sentence.
0:26:24 > 0:26:29The day after the result in court, a lot of these sites were withdrawn and disappeared,
0:26:29 > 0:26:34but now you'll see they've sprung up and are being run mainly from abroad.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38Obviously, it's much more difficult, but it's not the end of the road.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41If it is having an impact on consumers in this country,
0:26:41 > 0:26:47working with the police and enforcement authorities in other countries, we can take steps,
0:26:47 > 0:26:51but it increases the complexity of the investigation.
0:26:51 > 0:26:57Just because some fakers are abroad, that doesn't mean they won't be getting a knock on their door.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06Kate, give me an idea. Just how big a problem is fake ID?
0:27:06 > 0:27:08We know that it's very, very common.
0:27:08 > 0:27:14Under-18s will try whatever it takes to get hold of products
0:27:14 > 0:27:16that are meant to be for older kids.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20- It's not just booze or alcohol we're talking about?- No, absolutely.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24Tobacco is the other big age-related product,
0:27:24 > 0:27:28but there are also the cinema and DVDs with age restrictions.
0:27:28 > 0:27:34The list goes on. There are tattoos, fireworks and other services like that.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38What are the consequences for a young person caught using a fake ID?
0:27:38 > 0:27:42I know that some police forces do prosecute,
0:27:42 > 0:27:47so it's very important that young people realise that it's not just a bit of fun.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51It could go on their record and to turn it the other way round,
0:27:51 > 0:27:55young people need to be aware of the penalties that retailers face.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59They could get a fine of £20,000. They could lose their licence.
0:27:59 > 0:28:06- Even if the young person presented fake ID?- Yes.- The retailer could end up with a £20,000 fine?- Absolutely.
0:28:11 > 0:28:16As we well know, accidents can happen to anybody at any time.
0:28:16 > 0:28:21Last year, we paid out over four billion pounds to insure ourselves against them,
0:28:21 > 0:28:27but some people are paying their premiums and then deceiving the insurance company.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30Welcome to the world of the fake insurance claim.
0:28:30 > 0:28:35Fraud costs the insurance industry billions of pounds every year.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38And how do they recoup this money?
0:28:38 > 0:28:43Well, by adding £44 to the average annual household premium.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48Tara Shelton runs a private detective firm
0:28:48 > 0:28:52that specialises in spotting fake insurance claims.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56People are becoming smarter due to technology these days
0:28:56 > 0:28:59in researching how to get away with a particular act,
0:28:59 > 0:29:06therefore companies like I-COG have to be a lot smarter in how they detect any dishonesty.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10Ultimately, what we are seeking is a search for the truth.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14If that claim is genuine, the money invested has been well invested
0:29:14 > 0:29:20and any genuine claimant should be paid out by the insurance company that they pay a premium to.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27One of Tara's detectives is in the Midlands investigating a claimant
0:29:27 > 0:29:34who said that after an accident her leg muscle was so wasted, she can't walk five steps without stopping.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37She's receiving payments of over £10,000 a year.
0:29:37 > 0:29:43After some research, Tara's detective already has his doubts over the status of her injury.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46He has asked us to protect his identity.
0:29:46 > 0:29:51There are various avenues we can follow to gather information on the subject.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53There's an active gym membership,
0:29:53 > 0:29:59but if you're severely physically restricted, why would you require an active gym membership?
0:29:59 > 0:30:02Stand by, stand by. Two children outside.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04Obs continue.
0:30:04 > 0:30:11Background checks have revealed the claimant usually goes to the gym once her children leave for school.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15But she might just be going there to meet a friend.
0:30:15 > 0:30:20White female, possible teens, away, away, left from the RA. Obs continue.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22No sighting of the subject.
0:30:22 > 0:30:28Having been parked in a residential street, the detective is wary about being recognised.
0:30:28 > 0:30:33I'll change my appearance slightly since I've walked past the HA. It's simple things.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37It's not about wearing a disguise. People's recollection of someone
0:30:37 > 0:30:40can focus on one aspect - a jacket, a bag, a hat.
0:30:40 > 0:30:46So long as you try to control that aspect, you can change their perception of who they've seen.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50He thinks he's been spotted. He's now had to park around the corner
0:30:50 > 0:30:53without a direct sight of the claimant's house.
0:30:53 > 0:30:58If I'm going to plot for movement, I'll plot the main arterial route out.
0:30:58 > 0:31:02But there's a chance he could have missed her. It's a waiting game.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05Subject off, off, driving in the subject vehicle.
0:31:06 > 0:31:13The detective can't afford to lose her, but at the end of the school run, the roads are still busy.
0:31:13 > 0:31:18Near side indication, temporary loss. I'm not too concerned. She's got her gym kit on.
0:31:18 > 0:31:24Unless she cuts about all day in Lycra, I think we're off to the gym. And that's as fast as it can happen.
0:31:24 > 0:31:30So it's off to the local gym and the detective hopes she's going to turn up there.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33Right to the gym, according to my sat nav.
0:31:33 > 0:31:39Once again, it's going to be back to the waiting game to see if she's going to turn up.
0:31:40 > 0:31:45And the rain isn't helping to see who's coming, but before too long...
0:31:45 > 0:31:50Subject vehicle in to leisure centre. Deploy on foot.
0:31:51 > 0:31:58This time, the rain comes to the detective's help. The subject is not hanging around to get wet.
0:31:58 > 0:32:02It's evidence that points to this claim being a fake one.
0:32:02 > 0:32:07Carrying his own gym kit, the detective is still after the killer evidence
0:32:07 > 0:32:09and inside, he spots her again.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12If the rowing wasn't enough,
0:32:12 > 0:32:15she's pushing her legs to the limit.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18If she did have an injury, it's healed by now
0:32:18 > 0:32:21and she should have reported that to the insurance company.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25For the detective, it's been a good day's work.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29He could stay on the case, but he doesn't want to push his luck.
0:32:29 > 0:32:36Obviously, have to be very mindful of the level of exposure. Push a bit harder if opportunity is there.
0:32:36 > 0:32:41More important to step back and not be greedy... to know where that line is.
0:32:41 > 0:32:46After the complete investigation, the claimant was presented with the evidence.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49It could have resulted in a criminal prosecution.
0:32:49 > 0:32:56We didn't expect to find a level of activity that high for the symptoms that had been reported.
0:32:56 > 0:33:02The individual concerned was 30 years of age, so would have been considered for payments up to the age of 65.
0:33:02 > 0:33:09And without going into too much detail, it ran into hundreds and hundreds of thousands of pounds.
0:33:09 > 0:33:15Tara's happy with the result. In the end, the claimant was offered the chance to withdraw her demand
0:33:15 > 0:33:17and her payments have now stopped.
0:33:23 > 0:33:29I reckon I could spot a fake horse when I see one and Lou here is definitely the real McCoy.
0:33:29 > 0:33:34Hey, no offence, Lou. But a new scam is galloping through the equestrian world
0:33:34 > 0:33:38and a lot of potential horse owners are really being taken for a ride.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41Look away. It could be upsetting, Lou.
0:33:42 > 0:33:48Tammy Tremain and her daughter Zoe have lived in Surrey for most of their lives.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50You're such a good boy.
0:33:50 > 0:33:56From almost as early as she remembers, she has had an interest in horses.
0:33:56 > 0:34:02I would be at school and I would try and find somewhere where I could groom horses, just be around horses.
0:34:02 > 0:34:07I just absolutely loved the animals. It's always been a dream of mine to own my own.
0:34:07 > 0:34:14But it was only recently that circumstances meant she could try to turn her dreams into reality.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17I had a public house with my partner. It had lots of land.
0:34:17 > 0:34:23We built a stable. I had friends around the area as well with horses, so we just wanted to get out.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26My little bit of freedom.
0:34:27 > 0:34:32And this interest is something she shares with her daughter Zoe.
0:34:32 > 0:34:37I'm extremely crazed. I just love them because they're just amazing animals.
0:34:37 > 0:34:43You could do loads of things on them. You can jump. You can also like groom them
0:34:43 > 0:34:47and stand there for hours and tell them secrets.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50They're just such amazing things.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52Mwah!
0:34:52 > 0:34:57Increasingly, people have turned to the internet to buy anything from DVDs to TVs,
0:34:57 > 0:35:02but now people are even using it to buy horses.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06I knew what breed I wanted, so I just started looking.
0:35:06 > 0:35:12I spent a couple of weeks looking at what was available, but my dream horse was the Friesian.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16They're so beautiful, really long manes, the tails, big, fluffy boots.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19They're jet black, absolutely gorgeous.
0:35:19 > 0:35:24Looking on one popular horse site, Tammy found exactly what she was looking for.
0:35:24 > 0:35:30It just looked absolutely beautiful. It was a dream come true for me and for my daughter.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34We'd been looking for so long. This one really stood out.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38It was very showy. Everything just seemed right.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41So that's when I took up the contact.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45Oh, hi there. I'm just enquiring about the advert
0:35:45 > 0:35:47that you've got for a Friesian horse.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51The owner told Tammy that he didn't even want money for the horse.
0:35:51 > 0:35:57An accident had left his wife unable to ride, so he just wanted it to go to a good home.
0:35:57 > 0:35:58And whereabouts are you?
0:35:58 > 0:36:05All Tammy had to do was pay for the shipping costs from Northern Ireland. Zoe could hardly wait.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08When my mum told me, I just couldn't believe my eyes.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12It was the most beautiful horse I'd ever seen.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15Tammy was still very cautious about the deal.
0:36:15 > 0:36:21I got an address, telephone numbers. I did the Google Earth to check that the house did exist and it did.
0:36:21 > 0:36:25I just checked every detail that he gave me on the internet
0:36:25 > 0:36:29and that made me sure that I was being told the truth.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33Even then, Tammy wasn't prepared to hand over her cash.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37She wanted to double-check the seller's story.
0:36:37 > 0:36:43I made my partner write an e-mail from his e-mail address to the person
0:36:43 > 0:36:48and also another friend of mine just to check that it was legitimate
0:36:48 > 0:36:52and he came back with both e-mails that were sent,
0:36:52 > 0:36:58that the horse was no longer available, the deposit had been paid by a family in Surrey
0:36:58 > 0:37:00and he was no longer for sale.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04I had no reason to doubt him, to doubt anything really.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08Tammy paid £350 to the owner.
0:37:08 > 0:37:12But then he was back on the phone asking for more.
0:37:12 > 0:37:17The second payment that I made had to be for the transportation cost
0:37:17 > 0:37:19and the sedation
0:37:19 > 0:37:25and also horse box hire once he had got over to the mainland.
0:37:25 > 0:37:30It had gone on a couple of weeks and I really did believe what he was telling me.
0:37:30 > 0:37:36As I've said, it was a childhood dream. I was getting the breed I wanted, you know, my dream horse,
0:37:36 > 0:37:43so I just literally had to make that payment because I didn't want my dream to be lost.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47Having checked out the usual costs of transportation and sedation,
0:37:47 > 0:37:53Tammy made another payment of £350 to bring the total to £700,
0:37:53 > 0:37:57then suddenly, the helpful seller went quiet.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59The deal was fake.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03I tried calling the number. He wouldn't pick up.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07It was trying to keep the contact. I was sending polite e-mails,
0:38:07 > 0:38:11"Please let me know what's happening, is the horse on his way?"
0:38:11 > 0:38:17And eventually, it would be, "No, we need more money for an insurance."
0:38:17 > 0:38:22It was the next thing. I repeatedly said, "You're not getting another penny out of me.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26"I'm not paying any insurance. I'm not paying anything else."
0:38:26 > 0:38:31I was getting quite upset at the fact that I'd held my side of the deal.
0:38:31 > 0:38:36I didn't then believe I was going to get what I was promised,
0:38:36 > 0:38:41so I think just then I had to think it was a scam.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49The closest Tammy and Zoe come to horses now
0:38:49 > 0:38:54is helping out their friends with their untrained, but very real New Forest ponies.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57It has made me very wary.
0:38:57 > 0:39:02I don't think I could trust anybody fully if I was going to buy something again like that.
0:39:02 > 0:39:07In hindsight, I should have made the effort to go and check the horse out,
0:39:07 > 0:39:13but it seemed such a good deal, it was the breed I wanted, my childhood dream was becoming a reality,
0:39:13 > 0:39:16so it just all fell apart, really.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18See you later.
0:39:28 > 0:39:32The UK Border Agency team are on a tour of takeaways.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37They're on the hunt for illegal workers who are using fake IDs.
0:39:37 > 0:39:42He's not allowed behind the counter or in the back, so he'll have to leave when we leave.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46They've been to a kebab shop and a curry house...
0:39:46 > 0:39:49Do you just want to take a seat there for me? Thanks.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53Sir, you might end up getting arrested.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56But they're not stopping there.
0:39:56 > 0:40:00The cook's not on the system. He could be in the country illegally.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02No match on the quick scan again.
0:40:02 > 0:40:08They've found some documents that seem to show he's appealing a deportation order.
0:40:08 > 0:40:13We'll see what that comes back as, but he's admitted he's come in on a freight train.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17So he's come in with no documents. No passport, no visa.
0:40:17 > 0:40:22If someone fails to get asylum, it's unlikely that they've got permission to work.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26He was refused asylum on the 27th of May, 2010.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30He's regularly reporting to the Home Office. He last reported today.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34- When's he next due?- Next week. He's got no permission to work.
0:40:34 > 0:40:38So it's three takeaways checked and three fake workers found.
0:40:38 > 0:40:44But the Border Agency team have one more stop to make - a Chinese restaurant.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47What are you doing in this country?
0:40:47 > 0:40:51And in no time at all, they've found a suspicious story.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02Has he ever applied for a visa to come to the United Kingdom?
0:41:02 > 0:41:04SHE TRANSLATES
0:41:08 > 0:41:09No.
0:41:09 > 0:41:15A quick check on the fingerprint device confirms the chef is working illegally.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19Every Chinese national has to have a visa to come to this country.
0:41:19 > 0:41:24Kate has some inside information to help her get to the bottom of her guy's story.
0:41:24 > 0:41:30Have you ever lived anywhere else in the United Kingdom other than Liverpool?
0:41:30 > 0:41:34- Have you ever lived in Worcester? - Where?- Worcestershire?
0:41:34 > 0:41:36Have you ever lived there?
0:41:36 > 0:41:42- Worcester?- Yeah. Have you ever lived in Worcestershire?- Yeah, yeah.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45- What's the address in Worcestershire?- I forgot it.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49Why can't you remember the address?
0:41:49 > 0:41:52I just remember it's the High Street.
0:41:52 > 0:41:56- What's it called?- High Street. - High Street?- Yeah.
0:41:56 > 0:42:00The High Street, Worcestershire? That's useful(!)
0:42:00 > 0:42:02It's just not Kate's night.
0:42:02 > 0:42:06But we have to, by law, serve this to you today.
0:42:06 > 0:42:11The chippy boss is facing a £10,000 fine.
0:42:11 > 0:42:17You get your husband to get you a good solicitor and you can have it out with the civil penalties team.
0:42:17 > 0:42:23- We are not here to have it out with you. We are just here to serve this to you.- But the problem is...
0:42:23 > 0:42:28No, no, just take it, OK? And speak to a solicitor.
0:42:28 > 0:42:32We've got three people at the takeaway. Two have been cleared.
0:42:32 > 0:42:38This gentleman over here, it looks like he's come into the UK on a false passport.
0:42:38 > 0:42:44My colleague is interviewing him now. We'll take his fingerprints, photo, then set him up on immigration bail.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48All in all, it's been a good day for Joe and his team.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50Thank you very much.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58That's all from Fake Britain today. Bye for now.
0:43:20 > 0:43:24Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd 2011
0:43:24 > 0:43:27Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk