0:00:02 > 0:00:05Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10Police!
0:00:20 > 0:00:24Get down! Get down on the floor now! Put your hands behind your back now!
0:00:25 > 0:00:28Here at the Fake Britain house things might look familiar,
0:00:28 > 0:00:33but don't be taken in, because this is a house that is filled with fakes.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36In this series I'll be revealing the counterfeits, copies
0:00:36 > 0:00:40and cons that are flooding the market, fooling the public,
0:00:40 > 0:00:44making money for the criminals and maybe even putting you in danger.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46We will be investigating those fraudsters
0:00:46 > 0:00:50who are cashing in by selling us something that isn't real.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54And we will be showing you how to avoid falling for a fake.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57Today on Fake Britain:
0:00:57 > 0:01:01Trading Standards clamping down on the rogue operators using fake
0:01:01 > 0:01:05ATOL memberships to convince travellers to part with thousands.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08I was really disgusted that anybody could do that.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12The fake LED lights that are shockingly bad.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15It's seriously dangerous and potentially life-threatening.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17And the tragic story of the young boy
0:01:17 > 0:01:20killed by fake almond powder in his curry.
0:01:20 > 0:01:25It has absolutely destroyed that family. It really has.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35When it comes to holidays, we Brits are big spenders.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38We pay an average of around £1,000 per person
0:01:38 > 0:01:41to get us out of the nine to five.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44That is a lot of money and when we sign up to fly away on our
0:01:44 > 0:01:49package trip it makes sense to know our money and holiday are protected.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53This sign on your glossy brochure says they are.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57It means the company has an Air Travel Operators' Licence, ATOL.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59So that's all OK then.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01Except this is a fake.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03This company did not have a licence
0:02:03 > 0:02:07and, as we are about to find out, you may need to take a closer look
0:02:07 > 0:02:10at your travel operator the next time you book a holiday.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16When David and Marlene Jackson from East Sussex retired, they were
0:02:16 > 0:02:20finally able to look forward to planning their holiday in Russia.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24I came across this company called Russian Gateway.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28Excellent website, very well written, very clear,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31good photographs, good description of the ship we would be going on
0:02:31 > 0:02:34and a very professional presentation.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37It gave the impression that Russian Gateway was a specialist
0:02:37 > 0:02:42company and because of that it generated a feeling of trust.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45So far so good with the company's website.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47But being seasoned travellers,
0:02:47 > 0:02:51David and Marlene knew to look for a travel company that would
0:02:51 > 0:02:54protect their money should things take a turn for the worse.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58The ATOL logo in particular was something which encouraged us
0:02:58 > 0:03:01that it was a bona fide company, a bona fide claim,
0:03:01 > 0:03:05and that we were covered if there was any cancellation of any kind at all.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09ATOL is a protection scheme for air holidays,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11managed by the Civil Aviation Authority.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16An ATOL tour operator protects you from losing money
0:03:16 > 0:03:18or being stranded abroad if the company goes bust.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Convinced that they had found the right company to arrange their
0:03:23 > 0:03:27holiday, the Jacksons took the plunge and booked their Russian adventure.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31But their plans for the trip abroad were about to be sunk
0:03:31 > 0:03:35by a series of forest fires around Moscow.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38It was about a week before we were due to go that we were advised not to go.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42So we cancelled that trip and we talked about it
0:03:42 > 0:03:44and decided to postpone for a year.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46David and Marlene's holiday would have to wait.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49They had already paid for it and were desperate to go
0:03:49 > 0:03:52so decided to leave their money with Alan Steel,
0:03:52 > 0:03:56the director of Russian Gateway UK Ltd of Leamington Spa,
0:03:56 > 0:04:00not to be confused with any other company of a similar name.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03They looked forward to their holiday.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06We got in touch with him again. We fixed the dates.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08He told us the hotel we would be staying in.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10He told us the flights we'd be on.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16It seemed that the holiday would be going ahead, so they spent £750
0:04:16 > 0:04:20on ballet tickets which they arranged to be sent to their hotel in Moscow.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25We then got a message from the ticket agency that we had booked through
0:04:25 > 0:04:27to say they'd tried to deliver the tickets to the hotel
0:04:27 > 0:04:30but the hotel didn't know anything about us.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33That was the first indication that something
0:04:33 > 0:04:35was going wrong with the second trip.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39With their holiday drawing closer and their hotel having no record of their
0:04:39 > 0:04:43booking, David got back in touch with Alan Steel at Russian Gateway.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47He was having financial problems with his Russian suppliers
0:04:47 > 0:04:50and he was due to see his bank manager the following day.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53This was a week before we were due to go on holiday.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56To be quite honest, I think it was just unbelievable.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00I mean, there are your suitcases that you have started to pack
0:05:00 > 0:05:03and you come to a grinding halt.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06I was really upset about it, wasn't I?
0:05:06 > 0:05:09I think, really, you sort of have sleepless nights.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13It was just awful. We just didn't know what was going to happen.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18Finally, Russian Gateway admitted to the couple
0:05:18 > 0:05:21that they would not be going on their long-awaited trip.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25We personally in total had lost just over £3,000.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29It's a lot of money. It was for us.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32The Jacksons thought their money would be protected.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Surely the ATOL logos they had seen were proof of that.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39So David contacted the Civil Aviation Authority,
0:05:39 > 0:05:41who manage the ATOL scheme, to see if they could help.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44It was at that point we were told that in fact
0:05:44 > 0:05:47he was no longer a member and he had not been a member for six years,
0:05:47 > 0:05:51which means he had been fraudulently displaying the ATOL logo
0:05:51 > 0:05:53throughout that period when he wasn't entitled to do so.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56Marlene was horrified that they had been duped
0:05:56 > 0:05:59by what was in fact a fake ATOL logo.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03When we found out that the ATOL logo
0:06:03 > 0:06:07and the claims to be a member of ATOL were fake,
0:06:07 > 0:06:12I was really disgusted that anybody could do that.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15You see all these symbols appearing all over the place
0:06:15 > 0:06:19and you take it for granted that if they display them they are entitled to display them.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23We both thought that the ATOL logo was genuine.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26We had no reason to think otherwise.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32Russian Gateway's fakery had ruined David and Marlene's holiday plans.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36It was initially extreme disappointment that it was cancelled
0:06:36 > 0:06:40followed by hope that we would be able to go eventually
0:06:40 > 0:06:42followed by anger when we couldn't.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49The Jacksons weren't the only ones to be duped by Russian Gateway.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53Eleanor Lake from Warwickshire Trading Standards had received
0:06:53 > 0:06:56dozens of phone calls from disgruntled holiday-makers
0:06:56 > 0:06:59who had been misled by the travel company.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01It was large-scale fraud.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04We were aware of around 31 consumers who were affected as a result
0:07:04 > 0:07:09of this and they had lost in the region of £140,000.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Many of the holiday-makers thought they had been doing the right
0:07:12 > 0:07:15thing by specifically looking for assurances
0:07:15 > 0:07:18that their money would be protected should the worst happen.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Consumers have said they were particularly looking
0:07:21 > 0:07:24out for an ATOL logo as a form of protection for them.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29All British firms selling flight packages are legally required
0:07:29 > 0:07:32to hold an ATOL licence and show the logo.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34This would be a fake use of the logo.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37He didn't have permission to produce it
0:07:37 > 0:07:39and consumers would be misled into believing
0:07:39 > 0:07:43they were getting some sort of protection when they were not.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46As Eleanor dug deeper it became clear that Russian Gateway
0:07:46 > 0:07:50offered its customers absolutely no protection.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55What Mr Steel had done was told people their money would be
0:07:55 > 0:07:58kept secure until they came back from their holiday, but he had lied.
0:07:58 > 0:08:03He had made these false statements that that money was protected.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07And nothing could prepare Eleanor for the reality of what Mr Steel
0:08:07 > 0:08:10was actually doing with his customers' money.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13When we obtained the bank account details for Mr Steel,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16you could actually see that he was using his business
0:08:16 > 0:08:18account for his personal expenses.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22You could see his shopping was coming out of that account,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25so various personal groceries were coming on there.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29So there was no evidence that money had gone in from a consumer and
0:08:29 > 0:08:33then that same amount of money had gone into some sort of trust account.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36The business was spiralling out of control
0:08:36 > 0:08:40and all of Russian Gateway's customers were at risk.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43The very thing that the package travel regulations are there
0:08:43 > 0:08:47to protect against is if a company goes bust and that is the very
0:08:47 > 0:08:52thing that happened in this case, is that the company went into liquidation
0:08:52 > 0:08:55and all of that money that consumers had entrusted,
0:08:55 > 0:09:00around £140,000 worth of consumer money, disappeared overnight.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04Fortunately, the holiday-makers who lost out
0:09:04 > 0:09:06to Russian Gateway's ATOL and ABTA fakery
0:09:06 > 0:09:08eventually managed to get their money back
0:09:08 > 0:09:12as a result of the case brought by Warwickshire Trading Standards.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18Alan Steel had to sell his luxury home to pay his prosecution costs.
0:09:18 > 0:09:24He was ordered to pay over £130,000 in compensation to 31 victims.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26And he was sent to prison.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30Mr Steel was given a two- and-a-half-year custodial sentence,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33which reflects the scale of the fraud.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36The judge said that the actions that Mr Steel had done
0:09:36 > 0:09:39had undermined confidence in the travel industry.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Eleanor has some advice for anyone out there who might be planning a holiday.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47Consumers can go on to the Civil Aviation Authority website and check
0:09:47 > 0:09:51an ATOL for themselves to find out whether a company is ATOL-protected.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Coming up, we are out with Trading Standards as they crack down
0:09:56 > 0:10:00on the tour operators putting holiday-makers at risk.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02They would be handing over £4,000 or £5,000 a package.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04They are not protected.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13We are a nation of curry lovers with over 20 million of us
0:10:13 > 0:10:17tucking into something like this every month.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21And this is almond powder, used in loads of different curries.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24But we have discovered that some almond powder out there is fake.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27So it's not just almonds that will be in your curry.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31It could be something that has proved fatal for some allergy sufferers.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39Previously on Fake Britain we have come across all kinds of food fakery,
0:10:39 > 0:10:43from fake lamb to fake fish.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47But now there is a new and potentially deadly kind of fakery
0:10:47 > 0:10:52out there involving the almond powder used to thicken and flavour curries.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57In some cases, almond powder is being adulterated with peanuts.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01Trading Standards are finding fake almond powder in restaurants across the country.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06And that could be a problem for the half a million people
0:11:06 > 0:11:08in the UK who have a peanut allergy.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14Detective Chief Inspector Michael Fraser knows all too well
0:11:14 > 0:11:17the very real dangers of fake almond powder.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21He investigated the case of 12-year-old Connor Donaldson.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Connor was diagnosed as having a nut allergy.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28That particular day, the family decided
0:11:28 > 0:11:33they were going to have a takeaway curry from the local takeaway.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Because of Connor's peanut allergy, his mum asked the restaurant
0:11:36 > 0:11:40to confirm that his prawn balti would not contain any peanuts.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43They confirmed there were no peanuts in the dish.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47Just moments after his first few mouthfuls,
0:11:47 > 0:11:49Connor was unable to breathe.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53He had gone into anaphylactic shock, a severe allergic reaction.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57Connor was rushed by ambulance to hospital and emergency staff
0:11:57 > 0:12:00did all they could to help him, but it was too late.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02Connor had died.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08It is absolutely devastating for any family to lose a young child
0:12:08 > 0:12:10within your family, within your community.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15But it has absolutely destroyed that family.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17It really has.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24From that moment on, it was DCI Fraser's job to find out
0:12:24 > 0:12:27why and how Connor had died.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31Traces of peanut were actually found within his body.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36Subsequent investigations at the local takeaway found
0:12:36 > 0:12:40that they didn't have peanuts within that takeaway,
0:12:40 > 0:12:42within any of their recipes whatsoever.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48While peanuts were not used as an ingredient in the recipes,
0:12:48 > 0:12:51the restaurant had used almond paste.
0:12:51 > 0:12:56But shockingly, almonds weren't the only nut present in the paste.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Subsequent investigations revealed the actual almond paste
0:12:59 > 0:13:02and the almond powders within the restaurant had actually been
0:13:02 > 0:13:06adulterated by up to 50% peanut content.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10Connor's death has been caused because almonds have been
0:13:10 > 0:13:15adulterated somewhere in the food chain by peanuts.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18But it wasn't going to be easy to find out where or when
0:13:18 > 0:13:20the almond powder had been faked.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25There is absolutely no suggestion whatsoever
0:13:25 > 0:13:28that the adulteration of that almond with those peanuts
0:13:28 > 0:13:30took place within that particular takeaway.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35You then have to start looking back in the food supply chain
0:13:35 > 0:13:39and there were so many different areas of where that
0:13:39 > 0:13:43adulteration could occur, that it's almost impossible to actually
0:13:43 > 0:13:46identify where that adulteration has taken place.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54We wanted to find out why anyone would want to fake almond powder
0:13:54 > 0:13:57by using ground peanuts.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00So we visited award-winning chef Cyrus Todiwala
0:14:00 > 0:14:02at his Indian restaurant.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06I am not surprised that almond powder will get adulterated
0:14:06 > 0:14:08because almond powder is expensive.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11As you know, almonds are expensive compared to other certain
0:14:11 > 0:14:13cheaper nuts, maybe peanuts for example.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18Very good-quality almond powder could be up to £20 a kilo
0:14:18 > 0:14:22and a cheap almond powder could be between £7, £8, £9 and £10 a kilo.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26If you ask for cheaper-quality almond powder from a manufacturer,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29they could put peanuts inside, for example,
0:14:29 > 0:14:31they could put something else inside, for example.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35The owner of the restaurant may not necessarily know
0:14:35 > 0:14:39and they could quite innocently be cooking with that product
0:14:39 > 0:14:45and giving the person who can actually suffer from an anaphylactic shock, for instance,
0:14:45 > 0:14:47a product that he should never have had.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51It's enough to make any restaurateur stop and think.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55Knowing what he does about the dangers faced by diners with peanut allergies,
0:14:55 > 0:15:00Cyrus pays forensic attention to what is inside his almond powder.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06It is very, very essential that you buy something that
0:15:06 > 0:15:09you are sure of the history of it, where it originated,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13where it was produced, and we always demand that everything is supported
0:15:13 > 0:15:18by a lab test report or a report from the manufacturer on allergens.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22The certificate that comes with Cyrus' almond powder is issued by a
0:15:22 > 0:15:27lab that is used by the wholesaler to test the contents of raw ingredients.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32This test is an assurance that customers with peanut allergies
0:15:32 > 0:15:37can eat the almond powder in their meals without ending up in hospital.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39It has no peanuts and products thereof,
0:15:39 > 0:15:45so all of this put together gives you a completely clear message
0:15:45 > 0:15:48that this product is what you want to use.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Corinne Lowe from the Trading Standards Institute believes
0:15:53 > 0:15:57that somewhere out there right now, either deliberately or otherwise,
0:15:57 > 0:16:00restaurants could be using ground peanuts
0:16:00 > 0:16:03instead of ground almonds in their meals.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05Trading Standards are testing meals
0:16:05 > 0:16:09and finding, unfortunately, in some cases, up to 40% of those
0:16:09 > 0:16:14meals can contain peanut when they have been described as peanut-free.
0:16:14 > 0:16:19Not only is it a criminal offence to misdescribe food, you are also
0:16:19 > 0:16:24risking people's lives by bulking out almond powder with peanut.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29Trading Standards across the country continue to investigate cases
0:16:29 > 0:16:31of suspected fake almond powder.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Earlier, we saw how David and Marlene Jackson from East Sussex lost over
0:16:44 > 0:16:48£3,000 trying to book their dream holiday through a company
0:16:48 > 0:16:50with a fake ATOL membership.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53Up to literally two days before we were due to go,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57we were being told there was still a possibility we would go.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00But Russian Gateway isn't the only travel company out there
0:17:00 > 0:17:03faking its ATOL logos and putting holiday-makers at risk.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10Today, Mohammed Tariq from Birmingham Trading Standards is travelling down
0:17:10 > 0:17:14south to join forces with Trading Standards from a London borough.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19They have received information that suspect travel businesses are
0:17:19 > 0:17:24using fake ATOL logos to dupe British Muslims planning their Hajj trips.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28Hajj is a religious pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31We are coming up to the Hajj season in a couple of weeks' time
0:17:31 > 0:17:34so you're going to get a lot of travel agents popping up
0:17:34 > 0:17:36trying to make a quick buck.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38Reputable travel companies pay a large fee,
0:17:38 > 0:17:42meet financial tests and put up a bond to be part of the ATOL scheme
0:17:42 > 0:17:45and have permission to display the logo.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48But some dodgy operators don't want to pay to be a member, meaning
0:17:48 > 0:17:53they are selling unprotected holidays to unsuspecting holiday-makers.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56And Trading Standards are duty-bound to stop them.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58They have arrived at the first suspect travel business.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00Is the owner about, please?
0:18:02 > 0:18:05Is there anybody else on the premises?
0:18:08 > 0:18:11The man doesn't seem to be involved,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14so the officers head to the back of the shop to find the owner.
0:18:14 > 0:18:19- Are you the owner or the manager? - No. He's...- He's outside.- Yes.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23- He told me you were.- No.- What? The gentleman that is sitting there?
0:18:23 > 0:18:24He's the owner?
0:18:24 > 0:18:27It looks like the man they spoke to earlier was involved.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29He's run off.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31And he is clearly in the mood for a bit of exercise.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35- He is running, running, running. - Oh, yes, I can see him.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40Obviously, he has got something to hide and he has just run off.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43The officers will try and catch up with him on another day.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47But for now, it's time to take a look at why he might have run off.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Tariq doesn't have to go inside the shop
0:18:50 > 0:18:53to find some potentially incriminating evidence.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56The ATOL logo you can see there is fake, basically,
0:18:56 > 0:18:59because they are not licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03Inside, the officers manage to get one of the owners on the phone.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06Obviously, you have got a fake ATOL logo out there.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10You are giving the indication to members of the public that you are ATOL-protected.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13You are not ATOL-protected, so why have you put a sign up there?
0:19:14 > 0:19:17Tariq knows the fake ATOL logos displayed by this business
0:19:17 > 0:19:20could spell bad news for prospective travellers.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24Rogue traders don't want to pay for that licence
0:19:24 > 0:19:28and they are bypassing that by claiming to be - falsely - ATOL-protected.
0:19:28 > 0:19:29It is not cheap going on Hajj.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33We're talking about £4,000 or £5,000 a package.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Often, pilgrims will save this. This is life savings.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38What would happen is if the company goes bust
0:19:38 > 0:19:41and the trader goes down, the consumer is not protected.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46Tariq will be making further inquiries about this company,
0:19:46 > 0:19:51but there are others out there duping consumers with fake ATOL logos.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55So the officers head to another suspect business around the corner.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Tariq explains to the owner why they are there.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02What we're looking at is traders passing themselves off
0:20:02 > 0:20:04as being ATOL licensed and they are not.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09As the search gets under way, Tariq immediately finds a suspect
0:20:09 > 0:20:13advertisement that could dupe unsuspecting holiday-makers.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15Look how sophisticated that looks.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Anyone looking at that would think they are dealing with a proper,
0:20:18 > 0:20:20legitimate company who is ATOL-protected.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23But there are other fake ATOL logos at this business.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25Dozens in the customer waiting area.
0:20:25 > 0:20:30You have got documentation down here and that has got the ATOL logo there as well. That's fake.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33And outside the shop, it's the same story.
0:20:33 > 0:20:38If I can just show you, when a customer is coming in, it says "ATOL Protected".
0:20:38 > 0:20:42That's misleading because you are not associated with ATOL.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47The owner's records leave a lot to be desired and there is real
0:20:47 > 0:20:51concern about what he's been doing with his customers' money.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55Money has been taken off consumers and what this gentleman does is put
0:20:55 > 0:20:59some money into his account, which is totally against CAA regulations.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03The money should go straight into an ATOL-protected account
0:21:03 > 0:21:06or an ATOL holder account, so the money is protected then.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09Obviously, if it goes into his account
0:21:09 > 0:21:12then where is the money being protected?
0:21:12 > 0:21:16The officers have enough evidence to caution and question the man.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20It's a criminal offence to say ATOL-protected when you are not ATOL-protected.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence
0:21:23 > 0:21:27if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29What we're going to do is, we are going to seize any
0:21:29 > 0:21:34documentation, leaflets, banners that are displaying this fake logo.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39This company is about to lose all its glossy advertising.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42It's fake and it's also evidence, so it has got to be seized.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47This is a result for Birmingham Trading Standards,
0:21:47 > 0:21:51with companies under investigation for using fake ATOL logos
0:21:51 > 0:21:54that could leave holiday-makers unprotected.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Remember, if you are about to book a holiday
0:21:59 > 0:22:02you can check if your travel provider is genuinely ATOL-protected
0:22:02 > 0:22:06by logging on to the Civil Aviation Authority's website.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16This is a light-emitting diode or LED bulb.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19It's new lighting technology that gives out more light
0:22:19 > 0:22:23for the amount of power it consumes than conventional bulbs.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26It's also supposed to last longer and be safer
0:22:26 > 0:22:28because it's cool to the touch.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30This LED bulb does all that.
0:22:32 > 0:22:33But this one doesn't.
0:22:33 > 0:22:38It has a fake safety mark on it and it's on sale online now.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42As we are about to find out, plug this or any of these fake LED
0:22:42 > 0:22:45bulbs in and you might get more than you bargained for.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52Retired electronics engineer Derek Hawthorn from Hampshire
0:22:52 > 0:22:55wanted to update the lighting in his house.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59In a light-bulb moment, he decided to replace the old
0:22:59 > 0:23:02light bulbs on his cooker with new LED bulbs.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06I thought it was just a matter of picking the right
0:23:06 > 0:23:10size of lamp from an auction website, making sure
0:23:10 > 0:23:13the wattage was about right and plugging it in
0:23:13 > 0:23:15and forgetting about it.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20Derek went ahead and ordered his LED bulbs on the internet.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22The package arrived.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25The lamps looked to be of reasonable quality
0:23:25 > 0:23:28and I thought, "This is plug and play, fit and forget."
0:23:29 > 0:23:34So Derek did fit and forget about his new LED bulbs.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37That is, until a few days later.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39I moved my hand first of all just underneath
0:23:39 > 0:23:42and I could feel quite a lot of heat coming out.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45And then I moved my hand up and across the underneath
0:23:45 > 0:23:48of the cooker hood and received an electric shock.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53The jolt left Derek shaken, but luckily nothing more than that.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58As an electronic engineer, Derek knows a thing or two about wiring.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00As far as he was concerned,
0:24:00 > 0:24:05getting an electric shock from an LED bulb could mean only one thing.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08If I buy a lamp from a certified manufacturer,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11I don't expect to get any kind of an electric shock.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15The product purported to have met standards, but in fact was
0:24:15 > 0:24:19probably a fake because it didn't meet those standards.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Derek had brushed against the top of a lamp similar to this one.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25He thinks he had a lucky escape
0:24:25 > 0:24:28as the electric shock he received wasn't very powerful.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31But not everybody could be as fortunate.
0:24:31 > 0:24:36What would happen if my wife was cleaning underneath the cooker hood
0:24:36 > 0:24:41and she used a damp cloth and she would get a much more severe shock?
0:24:41 > 0:24:44If a component in the lamp were to fail,
0:24:44 > 0:24:46then the consequences could have been death.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52The fake LED bulb that we showed Derek was bought online.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56Disturbingly, it's just one of thousands of fake LED bulbs out there.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00Since a European Union ban on older-style filament bulbs
0:25:00 > 0:25:04was phased in, demand for LED lamps has rapidly increased,
0:25:04 > 0:25:06as has the production of the fakes.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10We wanted to find out just how dangerous the fakes can be.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14So we went to leading test house Intertek
0:25:14 > 0:25:17to meet electrical safety expert Steve Curtler.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20How can you tell the difference
0:25:20 > 0:25:23between a genuine and a fake LED bulb?
0:25:23 > 0:25:26We can see on the genuine that there is a cover over the LED lamp
0:25:26 > 0:25:29and the LED array itself and any connections, which means
0:25:29 > 0:25:33I can't put my finger onto anything that might have dangerous voltages.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38Steve ordered an LED bulb on the internet,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41identical to the one that shocked Derek Hawthorn.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43At first glance, he is concerned.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47You can actually unscrew the lamp itself
0:25:47 > 0:25:50and get access to live parts, hazardous parts.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54No lamp should be able to be taken apart purely by unscrewing it.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59Easy access to dangerous wiring can mean only one thing for the CE
0:25:59 > 0:26:02and other safety markings on this.
0:26:02 > 0:26:07We have got a problem here that has the potential to kill somebody.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10There is no way that genuine manufacturers would produce
0:26:10 > 0:26:13or manufacture anything that could come apart as easy as that.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16There is no doubt that the safety marks that have been applied
0:26:16 > 0:26:19onto this lamp are indeed false, fake.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24With the testing, Steve hopes to put his finger on the problem.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26Well, not his finger exactly.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29We are going to be using a laboratory test finger
0:26:29 > 0:26:32to simulate someone actually touching the outside of the lamp.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36The artificial finger will be connected to a lamp
0:26:36 > 0:26:38that represents the human body.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41If that's to light up then we know that there is a voltage
0:26:41 > 0:26:44and a current there and then we want to see how dangerous
0:26:44 > 0:26:46that voltage and current is.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52First, Steve will test a genuine LED lamp.
0:26:52 > 0:26:53OK then, Mike, when you're ready.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59So we're touching the lamp wherever we can with the test finger.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02The lamp is not coming on, we're not getting any dangerous voltages.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04We're getting no voltages at all, in fact.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08The genuine LED lamp has passed the test with flying colours.
0:27:09 > 0:27:14Now, what about the LED lamp that Steve bought from an online store?
0:27:15 > 0:27:17To pass the safety test,
0:27:17 > 0:27:20the voltage on the surface of this LED bulb, which somebody could
0:27:20 > 0:27:25feasibly touch, must not exceed 60 volts and a current of two milliamps.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30It's an immediate result for the fake LED bulb.
0:27:30 > 0:27:35We have got way over the 60-volt limit. 178 volts.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38It's failed spectacularly.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43This isn't just slightly over the voltage limits, this is way over.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46About three times the amount.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49So that is extremely hazardous.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52And the same for the current. 91 milliamps.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54So that is extremely dangerous.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59You could easily get a fatal electric shock from this scenario.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Steve has all the information he needs
0:28:03 > 0:28:05to pass final judgment on this fake.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08Clearly, the bulb has never been tested before.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11It is marked up with all the safety marks to say it has been.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14So those marks are fake, the lamp is fake.
0:28:14 > 0:28:19It is seriously dangerous and potentially life-threatening.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.