0:00:02 > 0:00:06Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:09 > 0:00:10Police!
0:00:20 > 0:00:22- Get down, get down! - On the floor, now.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Put your hands behind your back, now!
0:00:25 > 0:00:28Here at the Fake Britain house, things might look familiar but
0:00:28 > 0:00:33don't be taken in, because this is a house which is filled with fakes.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36In this series I'll be revealing the counterfeits,
0:00:36 > 0:00:40copies and 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 > 0:00:47We'll be investigating those fraudsters who are cashing
0:00:47 > 0:00:50in by selling us something that isn't real.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54And we'll be showing you how to avoid falling for a fake.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Today on Fake Britain, the counterfeit shampoo hitting
0:00:59 > 0:01:03our high streets, and the damage it can cause to those who use it.
0:01:05 > 0:01:10You'd itch so vigorously it would make a certain patch bleed.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13We reveal the fake scanners that have infiltrated Britain's
0:01:13 > 0:01:15security industry.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19This will be the difference between life and death in some cases.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22The counterfeit candles burning a hole in your pocket.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27They spat and they crackled. They were dangerous.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31And we unearth the fake metal-detecting gadgets hitting
0:01:31 > 0:01:33hobbyists across Britain.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36Yeah, I felt a bit shocked that I'd been conned, really.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44The UK haircare industry is big business.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48We're spending nearly £1.5 billion a year looking
0:01:48 > 0:01:50after our crowning glories,
0:01:50 > 0:01:52but if you were spending your money on these products
0:01:52 > 0:01:55that promise to hydrate, clean, make your hair glossy or
0:01:55 > 0:01:58control dandruff, well, you'd be wasting it.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Every single one is a flaky fake.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03And that's not all.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06As well as parting with your cash for a counterfeit,
0:02:06 > 0:02:08there could be worse to come.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14One of Britain's biggest and bestselling shampoo brands is
0:02:14 > 0:02:19Head & Shoulders. Since it hit the shelves in 1961...
0:02:19 > 0:02:23'The most effective dandruff shampoo you can buy.'
0:02:23 > 0:02:27..this famous anti-dandruff treatment has ranked among the UK's
0:02:27 > 0:02:29top five hair products.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33But now it seems the fakers want to soak up some of the action.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Leanne McLean, from Cornwall Trading Standards,
0:02:37 > 0:02:41is on the trail of suspected counterfeit Head & Shoulders.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46The previous day, they made spot checks on local stores,
0:02:46 > 0:02:48and they may have landed some fakes.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54Yesterday we carried out a seizure at two stores, one in Falmouth,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57one in Liskeard. That was Devon Trading Standards.
0:02:57 > 0:03:02There's another shop on their patch, which I've asked them
0:03:02 > 0:03:05to go into and just make sure all the products are off sale.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09The stores in question belong to one of the south-west's
0:03:09 > 0:03:12largest discount chains, Trago Mills.
0:03:12 > 0:03:13The previous day,
0:03:13 > 0:03:17Trading Standards seized around 160 bottles of suspected
0:03:17 > 0:03:20counterfeit Head & Shoulders from two stores,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23including this one in picturesque Falmouth.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29So today, with colleague Ben, Leanne's making spot-check
0:03:29 > 0:03:33purchases at other discount shops in the area.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36They're concerned that other bargain outlets could be using
0:03:36 > 0:03:38the same supplier.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41We had a complaint about a lady who purchased some
0:03:41 > 0:03:42Head & Shoulders shampoo.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46We are specifically, today, looking for any Head & Shoulders products or
0:03:46 > 0:03:51any other cosmetic products that look suspect, and if we find any, then
0:03:51 > 0:03:55we will seize them from the shelves and send them off for further analysis.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02The person who sparked off the investigation was Sharon,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05when she bought what she thought was some bargain-priced
0:04:05 > 0:04:09Head & Shoulders from another discount chain, the 99p Store
0:04:09 > 0:04:10in St Austell.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16I've been using Head & Shoulders for four years previously,
0:04:16 > 0:04:20and obviously when the 99p Stores opened...bargain.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24But, instead of fighting dandruff, Sharon's
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Head & Shoulders seemed to do the exact opposite.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33After the third use, I kind of noticed I was getting dandruff,
0:04:33 > 0:04:37and that after, you know, a day or so, it would be itchy,
0:04:37 > 0:04:40and then it started to get extremely sore.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45After using it again for...
0:04:45 > 0:04:48I think it was about two weeks,
0:04:48 > 0:04:50it still wasn't any better.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52Sharon seemed to have an allergic reaction to the
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Head & Shoulders brand she'd always loved and trusted.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02But the symptoms that came next were a real cause for concern.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06You'd itch so vigorously and then it would kind of scab,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10and the next time you would itch, it would make a certain patch bleed.
0:05:12 > 0:05:17I was quite angry to think that something that I'm
0:05:17 > 0:05:21paying my money for is making me sore, itchy.
0:05:23 > 0:05:24You feel...
0:05:25 > 0:05:30..I don't know, dirty, I suppose, that you're sitting there scratching.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33I kind of figured then that something wasn't right with it
0:05:33 > 0:05:37and decided to e-mail the 99p Store.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41I got back quite a short reply, just to say,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44"Please pass along the barcode."
0:05:44 > 0:05:48So I did that, and I never heard anything back at all,
0:05:48 > 0:05:49nothing whatsoever.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53It was at this point that Sharon turned to Trading Standards.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57They collected two suspect bottles she'd bought and sent them
0:05:57 > 0:05:58off for analysis.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04Weeks later it was confirmed. She'd bought counterfeits.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09Having a sore head and scalp was bad enough,
0:06:09 > 0:06:13but to actually have a product make me bleed,
0:06:13 > 0:06:14and then I was still using it,
0:06:14 > 0:06:19so who knows what the chemicals were that were actually in it
0:06:19 > 0:06:22that I'm putting on my head again when I've got an open...
0:06:22 > 0:06:25open skin? Its...it's disgusting.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32With today's spot purchases completed,
0:06:32 > 0:06:37Trading Standards officers Leanne and Ben head back to base.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40Here they bag up the samples they'd taken from three major
0:06:40 > 0:06:44discount stores in the last two days.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48They'll be sent off to the lab for chemical analysis as well, to confirm
0:06:48 > 0:06:51100% as to whether they are genuine or counterfeit products.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53We should get that back in about a week,
0:06:53 > 0:06:56and that should confirm or deny our suspicions.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03Later, Cornwall Trading Standards reveal their results.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07And Fake Britain reveals exactly what's in the bottle.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10What you're essentially putting onto your face and skin,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13and that of your family and loved ones, is junk!
0:07:18 > 0:07:20We've all seen things like these.
0:07:20 > 0:07:25They're used to scan us at airports, sports events and music concerts,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28checking to see we're not carrying something we shouldn't.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Safety and security is a serious business,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33and that's what these scanners are designed to ensure.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37So, you may be alarmed to discover that while this one is real...
0:07:37 > 0:07:41- HIGH-PITCH BEEPING - ..this almost identical one is a fake.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44- LOWER-PITCH BEEPING - These are on sale right now.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46And they could be putting lives at risk.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50Security is big business.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52The global industry for services
0:07:52 > 0:07:56and devices is predicted to rise to 88 billion
0:07:56 > 0:07:58by 2019.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Part of any security team's arsenal
0:08:02 > 0:08:05is one of these metal-detecting wands.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08The first of these was designed for the Los Angeles Olympic Games
0:08:08 > 0:08:09in 1984.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13And it's been used in numerous security settings ever since.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21But now the fakers have got their eye on this product's success.
0:08:21 > 0:08:26Sadly, because of its success, it's been copied by many,
0:08:26 > 0:08:29many fake manufacturers.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33Even sadder, they're doing exact copies, and when I say exact,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36they're so close you really cannot tell the difference.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38We can't tell the difference until we either turn them on
0:08:38 > 0:08:40or look inside them.
0:08:42 > 0:08:43Nigel should know.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47He distributes security products for many manufacturers.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51He started to investigate this when he noticed an increasing
0:08:51 > 0:08:55number of these scanners being sent back to him under warranty.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57It turned out they were fakes.
0:08:58 > 0:09:03We've had confirmed fake ones being used in music festivals,
0:09:03 > 0:09:08in warehouses, blue-chip companies, security firms.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12Now, that's a potential time bomb,
0:09:12 > 0:09:16because we now have lots and lots of fake items out there being used by
0:09:16 > 0:09:21professionals, and they have no idea they are using fake super scanners.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26It seems most of the counterfeits are being sold online.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30And Nigel is going to show us how clever the fakers have been.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Here we have the fake super scanner,
0:09:36 > 0:09:40and also a genuine super scanner.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44And as you can see, the construction is extremely similar.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47The dimensions...exactly the same.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51End caps, handles, materials, plastics.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54Every tiny little detail is copied.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58When you look very closely, though, you can tell everything is creaking.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Groaning. It twists.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03In fact, something just popped at the front.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05And the whole thing is loose.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09How good is the fake at detecting a metallic object that could do
0:10:09 > 0:10:12some damage, like this knife?
0:10:12 > 0:10:14The genuine super scanner,
0:10:14 > 0:10:18HIGH-PITCH BEEPING ..you can see we are picking it up a good 40, 50cm away.
0:10:21 > 0:10:26If we now take the fake unit, at 40 or 50cm,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29nothing. Absolutely nothing.
0:10:29 > 0:10:30It's only when you get closer...
0:10:30 > 0:10:33LOW-PITCH BEEPING ..we are now just getting a signal.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37Its performance is extremely poor by comparison.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41You're not going to pick up this object on a lot of occasions.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45Well, that's not good enough. It's got to pick it up every single time.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50It's extremely worrying. All this is very well in theory.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53How will our fake perform in practice?
0:10:55 > 0:10:59Fake Britain decided to test this counterfeit security scanner in London,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02no stranger to knife and gun crime.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07In the last year there have been 11,000 knife-related offences
0:11:07 > 0:11:11and just over 1,500 firearms incidents in the city.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16Like many of the capital's late-night music venues,
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Hootenanny takes security very seriously.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21BEEPING
0:11:21 > 0:11:24To help in this battle to keep their customers safe,
0:11:24 > 0:11:27they use genuine security wands.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32News of fakes in circulation is a real concern
0:11:32 > 0:11:35for head of security Hazel.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37You could be letting anything in your club.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40You could be letting in any sort of weapons in your club. Guns, knives.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44Really, people need to take note of what they use in their clubs.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48So, to put the fake security wand to the test, we'll plant some
0:11:48 > 0:11:52potentially dangerous objects on our lucky target, Matt.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Later on he'll visit Hootenanny with a group of friends.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00We have a Swiss Army penknife, which is not classed as an offensive
0:12:00 > 0:12:02weapon. However,
0:12:02 > 0:12:06could inflict a lot of damage in a number of different ways.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09First up, Nigel puts the knife in place.
0:12:12 > 0:12:13That's perfect.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Next up, he has a replica gun.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23It is an internationally recognised test piece for the security industry.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26It's an imitation single-shot gun.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34Weapons in place, next stop for our target is the venue.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40Will the fake pass our security test and detect the weapons?
0:12:40 > 0:12:41Or will it fail,
0:12:41 > 0:12:45potentially putting the lives of everyone inside in danger?
0:12:46 > 0:12:50Nigel hands over the fake security wand to the experienced door staff.
0:12:50 > 0:12:51They haven't been told
0:12:51 > 0:12:55whether they're using the counterfeit or the genuine product.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00He sits nearby to monitor the fake's performance.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Meanwhile, Matt and his pals arrive in line,
0:13:05 > 0:13:08ready to be scanned before they're allowed in.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14So it'll be interesting to see how the fake super scanner gets on here.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18First in line is Matt's mate, Tom.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20I'm surprised at the distance, though.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23He's getting very, very close to the body.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26So, the fake has to be used closer to the body than normal.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28I can only presume he's having to do this
0:13:28 > 0:13:33because the performance is nowhere near as good as the genuine item.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38Now it's time for our target, Matt, with his concealed weapons.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43LOUD BEEPING
0:13:43 > 0:13:47- That's his belt.- The fake seems to be picking up large objects.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49BEEPING Phone.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52But not so far the knife or the gun.
0:13:54 > 0:13:55BEEPING
0:13:55 > 0:13:59I think he might be picking up the shoelace eyelets.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Seems like the fake's found something.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04The shoelace eyelets are aluminium.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08And inadvertently, it's actually led him to the fake gun.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14The counterfeit scanner's uncovered Matt's replica gun.
0:14:14 > 0:14:15But not the knife.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19That's a serious breach of security,
0:14:19 > 0:14:21and rather worrying,
0:14:21 > 0:14:24the consequences of which could be quite severe.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Potentially you've got somebody walking around with
0:14:27 > 0:14:28a knife in a nightclub.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33Now, it doesn't take too much imagination to imagine the
0:14:33 > 0:14:37consequences of that knife getting in, and mixed with a little
0:14:37 > 0:14:40bit of alcohol as well.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Not very clever at all. Not good. And extremely worrying.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46But before Matt can do any real damage, the real
0:14:46 > 0:14:50super scanner's brought out to reveal what he's really hiding.
0:14:51 > 0:14:52BEEPING
0:14:55 > 0:14:56LOUD BEEPING
0:14:56 > 0:14:59Here we go. Oh, straight to it.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01HE LAUGHS
0:15:01 > 0:15:03BEEPING Yeah, there we go.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06LOUD BEEPING That was a huge, huge signal...
0:15:06 > 0:15:11that you could hardly miss. He's found it, he's got it.
0:15:11 > 0:15:12This could be painful for Matt.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14Pull, go.
0:15:14 > 0:15:15Ah!
0:15:17 > 0:15:20So, the Swiss Army knife, with a three-inch blade, was
0:15:20 > 0:15:22missed by the fake.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26What does the head of security, Hazel, think of these results?
0:15:26 > 0:15:30It shocked me to think that they've got scanners like this on the market.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33And people are actually buying them and using them.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35This could have caused serious damage. Someone...
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Anyone could have started a fight, could have started...
0:15:38 > 0:15:40Someone could have pulled that out, used it on someone.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43We'd have to call the police, ambulance down here.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45When if you have the real scanner on your door,
0:15:45 > 0:15:47this wouldn't get inside your club.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50And what does Nigel make of it all?
0:15:52 > 0:15:55This could be the difference between life and death in some cases,
0:15:55 > 0:15:59the difference between picking up an offensive weapon, potentially
0:15:59 > 0:16:03a gun, a knife, a CS gas canister, or not picking it up at all.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06And that's... The potential for that is quite serious.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19Earlier we saw Cornwall Trading Standards on the trail of fake
0:16:19 > 0:16:23Head & Shoulders shampoo for sale in discount chains...
0:16:24 > 0:16:27..and how one corner shopper, Sharon, had suffered after using
0:16:27 > 0:16:31a counterfeit that she'd bought from the 99p Store.
0:16:31 > 0:16:36To actually have a product make me bleed, it's disgusting.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Trading Standards sent off samples of suspected fakes that they
0:16:39 > 0:16:43seized and bought during spot checks in Cornwall.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47Now they have the results back from the manufacturer.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50We sent off a representative sample of 14 bottles.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52Seven of those came back as being counterfeit, which is
0:16:52 > 0:16:55a 50% fail rate, which I think shows the scale
0:16:55 > 0:16:58of the problem that we have here with counterfeit cosmetic products.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01But it's the quality of the counterfeit packaging that's
0:17:01 > 0:17:03appalled Cornwall Trading Standards.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05This makes it difficult for shoppers,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07and the shops, to spot the fakes.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11They are extremely good counterfeits.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14They look almost identical to the real thing.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17It's not just one small part of the
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Head & Shoulders set of shampoos.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21It's every different type
0:17:21 > 0:17:24they are managing to counterfeit now, and counterfeit very effectively.
0:17:24 > 0:17:29Samples of the 160 bottles seized from local discount chain
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Trago Mills all turned out to be counterfeit.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36But Trading Standards sympathise with the difficulties that
0:17:36 > 0:17:39even some retailers have in spotting the fakes.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44In this instance the copies were so incredibly good.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47The store, in our opinion, had done everything it could to make
0:17:47 > 0:17:49sure it wasn't selling counterfeits.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52And as such, we have closed the investigation against the store
0:17:52 > 0:17:54that sold it, by way of providing them
0:17:54 > 0:17:59with advice on how to potentially spot counterfeits in the future.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04Trago Mills told us they've been established for nearly 50 years
0:18:04 > 0:18:08and they build relationships with reputable suppliers and top brands.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12They say they purchased this product in good faith from a trusted source
0:18:12 > 0:18:15and understood there were a number of wholesalers
0:18:15 > 0:18:17and retailers who received it.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20They say the counterfeit was so advanced,
0:18:20 > 0:18:22it took rigorous testing to identify it.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25They say they worked closely with the Office of Fair Trading
0:18:25 > 0:18:28and that the product was removed from sale.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37But because of the danger to public health,
0:18:37 > 0:18:41the Cornwall Trading Standards investigation remains wide open
0:18:41 > 0:18:44to find out who supplied the retailers with the counterfeit
0:18:44 > 0:18:46products in the first place.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49Even though these bottles look convincing on the outside,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52the manufacturer, Procter & Gamble, has sent Leanne
0:18:52 > 0:18:57and her team some data about what could be lurking on the inside.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02With this particular counterfeit batch of Head & Shoulders shampoo,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05they've told us there could be irritation to your breathing,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08it could be harmful if you swallow any of the product,
0:19:08 > 0:19:10it could be irritating to your skin.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14They say here, "A risk of serious damage to your eyes."
0:19:14 > 0:19:16They've also said it's potentially toxic to wildlife
0:19:16 > 0:19:18should it make it into any river courses.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20It's quite a serious issue.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24This isn't just a cheap product that you're paying too much for,
0:19:24 > 0:19:25this could cause you serious damage
0:19:25 > 0:19:28and serious health implications for the rest of your life.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30But it's not just shoppers in Cornwall
0:19:30 > 0:19:33who've risked their health by using fake shampoo.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40Our investigation takes us across the Irish Sea,
0:19:40 > 0:19:44500 miles away to Antrim in Northern Ireland.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48It was at this B&M store ten months previously
0:19:48 > 0:19:51that Nicole Patterson bought a bottle of Head & Shoulders.
0:19:51 > 0:19:56She used it to wash the hair of her five-year-old daughter Imogen.
0:19:57 > 0:19:58The next day, after using it,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01it looked like there were particles of paint in her hair.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06It wasn't until the second time then that there were
0:20:06 > 0:20:09instant speckles over her hair.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12Afterwards, Imogen ended up with the scalp of her head
0:20:12 > 0:20:14was sort of peeling away.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18It wasn't like wee small bits of dandruff, it was big flakes
0:20:18 > 0:20:22that would be the size of your small finger coming out of her hair.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26So my worry was, "Is my daughter going to be losing her hair here?"
0:20:26 > 0:20:29But it wasn't the only symptom troubling five-year-old Imogen.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33I said, "Is it sore anywhere?"
0:20:33 > 0:20:35She said, "Mummy, it's really itchy."
0:20:35 > 0:20:38It wasn't just a wee scratch like that,
0:20:38 > 0:20:40it was actually going mad into the head
0:20:40 > 0:20:42and scratching like crazy.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45When I had looked and pulled parts of her hair over,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48you could see the big flakes coming out.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52Despite receiving medication from her doctor, nearly a year on,
0:20:52 > 0:20:56Nicole believes her daughter still has symptoms.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Now, in Imogen's hair, you can actually see,
0:20:59 > 0:21:02like, speckles of flaky skin coming away.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05It is constant, it's coming out from the scalp.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08It just seems to be an ongoing problem.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12Nicole's now considering taking her daughter to a dermatologist.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15The bottle of Head & Shoulders she bought at B&M
0:21:15 > 0:21:18was confirmed to be counterfeit.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22I think whenever you go to a reputable store, you don't
0:21:22 > 0:21:25expect to walk in and buy counterfeit goods. You don't.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27And that does make me really angry, the fact that I went in
0:21:27 > 0:21:30and I bought something that was counterfeit and actually used it.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38So Nicole made a complaint to Northern Ireland Trading Standards.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42And within weeks, officers had seized counterfeit shampoo
0:21:42 > 0:21:45at 15 discount stores across the region.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49We seized almost 2,000 bottles of the illegal product.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52We suspect there was quite a lot of counterfeit shampoo
0:21:52 > 0:21:56that appeared right throughout Northern Ireland that quite possibly
0:21:56 > 0:22:00has been sold to consumers from these high-street retail premises.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04Like the Head & Shoulders seized in Cornwall, it's the quality
0:22:04 > 0:22:08of the packaging that's made it so difficult to spot the fakes.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Obviously, as Trading Standards officers,
0:22:10 > 0:22:11we would be looking at the packaging.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15There's usually telltale signs such as batch codes, product codes,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17labelling, spelling mistakes.
0:22:17 > 0:22:22All those are key identifiers in showing us that a product is fake.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24In this case, there weren't anything.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26This batch was seized from seven shops
0:22:26 > 0:22:31belonging to the large UK discount chain Home Bargains.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34But Trading Standards also made seizures from eight stores
0:22:34 > 0:22:38belonging to the chain where Nicole bought her shampoo, B&M.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Again, this is more counterfeit Head & Shoulders product.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47Quite a sizeable amount.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51We seized almost 600 bottles from this retailer alone.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54Nicole has consulted a solicitor
0:22:54 > 0:22:58and is looking at taking out her own legal action.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02It makes me angry that Imogen is left like this.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06I don't know what the cause is, what was in the shampoo.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09And that is my main concern with Imogen.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11I don't know what I've put in her hair.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13And it affects her ongoing.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17And something needs to be done about it.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21B&M Retail told us they were shocked to discover
0:23:21 > 0:23:25that some counterfeit product had entered the supply chain
0:23:25 > 0:23:28from one of the wholesale suppliers of this product.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31They say, "As soon as we were made aware,
0:23:31 > 0:23:36"the suspect stock was withdrawn from sale across all B&M stores.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39"We are actively supporting the Trading Standards service
0:23:39 > 0:23:43"to ensure a successful prosecution of the parties responsible
0:23:43 > 0:23:45"further up the supply chain.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48"This incident is the first in our 30-year history
0:23:48 > 0:23:51"and we've taken steps to prevent a repeat occurrence."
0:23:55 > 0:23:57Fake Britain has sent samples of a bottle
0:23:57 > 0:24:00bought by Nicole at B&M in Northern Ireland
0:24:00 > 0:24:04and a batch of counterfeit seized by Cornwall Trading Standards
0:24:04 > 0:24:05for chemical analysis.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11Over two weeks, Loughborough University's chemistry department
0:24:11 > 0:24:13has been testing our fake samples
0:24:13 > 0:24:16and comparing them with the genuine product.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21The samples need to have nitric acid added to them
0:24:21 > 0:24:23to prepare them for the series of tests.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Already, the chemists have spotted differences.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31The genuine sample turns to a pale, strawy yellow,
0:24:31 > 0:24:34while the fake sample remains an opaque white.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38My concern is it's not chemically stable.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40The fact that there is no change
0:24:40 > 0:24:42when we change the pH of the counterfeit
0:24:42 > 0:24:45means there probably isn't an acidity regulator in it.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48If there is no acidity regulator present,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51there's nothing to stop uncontrolled chemical reactions
0:24:51 > 0:24:56occurring in the bottle, which could produce harmful unknown substances.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03Next, they tested for the all-important zinc compound.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06This is the active ingredient in the genuine Head & Shoulders
0:25:06 > 0:25:08that battles dandruff.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12There's practically no zinc in the sample.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17What this means is if you bought this shampoo to control dandruff
0:25:17 > 0:25:18or to treat dandruff on your hair,
0:25:18 > 0:25:21it's actually going to do nothing.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24So not only is this shampoo counterfeit,
0:25:24 > 0:25:26it's also completely useless.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30More alarmingly, in the fakes, Professor Thomas and his team
0:25:30 > 0:25:33have uncovered a substance called lilial.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40It's a cosmetic ingredient that has health effects.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44It's a skin sensitiser and it can hurt you if you're allergic to it.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46Under EU regulations,
0:25:46 > 0:25:50a known allergen like lilial must be strictly labelled.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53This substance can cause contact dermatitis.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57If you picked this counterfeit up
0:25:57 > 0:25:59and one of your family was sensitive to this product,
0:25:59 > 0:26:03to this molecule here, it would hurt you, it would injure you.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05You would need a trip to the doctor.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11It's reckless and irresponsible to put potentially harmful chemicals
0:26:11 > 0:26:15into products and not label it correctly.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17It is terribly wrong.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19But it doesn't stop there.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21In the sample Nicole bought,
0:26:21 > 0:26:24Loughborough have found another chemical that causes concern.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27And it's also not labelled on the bottle.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33What we've just found here at ten times the level
0:26:33 > 0:26:36that we've seen anything else is diethyl phthalate.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40These are gender-bender chemicals.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43They affect reproductive health,
0:26:43 > 0:26:45certainly in animal studies.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47You wouldn't want them in products
0:26:47 > 0:26:51that you are putting into close contact with your children.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55Professor Thomas and his team also found evidence
0:26:55 > 0:26:58of preservatives in the genuine product,
0:26:58 > 0:27:02but not in the fakes passed on by Cornwall Trading Standards.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05This means the counterfeit shampoo could start degrading
0:27:05 > 0:27:07soon after manufacture.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13The material in the bottle is not stable. It may not be sterile.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15You may find bacteria growing in it.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18It's a chemical mixture that's not preserved,
0:27:18 > 0:27:22that's sitting in your bathroom and is doing what chemicals do.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24They're reacting. And that's not safe.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30All the retailers involved in selling counterfeits told us
0:27:30 > 0:27:32they were unaware that they were selling fakes
0:27:32 > 0:27:35and that they were shocked to find them in the supply chain.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38None of these retail stores face prosecution.
0:27:41 > 0:27:4399p Stores told us they were a victim
0:27:43 > 0:27:47of this very sophisticated case of counterfeiting.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49They say as soon as Trading Standards
0:27:49 > 0:27:51brought the matter to their attention,
0:27:51 > 0:27:55the stock was withdrawn and handed over to the brand owner.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58They say they fully co-operated with the authorities at all times
0:27:58 > 0:28:01to find the perpetrator of this fraud.
0:28:01 > 0:28:06Home Bargains told us they've been trading for over 35 years
0:28:06 > 0:28:08and have never had an incident of this nature.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12These products could only be established as counterfeit
0:28:12 > 0:28:14by a chemical test, not a test
0:28:14 > 0:28:17that any retailer would normally undertake.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20They say they had no reason to suspect that the products
0:28:20 > 0:28:21were anything but genuine,
0:28:21 > 0:28:25a view supported by the authorities who accepted that the company
0:28:25 > 0:28:27had acted entirely responsibly.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31They say as soon as the issue was brought to their attention,
0:28:31 > 0:28:34an immediate product recall was put in place and customers were
0:28:34 > 0:28:38advised to return the counterfeit products for a full refund.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41They say it's clear that both Home Bargains and its customers
0:28:41 > 0:28:45were the victims of a very sophisticated fraudulent operation.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51Cornwall Trading Standards believe their recent seizures
0:28:51 > 0:28:55of fake shampoo reveal a bigger picture that needs investigating.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59The seizure shows a big problem, as far as we're concerned,
0:28:59 > 0:29:02with the discount retailer section of the market.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05And we're going to recommend a national project be put together
0:29:05 > 0:29:07to look into the supply chain to them
0:29:07 > 0:29:11to further protect the public from counterfeit products.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15Professor Thomas is also alarmed by the fact that fake shampoo
0:29:15 > 0:29:17is being sold on the high street.
0:29:17 > 0:29:21When you buy shampoo, you're buying a lot of technology in that bottle.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25It is a really highly specified piece of kit.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29There's as much science and know-how going into modern shampoos
0:29:29 > 0:29:31and personal care products as you'd expect to find
0:29:31 > 0:29:33in advanced consumer electronics.
0:29:33 > 0:29:38And now we have what is essentially irresponsible practice where
0:29:38 > 0:29:40they're throwing in mixtures of chemicals
0:29:40 > 0:29:43in an unregulated, uncontrolled, unmanaged way
0:29:43 > 0:29:46and what you're essentially putting onto your face and skin
0:29:46 > 0:29:48and that of your family and loved ones is junk.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00Sit back, relax.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04Enjoy being part of one of the fastest-growing markets in Britain.
0:30:04 > 0:30:09These are luxury scented candles, and sales have rocketed.
0:30:09 > 0:30:14It's an industry worth an estimated £90 million a year in the UK.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18With numbers like that, it's no surprise that the fakers
0:30:18 > 0:30:23can smell an opportunity to grab a piece of a very lucrative business.
0:30:23 > 0:30:29When it comes to a good night in, there are a few key ingredients.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32A good meal, a little bit of mood music, soft lighting.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35And the best way to get that is through one of these,
0:30:35 > 0:30:37a luxury scented candle.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41It's an increasingly popular product which appeals to
0:30:41 > 0:30:45people like new mum Suzy, from Lydham in Shropshire.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48When she recently spotted some well-priced, small,
0:30:48 > 0:30:51luxury scented candles online,
0:30:51 > 0:30:54she thought they would make ideal presents for her friends.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57The candles were advertised as being made by upmarket
0:30:57 > 0:30:59British beauty label Jo Malone.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04They were advertised as genuine Jo Malone candles
0:31:04 > 0:31:07and the seller had quite a few of them.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11And the picture looked like proper Jo Malone standards.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13And they just looked absolutely beautiful.
0:31:13 > 0:31:17At £17.95 each, the candles weren't cheap,
0:31:17 > 0:31:21but it was still less than their usual retail price of £22.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23She bought four.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27But when the candles arrived, Suzy was thrown by her Jo Malone.
0:31:30 > 0:31:35I opened it all up and I just felt overwhelming disappointment.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38If you'd run your finger across the top of the glass,
0:31:38 > 0:31:40you would have cut your finger because it was uneven.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43The wax in the candle itself wasn't nice and level and even,
0:31:43 > 0:31:46like you'd expect. It was bumpy. And the wick wasn't central.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50It was very, very obvious that they weren't right at all.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54Suzy immediately suspected she'd been sold a fake.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58And her suspicions deepened when she put the candles into action.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03I decided to have a romantic night in. And I decided to put these
0:32:03 > 0:32:06candles out across the windowsill, with some other candles which I had,
0:32:06 > 0:32:09thinking, "Well, they smell OK."
0:32:09 > 0:32:12So I lit them, and the smell, it smelt like furniture polish.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15What happened was they spat and they crackled.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17They were dangerous.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23Luckily, buying through PayPal, Susie had purchase insurance.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26And she managed to get her money back and the seller barred.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29But she's not the only candle-lover to be duped.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32In fact, Jo Malone candles have become a key
0:32:32 > 0:32:35brand for the fakers to rip off...
0:32:35 > 0:32:37as Sussex Police recently found out.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41They were tipped off about some suspect Jo Malone candles
0:32:41 > 0:32:45being sold at a local craft fair.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48Graham Miles eventually raided the house of the people running
0:32:48 > 0:32:52the stall, and he was astonished by what he found.
0:32:54 > 0:32:59Everything on this table are the items that were seized from the home address of one of our subjects.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02Lots and lots of Canopy candles. Very much like this.
0:33:03 > 0:33:05I think it's 250-odd.
0:33:05 > 0:33:11These larger Jo Malone candles usually retail for £39 each.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14But the fakes are considerably cheaper to produce.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17Graham estimates it at around £3.50 a pop.
0:33:18 > 0:33:23In here you can see reels and reels of labels, various types.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26On this one you've got the arrow that tells you to
0:33:26 > 0:33:28open up the label to see more information inside.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31But there is nothing behind it, there's no back to that label.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34That's one way you can tell it's a counterfeit.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37And the candle fakers had big plans for the future.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40Along with labels and the candles themselves,
0:33:40 > 0:33:44police found a staggering 26 boxes of metal lids.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46This is the kind of quantity we are looking at.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50Metal lids, all engraved with the Jo Malone name.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52Something like 5,000 of them.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56This person was operating on a large scale,
0:33:56 > 0:34:00and was really making some quite significant profit,
0:34:00 > 0:34:03none of which, of course, they were declaring to the Inland Revenue.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06And at the same time they were claiming benefits.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11We believe they have been buying the various
0:34:11 > 0:34:16parts for the candle at a total price of about £3.50 per candle.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19So if they are then sold for £15,
0:34:19 > 0:34:22that's £10 on every candle profit that they've made.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26People that we've investigated have told customers
0:34:26 > 0:34:29they're seconds or rejects. Jo Malone don't sell seconds or rejects.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32Any items that don't meet their standard never reach any
0:34:32 > 0:34:34kind of market at all.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36The people Graham arrested in connection with the candles
0:34:36 > 0:34:39were running a secret cottage industry.
0:34:39 > 0:34:43They'd order cheap, unbranded candles from a manufacturer,
0:34:43 > 0:34:47get fake labels printed and then add the specially engraved lids
0:34:47 > 0:34:51and ribbons to make the candles appear like the real thing.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56But it's not just financially that you could be losing out.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00The candles aren't just cheap imitations, they can be dangerous.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04Previous tests by Trading Standards on fake Jo Malones have
0:35:04 > 0:35:08seen the glass the candle comes in explode when lit.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11Graham Miles has a message for anyone faking candles,
0:35:11 > 0:35:14or any other luxury goods.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16These are serious offences that police
0:35:16 > 0:35:18and other bodies are investigating.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20They do carry serious sentences,
0:35:20 > 0:35:24and the people doing it are committing money laundering offences as well, which can carry
0:35:24 > 0:35:26penalties up to 14 years,
0:35:26 > 0:35:28so these are serious offences.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31Today, though, the law's finally caught up with
0:35:31 > 0:35:34the counterfeiters that Graham's team's been investigating.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38At Lewes Crown Court, in Sussex, one of them
0:35:38 > 0:35:42received a 12-month sentence for conspiracy to manufacture,
0:35:42 > 0:35:45and another received 270 hours of community service
0:35:45 > 0:35:48for conspiracy to sell counterfeit goods.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53We're sending a message, as with any kind of sentence,
0:35:53 > 0:35:56to put other people off from doing it. It does affect everybody,
0:35:56 > 0:35:59the breaching of trademark offences. We all buy branded goods.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02If those goods are getting manufactured by others, it impacts
0:36:02 > 0:36:05upon the price we pay, it impacts on the quality of the product we get.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08I think it's important that people are put off from counterfeiting
0:36:08 > 0:36:09those things.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16Earlier, we saw these,
0:36:16 > 0:36:19fake hand-held scanners that have infiltrated the security industry.
0:36:19 > 0:36:23Well, now the fakers are trying to cash in on the boom in
0:36:23 > 0:36:27metal detecting. Detectorists also use a type a scanner.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29This one's called a pinpoint probe,
0:36:29 > 0:36:32and they hope it will track down that elusive bit of treasure.
0:36:32 > 0:36:34But, with this probe,
0:36:34 > 0:36:36you won't be making any great historical discoveries,
0:36:36 > 0:36:40because, as you may have guessed at the Fake Britain house,
0:36:40 > 0:36:41it's a phoney.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46Metal detecting is a popular pastime for treasure seekers up
0:36:46 > 0:36:48and down the land.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52See what we can find today. Could be our lucky day.
0:36:52 > 0:36:58In Britain, there are around 20,000 dedicated metal detectorists.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01BEEPING There you go. Pound coin. I'm rich.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04HE LAUGHS
0:37:04 > 0:37:08Today, Armando and his friends are out in the green fields of Bedfordshire,
0:37:08 > 0:37:11hoping to find that pot of gold.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15A nice hair clip.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19OK, it's not exactly the Lost Ark of the Covenant, but in fact
0:37:19 > 0:37:23this is par for the cause for any experienced metal detectorist.
0:37:23 > 0:37:27So, any new gadget that can help put you one step ahead in finding
0:37:27 > 0:37:31that elusive bit of treasure is a must-have.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33BEEPING
0:37:33 > 0:37:38And that's where hand-held devices like these pinpoint probes come in.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40Your traditional clunky metal detector will warn you
0:37:40 > 0:37:44when something's down there, but it's more difficult to find your
0:37:44 > 0:37:48target without a probe like this, to pinpoint its exact location.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52BEEPING
0:37:52 > 0:37:56So that's showing it's right on the surface.
0:37:56 > 0:37:57There you go.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59There's another 5p.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02Yeah, he's not ready to retire just yet.
0:38:04 > 0:38:09The fakers are now targeting the untapped gold in metal detecting,
0:38:09 > 0:38:11as Armando found out
0:38:11 > 0:38:15when he bought his first pinpoint probe online for £77.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21I got it out the packaging, it looked great.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26I tested it on the kitchen table at home. Put some coins on the table.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29And it just didn't work very well.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31I was just getting a single tone,
0:38:31 > 0:38:36and it wasn't an increasing tone as I got nearer the coin.
0:38:36 > 0:38:37BEEPING
0:38:37 > 0:38:41I was a bit concerned as to why it wasn't working properly.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44Realising something wasn't right, Armando did some digging,
0:38:44 > 0:38:47and visited a metal detecting shop.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50There he unearthed the truth behind this faulty probe.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55I'd shown it to the gentleman in the shop there,
0:38:55 > 0:38:59and he confirmed it wasn't a genuine Pro-Pointer, it was a fake.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03I didn't realise there were fakes out there.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06I didn't even consider it when I purchased it, but, um,
0:39:06 > 0:39:09yeah, I felt a bit shocked that I'd been conned, really.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11Fortunately for Armando,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14he'd paid for his pinpoint probe using PayPal.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17So, he could prove his purchase was a fake
0:39:17 > 0:39:19and eventually get his money back.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25But the UK distributor, Regton, has unearthed many other buyers who haven't
0:39:25 > 0:39:27been quite so lucky.
0:39:28 > 0:39:32We're seeing a definite increase in the number of fake Pro-Pointers,
0:39:32 > 0:39:35pinpoint probes, accessories,
0:39:35 > 0:39:37metal detectors worldwide.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41And this is a global problem. It's impacting on our own industry.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43It's leading to distrust.
0:39:43 > 0:39:48The prices charged by the fakers are luring people into their trap.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53Confusingly, the fake Pro-Pointers are selling for a similar
0:39:53 > 0:39:56price to the genuine Pro-Pointers.
0:39:56 > 0:39:57And because of that, again, it's
0:39:57 > 0:40:01very difficult to tell the real McCoy from the fake.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05Nigel's holding two seemingly identical probes.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08However, one is genuine, the other is a fake.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11So how do you spot the good penny from the bad?
0:40:13 > 0:40:17They're extremely cleverly copied, and very,
0:40:17 > 0:40:19very difficult to tell apart. Even we struggle.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22The construction is almost identical.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24However, there are some subtle differences.
0:40:24 > 0:40:28If I pressed the on-off button on the genuine Pro-Pointer...
0:40:28 > 0:40:30BEEPING ..it turns on immediately, very easy,
0:40:30 > 0:40:33whereas on the fake Pro-Pointer, I have to really push...
0:40:33 > 0:40:36SOFTER BEEPING ..hard and it's extremely stiff,
0:40:36 > 0:40:39and straightaway you can tell there's a difference in tone.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41And it's not just the probe itself that's fake.
0:40:41 > 0:40:46They're also faking the manuals, boxes and warranty paperwork.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48The fake warranty form, to all intents
0:40:48 > 0:40:52and purposes, is exactly the same as the genuine Garrett warranty form.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54We would struggle, and we see them every day.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58To truly reveal the differences between the genuine
0:40:58 > 0:41:00and the fake pinpoint probes,
0:41:00 > 0:41:04though, Nigel is going to test them where they belong, out in the field.
0:41:08 > 0:41:13What I've got here is a George III half gold guinea.
0:41:13 > 0:41:14Brave!
0:41:14 > 0:41:18Nigel buries his gold guinea into a hole that he's prepared earlier.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21So what happens when he tries out the genuine probe?
0:41:24 > 0:41:27So we're searching around the hole for the target.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31BEEPING And as we can hear, it's...
0:41:31 > 0:41:32just up here,
0:41:32 > 0:41:34and as we get close to the target...
0:41:34 > 0:41:36BEEPING QUICKENS ..it increases in intensity, until...
0:41:36 > 0:41:40CONSISTENT TONE ..you get a solid tone when you're more or less on top of the target.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43And you only get that with the genuine Pro-Pointer.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46How will the fake fare?
0:41:46 > 0:41:47And...
0:41:48 > 0:41:50..if we can switch it on...
0:41:50 > 0:41:53BEEP That's got it. That's very, very stiff.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55And again we go around the hole.
0:41:57 > 0:41:58BEEPING
0:41:58 > 0:42:03It's only when I touch the target that I am managing to get a signal.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05And in fact there's no rising tone.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09BEEPING It's just a bleep. Waste of time.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11Sorry.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13It seems this fake probe is,
0:42:13 > 0:42:16as they say in the world of metal detecting, a heart-stopper,
0:42:16 > 0:42:20a find that looks very exciting but later turns out to be junk.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27People are spending good money on these pieces of kit,
0:42:27 > 0:42:31and unfortunately they're just totally a waste of money,
0:42:31 > 0:42:36a real waste of money. And you really don't want to go with these at all.
0:42:36 > 0:42:37They're pathetic!
0:42:37 > 0:42:41Nigel's advice for anyone wishing to buy a metal detector?
0:42:41 > 0:42:45I would suggest you contact any of the manufacturers, ask them
0:42:45 > 0:42:49who their distributor is for the UK, and that distributor can then put
0:42:49 > 0:42:53you in touch with the local dealer, who is authorised to sell their products.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.