0:00:04 > 0:00:07Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12Police! SHOUTING
0:00:22 > 0:00:26Get down! Get down! Put your hands behind your back, now!
0:00:26 > 0:00:30Here at the Fake Britain house, things might look familiar,
0:00:30 > 0:00:34but don't be taken in. Because this is a house that's filled with fakes.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38In this series I'll be revealing the counterfeits, copies and cons
0:00:38 > 0:00:41that are flooding the market, fooling the public,
0:00:41 > 0:00:46making money for the criminals and maybe even putting you in danger.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48We'll be investigating those fraudsters
0:00:48 > 0:00:52who are cashing in by selling us something that isn't real.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56And we'll be showing you how to avoid falling for a fake.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Today on Fake Britain:
0:00:59 > 0:01:02The fake batteries that could give you more power
0:01:02 > 0:01:03than you bargained for...
0:01:03 > 0:01:05The thought of that occurring on an aircraft
0:01:05 > 0:01:08with maybe 400 passengers is horrific.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12..the fake cosmetics keeping Trading Standards on their toes
0:01:12 > 0:01:14I've been doing this job for 30 years,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17and I've never seen this amount of fake cosmetics.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21..and courier fraud. On the front line with the real police officers
0:01:21 > 0:01:23cracking down on the fake ones.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26Hundreds of thousands of pounds of valuables are being handed over
0:01:26 > 0:01:29to these fake police officers and fake couriers.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38We live our lives surrounded by technology that we take with us
0:01:38 > 0:01:42wherever we go. Phones, laptops and cameras, just for starters.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45And they all need portable power.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47These are lithium batteries,
0:01:47 > 0:01:51and increasingly they're the type you'll find in all these devices.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54They're packed full of power, usually rechargeable,
0:01:54 > 0:01:55and they're not cheap.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58But at as you might expect, at the Fake Britain house,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01none of these batteries is the real thing.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05And as we're about to show you, the consequences of having a fake
0:02:05 > 0:02:09lithium battery inside your device could be very serious indeed.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14The chances are, you're probably carrying one or more lithium
0:02:14 > 0:02:18batteries with you wherever you go, and you'll have more at home.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Every year over three billion lithium batteries are transported
0:02:21 > 0:02:25worldwide, and they're big business for an electronics giants
0:02:25 > 0:02:26like Canon and Samsung.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31The fakers know that. They're cashing in on our insatiable desire
0:02:31 > 0:02:33for more portable power.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38It's early morning in the north of England.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42The scam busters' north-west team, led by officer Wally Din,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45are on the trail of a suspect thought to be selling vast
0:02:45 > 0:02:48quantities of fake lithium batteries.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52We are hoping to find evidence of the sale of counterfeit
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Canon camera batteries.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57And when it comes to these batteries,
0:02:57 > 0:03:01Wally's not just worried about trademark infringement.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05The problem with the fake batteries is that they could potentially
0:03:05 > 0:03:09overheat and go on fire, so they could cause damage to property,
0:03:09 > 0:03:13to somebody's expensive camera, or, in fact, they could cause injury.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19The counterfeit and potentially dangerous batteries
0:03:19 > 0:03:22need to be taken out of circulation.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25The officers arrive at the suspect's address
0:03:25 > 0:03:26and quickly get inside.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29Hi, we've got a warrant to search the address.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32The search begins, and it doesn't take long
0:03:32 > 0:03:34for the officers to find what they're looking for.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37We've got here what appear to be several boxes
0:03:37 > 0:03:40of goods that we're looking for, counterfeit batteries.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44Your phone is being seized as part of this operation. Mm-hm.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46As will your laptop be.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49The suspect is arrested and led away.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56He'll be taken to the police station for further questioning.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59As well as searching his house, officers take a look
0:03:59 > 0:04:03in the suspect's car, and a first glance proves interesting.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05Wally's pleased with what they've discovered.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09We've found six large boxes of what appear to be fake batteries
0:04:09 > 0:04:11of the type we're searching for.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14There's also crucial evidence that could link the suspects
0:04:14 > 0:04:16to the crime.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18Computers, documents, laptops,
0:04:18 > 0:04:20mobiles used by the offenders.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26With the evidence secured, it's time for Wally to take a closer look.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29He's noticed something strange about the seemingly innocent
0:04:29 > 0:04:32generic boxes claiming to contain battery chargers.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35The packages are unbranded.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37They say "Digital Camera Chargers",
0:04:37 > 0:04:42which we think is an attempt to evade examination, say, by customs.
0:04:42 > 0:04:43It contains fake batteries.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46They've appeared to put one case inside another
0:04:46 > 0:04:50in an attempt to disguise what's, in fact, inside them.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53It's the fakers' version of pass the parcel.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57Fake branded batteries hidden inside generic packaging.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00And there are thousands of pounds' worth of them.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04Just to give you an idea of the scale, leafing through, you can see
0:05:04 > 0:05:08that there's loads and loads of individual fake batteries
0:05:08 > 0:05:10within each of these double packs.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13The retail price of these batteries is about ?60 each,
0:05:13 > 0:05:14there's two in each.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17There are thousands of batteries here,
0:05:17 > 0:05:19so substantial monetary value to it all.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21The batteries are convincing counterfeits,
0:05:21 > 0:05:23even down to the fake hologram.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25But in a situation like this,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28how can anyone tell the fake from the real thing?
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Fortunately, Wally's got some help from a gadget
0:05:31 > 0:05:33that Cannon calls the handy viewer.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36If you look at the hologram under the handy viewer, you can see
0:05:36 > 0:05:38that it shows gold on both sides,
0:05:38 > 0:05:41indicating that it's a fake one.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44On a genuine one, it shows black on one side
0:05:44 > 0:05:46and then gold on the other one.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49And that indicates that that is a genuine item.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52But Canon isn't the only major electronics company
0:05:52 > 0:05:55to have their lithium batteries targeted, and Trading Standards
0:05:55 > 0:05:58are concerned the fakers are also cutting corners on safety.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02We have here what appears to be a fake Olympus lithium battery,
0:06:02 > 0:06:06so the same safety considerations apply, really.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09So we've got some Sony CyberShot batteries.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13They are fake. They may not be safe.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16Shockingly, it's not just potentially unsafe batteries
0:06:16 > 0:06:18in this haul.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22This is something else we've found. There are Olympus battery chargers.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Similar ones to these have been independently tested
0:06:25 > 0:06:27and found to be dangerous.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29So they're really not worth buying.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31It's a good day's work for the team.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Today they've protected unwitting British consumers
0:06:34 > 0:06:38from buying over 2,000 fake lithium batteries from online shops.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43Despite the crackdown,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46fake lithium batteries of all kinds are slipping through the net.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51They're being sold on the web and they're duping customers.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56Roy Wilson from Cheshire has been a keen amateur photographer
0:06:56 > 0:06:59for several years.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01He takes his passion seriously,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04and he's invested in all the latest camera equipment.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09When he realised that he needed a spare battery for his kit,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12he turned to the internet to find a good deal.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15It was ?50,
0:07:15 > 0:07:18which is ?15 to ?20 cheaper
0:07:18 > 0:07:21than if I went to the high street.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23But this is not unusual.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26You normally find, if you go online, you do get it cheaper.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30If it had been ?10 for a Canon battery, well, I'd be a fool.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33I would know you can't get a genuine battery for ?10.
0:07:33 > 0:07:38But ?50, to me, was a reasonable and a fair price.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42The battery was reassuringly expensive,
0:07:42 > 0:07:44so Roy went ahead and ordered it.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50When the delivery came, something wasn't quite right.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53We showed Roy a fake Canon lithium camera battery,
0:07:53 > 0:07:54given to us by Trading Standards,
0:07:54 > 0:07:57that was identical to the one he bought,
0:07:57 > 0:07:59even down to the packaging.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Now, the first thing is, I don't need a pair of scissors
0:08:04 > 0:08:08because it's just really cheap packaging.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11The hologram, when you look at it, this is cheap.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13It's not even proper hologram.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Everything feels cheap and nasty.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20So, take the battery out.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26And it just feels wrong.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30Roy had heard stories about people unwittingly buying fake batteries
0:08:30 > 0:08:32from online stores.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36He immediately contacted the website where he'd bought the battery.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Not long after, he received a phone call.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44Trading Standards tell me, "Could we come and get a statement from you?"
0:08:44 > 0:08:48And now I'm thinking, although I can't officially know, I think
0:08:48 > 0:08:52that's giving me the red light that, yes, it was a counterfeit battery.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56I was annoyed, I was furious. I felt ripped off.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58Because I'd spent ?50.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02As I said, if I'd have spent ?5, ?10, that's my own stupid fault.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04I paid good money.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10But it wasn't just being ripped off that worried Roy.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13He'd done some research into fake lithium batteries,
0:09:13 > 0:09:16and had discovered they can wreak havoc with your kit.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Not only are they ripping you off with money,
0:09:19 > 0:09:23they can melt your equipment. They can cause serious damage.
0:09:24 > 0:09:29Later, we find out how dangerous fake lithium batteries can be.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32Someone could unknowingly buy a fake product, bring it
0:09:32 > 0:09:35into their home and be using it, and this sort of reaction could happen.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45Dior, Mac - two of the top brands of cosmetics out there.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49So you might expect these gift sets to be expensive.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52Take a look at the price tag, ?600.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55But if you paid anything like that for these,
0:09:55 > 0:09:57you'd waste your money, cos they're all fake.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59The criminals are now upping their game
0:09:59 > 0:10:03by moving into this high-end gift set market.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06But they're not only a cosmetic con.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08These fakes could also be dangerous.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14Here on Fake Britain, we have seen how private investigators
0:10:14 > 0:10:17have been cracking down on fake cosmetics.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21And how innocent online shopper Laura Barry was injured
0:10:21 > 0:10:26by the fake foundation she unwittingly put on her skin.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30It was really sore, my eyes were watering, my skin went all blotchy
0:10:30 > 0:10:34and red and it was going all over my cheeks, down my jaw line here.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41But the problem of fake cosmetics hasn't gone away.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Today Mark Rolfe from Kent Trading Standards
0:10:44 > 0:10:47is making his way to a secret lock-up somewhere in the UK.
0:10:47 > 0:10:52We just had a phone call from our colleagues in the UK Border Force
0:10:52 > 0:10:56who tell us they've detained a shipment of what they believe to be
0:10:56 > 0:11:00counterfeit cosmetics, so make-up and lipstick and that kind of stuff.
0:11:01 > 0:11:06From what they tell us, this sounds like a fairly significant shipment.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10There's a good reason why Mark wants to examine the fake merchandise.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13Counterfeit cosmetics are one of those things
0:11:13 > 0:11:15that in all the fake stuff that we deal with,
0:11:15 > 0:11:17causes us the greatest concern.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19The reason is, you're putting it on your skin
0:11:19 > 0:11:22and we have no idea what's in any of these products.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28But this is no lock-up. This is a warehouse.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32Mark can't quite believe the sheer scale of what's in front of him.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38I've been doing this job just over 30 years and I've never seen
0:11:38 > 0:11:43this amount of fake cosmetics in the same place at the same time.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45This is a really significant haul.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51There's a huge amount.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53Each one of these is going to contain
0:11:53 > 0:11:57probably 100 or 150 items in each of these boxes.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00So there's a massive amount of stock here.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02After doing a bit of quick maths,
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Mark's come up with some staggering figures for the fake cosmetics,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08thought to be crammed into these boxes.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11Just a quick tot up of what we've got here would suggest
0:12:11 > 0:12:14a value of between ?10 million and ?12 million.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19I am actually generally wanting to get my way into some of these
0:12:19 > 0:12:22to see what's here. You never lose the thrill.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28It's time for Mark to take a closer look at exactly what's inside.
0:12:29 > 0:12:30That's a Christian Dior.
0:12:32 > 0:12:37The first thing is, this outer wrapper is really poor quality.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39These are premium brands
0:12:39 > 0:12:42so anything to do with this brand would be a good quality.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46The wrapper would be good quality, the bag would be good quality,
0:12:46 > 0:12:47and it isn't.
0:12:47 > 0:12:52But what made me smile is that this has a price on it of ?600...
0:12:53 > 0:12:56..which is just unbelievable, really.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Mark's spotted more tell-tale signs
0:12:59 > 0:13:02that these high-end cosmetics are in fact fake.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06This is another set, supposedly with a retail value of ?450.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09But it appears to have a spelling mistake on the box.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12A classic example of a counterfeit product.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14They've misspelled the word curls.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Instead of 'curl', it's written 'cun'.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22Border Force officer Andy Whybrow led the team
0:13:22 > 0:13:24that intercepted this huge shipment.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27It was his keen eyed officers who realised
0:13:27 > 0:13:29that this make-up wasn't quite right.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31Some of the mascaras
0:13:31 > 0:13:35and eyeshadows inside the boxes had spelling mistakes,
0:13:35 > 0:13:37small mistakes like, 'Made in Farance'
0:13:37 > 0:13:39rather than 'Made in France'.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41'Made in Camada' rather than Canada.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43We didn't expect that,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46a spelling mistake to be on a high quality product.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50With more digging, Mark uncovers four high end cosmetics brands -
0:13:50 > 0:13:55Mac, Chanel, Christian Dior and Bobbi Brown.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58It's the first time Fake Britain has seen this volume
0:13:58 > 0:14:00of fake make-up under one roof.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03And the first time we've seen fakers turning their hands
0:14:03 > 0:14:05to high end gift sets,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08each of which contains an array of fake cosmetics.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13But it's what could be inside them that worries both Mark and Andy.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17What we've got here is a powder blusher mixture with its mirror.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19What worries us about this is,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22this is designed to be applied straight to the skin.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24The people who make these fake products
0:14:24 > 0:14:26really don't care what they put in them,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29so we've no idea if this is going to cause a skin reaction, blistering.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31It can have a really nasty effect on people
0:14:31 > 0:14:34if it's got dangerous chemicals in it.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36You've got the various colours of eyeshadows there
0:14:36 > 0:14:40on what is reported to be a Mac eyeshadow kit.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43I've just scratched the surface of the silver one here.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45It's a black underneath.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49I scratch the gold, and a green underneath.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53Utterly useless, but there are two items in these fake gift sets
0:14:53 > 0:14:56that are giving Mark particular cause for concern.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59First up, the fake mascara.
0:14:59 > 0:15:05Some fake mascara products contain paint stripper. I have no idea why.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08It's a product clearly that shouldn't be in a gift set of this kind,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10a cosmetic that you will put on your skin
0:15:10 > 0:15:12and around your eyes in particular.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15These products, there is no quality control.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17They're just put together cheaply and quickly,
0:15:17 > 0:15:21using whatever chemicals come to hand and who knows what danger
0:15:21 > 0:15:24they pose to people who would apply them to their skin.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27Next under the spotlight is a red lipstick that Mark's uncovered.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29More sham than glam,
0:15:29 > 0:15:33it could leave you with red lips for all the wrong reasons.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35Fake lipsticks, particularly red lipsticks,
0:15:35 > 0:15:37to manufacture them as cheaply
0:15:37 > 0:15:39as these people need to make the fake products,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42they use chemicals to make the red colour which are not safe
0:15:42 > 0:15:45and shouldn't be applied to your skin and shouldn't be around your mouth.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48Obviously the people who make the real thing are very careful
0:15:48 > 0:15:51to make sure what they do is safe but the people who make these fakes
0:15:51 > 0:15:54really don't care what impact they have on the users.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58Shockingly, when it comes to using fake cosmetics like these,
0:15:58 > 0:16:03you might consider yourself lucky to come away with just a rash.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06This kind of fakery is one of the most dangerous types
0:16:06 > 0:16:07that we come across.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Some of these products we know from experience contain chemicals
0:16:10 > 0:16:12which are known to be carcinogenics.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15If you're using these fake products over a period of time,
0:16:15 > 0:16:18the very worst case scenario is that they could cause cancer.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Organised crime gangs have shifted up a gear
0:16:22 > 0:16:25by faking these high-end gift sets but on this occasion,
0:16:25 > 0:16:28it's the fakers and not us who are going to lose out.
0:16:28 > 0:16:33The fakers behind it have lost out to the tune of millions of pounds
0:16:33 > 0:16:36because of the alertness of our colleagues in the Border Force
0:16:36 > 0:16:40and the actions of our Trading Standards Officers working with them.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42The investigation continues into just where
0:16:42 > 0:16:45this huge haul of fake cosmetics was destined.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49Eventually, it will all be destroyed
0:16:49 > 0:16:52so it can never reach the homes of any unsuspecting customers.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04You get a phone call from the police or from your bank
0:17:04 > 0:17:08saying they think you've been targeted by a fraudster.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11You can bet you'll be taking that call very seriously. I would.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14You'll probably try to cooperate and do whatever you can
0:17:14 > 0:17:18to sort it out, to stop criminals getting their hands on your cash.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22But as many people have discovered, that worrying call is actually
0:17:22 > 0:17:25coming from fake police officers or fake bank staff.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29It's become known as the courier fraud and right across the country,
0:17:29 > 0:17:33criminals are getting away with millions of pounds of our money.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36So, do you really know who you're on the phone to?
0:17:38 > 0:17:42Peter Buckthorpe from Crawley in West Sussex was at home one day
0:17:42 > 0:17:44when he received a phone call out of the blue.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50A gentleman said that he was a police officer
0:17:50 > 0:17:56from the Hammersmith Division and that they'd arrested two people.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58They had found a book.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00My name appeared and my address.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04They said they were concerned, they were following it up,
0:18:04 > 0:18:06and they wanted to know initially,
0:18:06 > 0:18:09did I still have my credit cards with me.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13The police officer told Peter that he was at risk of credit card fraud.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16He gave him a crime reference number and said he would transfer him
0:18:16 > 0:18:18to the bank's fraud department.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21I was connected through after a delay
0:18:21 > 0:18:25to what was thought to be
0:18:25 > 0:18:27the NatWest fraud squad.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31So they took the number of my credit card
0:18:31 > 0:18:34and my PIN number through a telephone keypad.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36They then thanked me very much
0:18:36 > 0:18:39and said my cards were now cancelled at that point in time.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43Believing that he was now protected against fraud,
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Peter was told there would be an investigation.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49So he was put through to another police officer at
0:18:49 > 0:18:52his local police station in Crawley.
0:18:52 > 0:18:58He then said if at any time I wanted to get back to him or if
0:18:58 > 0:19:01the line fell dead or something,
0:19:01 > 0:19:06I could always call the national police line, 101,
0:19:06 > 0:19:10and I would then get through to Sussex police
0:19:10 > 0:19:14and I would be connected through to him.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18Strangely enough, they did get cut off.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22So, as instructed, Peter dialled the police nonemergency number, 101,
0:19:22 > 0:19:26and spoke to someone who sounded like a Sussex police operator.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29She put him through to the officer he'd just been speaking to.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32I said to him that we'd obviously been cut off
0:19:32 > 0:19:35and I got back to him as he'd suggested.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39But they hadn't been cut off.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42The man on the phone had only pretended to get disconnected.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46In fact, he'd kept the line open while Peter dialled 101.
0:19:46 > 0:19:51He said they felt that they had enough information now
0:19:51 > 0:19:55to ask for a remand in court the following day.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01But as part of the evidence,
0:20:01 > 0:20:05they would very much like my credit cards to present at court.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11Peter had no qualms about handing them over to the police.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14The police officer helpfully arranged for a courier
0:20:14 > 0:20:15to collect the cards.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17The taxi duly arrived
0:20:17 > 0:20:21and the envelope was given to the taxi driver and he went off.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25But the friendly police officer on the other end of the phone
0:20:25 > 0:20:28was about to make a very strange request.
0:20:28 > 0:20:33I was suggested going down to the bank around try and draw ?2,000.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39And that was the time that triggered suspicion in my mind.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45The penny - well, it was rather more than a penny - finally dropped.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48Suddenly the pieces started to fall into place.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55The questions that I'd been asked, the people I'd spoken to
0:20:55 > 0:21:00and the sequence all had great credibility,
0:21:00 > 0:21:04but all of it leading up to an illogical question.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07Go and withdraw ?2,000 from your bank account?!
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Courier fraudsters sometimes ask their targets to withdraw cash
0:21:10 > 0:21:15for safekeeping as they claim their bank accounts have been compromised.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19Peter suspected that he was in the process of being conned.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22He asked the man on the landline to hold while secretly
0:21:22 > 0:21:24calling the police on his mobile.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29I explained that I suddenly had a suspicion
0:21:29 > 0:21:32that I was in the middle of a scam...
0:21:34 > 0:21:37..and the person I was speaking to said,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40"I think you're absolutely right.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44"Don't go any further with the call, put your phone down."
0:21:44 > 0:21:47But of course, what was going through one's mind was that at that point
0:21:47 > 0:21:52of time, my current account, my credit cards were totally vulnerable.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56Peter tried to stop the taxi before it dropped his cards off
0:21:56 > 0:22:00with the fake officials he'd been speaking to, but it was too late.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02The drop had been made.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06A fake police officer, a fake bank official...
0:22:08 > 0:22:13..another fake police officer had collectively taken,
0:22:13 > 0:22:16at that stage,
0:22:16 > 0:22:20?1,100 out of my bank account.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24Peter gradually realised how an intricate web of fakery had led him
0:22:24 > 0:22:27to hand over his money to a courier
0:22:27 > 0:22:30who was controlled by the fraudsters.
0:22:30 > 0:22:36It is a very elaborate scam. It's clearly very well thought-out.
0:22:36 > 0:22:42I had a mental picture at the end of it of a whole group of people
0:22:42 > 0:22:44sitting around a table in a room.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50They were quite clearly different people who each were playing
0:22:50 > 0:22:54their part in the scam, a female as well as male.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58There was quite a group of them playing their part as if it
0:22:58 > 0:23:02was scripted play and, quite frankly, an Oscar-winning performance.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Peter Buckthorpe is considered to be one of the luckier victims
0:23:09 > 0:23:13of courier fraud - he finally got his money back from the bank.
0:23:14 > 0:23:19But as we found out, other targets haven't fared so well.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22Detective Inspector Danny Lawrence leads a task force that deals
0:23:22 > 0:23:26with courier fraud involving fake police officers
0:23:26 > 0:23:30and fake bank staff and the people who are left in their wake.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34One handed over ?30,000 in cash having visited the bank
0:23:34 > 0:23:37on a number of occasions to retrieve that amount of cash.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41When it's not about cash and cards, it's about valuables.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44One 89-year-old victim in London lost a ?100,000 painting
0:23:44 > 0:23:46handed over for safekeeping.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51One of the people that DI Lawrence's team came into contact with
0:23:51 > 0:23:55had been so convinced by the fake police officers
0:23:55 > 0:23:58that at first the real police were unable to help her.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01These fake police officers managed to take
0:24:01 > 0:24:04over ?22,000 out of that individual's four bank accounts.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06We called the victim
0:24:06 > 0:24:09and it took us half an hour to convince her that we were
0:24:09 > 0:24:14the real police and that she'd been assisting fake police for a month.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18Coming up, we follow DI Lawrence and his team
0:24:18 > 0:24:22in a major crackdown on the courier fraudsters.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24Police!
0:24:31 > 0:24:35Earlier, we followed Wally and his team as they seized a huge haul
0:24:35 > 0:24:37of fake lithium camera batteries...
0:24:37 > 0:24:39There are thousands of batteries here,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42so there's a substantial monetary value to it all.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46..and we saw how Roy Wilson lost out to the camera battery fakers.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50I was annoyed, I was furious and I felt ripped off.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Fake Britain decided to investigate how easy it is to buy
0:24:54 > 0:24:58a fake lithium battery for a phone or laptop computer.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01Acting on a tipoff from an insider,
0:25:01 > 0:25:05our researcher bought Samsung phone batteries from several phone shops
0:25:05 > 0:25:09across London and from several online sellers.
0:25:09 > 0:25:14Samsung later confirmed that the batteries were counterfeit.
0:25:14 > 0:25:19We also ordered what our source told us was a fake laptop battery.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Armed with counterfeit batteries, we went to world-renowned test house
0:25:22 > 0:25:27BRE Global to find out more about the dangers of fakes.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31Fire investigator Ciara Holland agreed to show us what happens
0:25:31 > 0:25:33when a fake develops a fault.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38We began by giving her the fake Canon camera battery.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40We are going to place this onto a hot plate
0:25:40 > 0:25:42and we're going to force it to overheat.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48Ciara is simulating a fault in this fake camera battery.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51All lithium batteries become highly unstable
0:25:51 > 0:25:53when they heat up during a malfunction,
0:25:53 > 0:25:58but fakes are far more likely to short-circuit than the real deal.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02Fake lithium batteries have issues with quality control
0:26:02 > 0:26:05and with the safety features that were put into them.
0:26:05 > 0:26:10Ciara will force the fake into a state known as thermal runaway.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13It's when the temperature inside a lithium battery rises
0:26:13 > 0:26:17to a critical point and as it hits that critical point,
0:26:17 > 0:26:19the battery starts to smoke.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35So why would a fake battery explode like this?
0:26:35 > 0:26:38It is more likely to happen with the fake battery due to
0:26:38 > 0:26:42the fact of the poor quality control,
0:26:42 > 0:26:46the lack of safety features that are within these devices.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Next up, it's the counterfeit Samsung phone battery
0:26:49 > 0:26:51bought by fake Britain.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58Less than two and a half minutes later, it fails dramatically.
0:26:58 > 0:26:59Here we go.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06We have obviously forced this reaction today,
0:27:06 > 0:27:10but it is similar to the reaction that can occur when these
0:27:10 > 0:27:14fake batteries are within devices, either being charged or being in use.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21Last but not least, it's time to test the fake laptop battery
0:27:21 > 0:27:23that we ordered from the internet.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37The internal failure causes a massive explosion.
0:27:41 > 0:27:45The shocking results have left Ciara concerned about the effects
0:27:45 > 0:27:47of this happening in somebody's home.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51Whilst the fake batteries have been forced into a state of failure,
0:27:51 > 0:27:54they can heat up and explode without outside intervention.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59Someone could unknowingly buy a fake product,
0:27:59 > 0:28:01bring it into their home and be using it
0:28:01 > 0:28:04and this sort of reaction could happen,
0:28:04 > 0:28:06creating what could be quite a serious fire.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12So fake lithium batteries could be dangerous in our homes.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15What could happen when they're in the air?
0:28:16 > 0:28:19Geoff Leach knows a thing or two about dangerous goods
0:28:19 > 0:28:21being carried in aeroplanes -
0:28:21 > 0:28:23he headed up the Dangerous Goods Office
0:28:23 > 0:28:26at the Civil Aviation Authority for over a decade.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28Lithium ion batteries are now
0:28:28 > 0:28:31so widespread it would be quite common for an passenger
0:28:31 > 0:28:35on an aircraft perhaps to be carrying maybe ten batteries,
0:28:35 > 0:28:39if you like, in the laptop, the mobile phone, the e-reader,
0:28:39 > 0:28:43a light for an e-reader and so on and so forth.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45They really are everywhere.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50We showed Geoff the results of our tests on fake lithium batteries.
0:28:52 > 0:28:53Yeah, it's just...
0:28:54 > 0:28:56..horrendous.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58The thought of that occurring on an aircraft
0:28:58 > 0:29:01with maybe 400 passengers is horrific.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05A fake lithium battery blowing up on or near an aircraft
0:29:05 > 0:29:08isn't just a theoretical scare story.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11This laptop battery here was carried on a passenger aircraft
0:29:11 > 0:29:14from Hong Kong to London Heathrow Airport.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17Shortly after landing at Heathrow, the packaging in which it was
0:29:17 > 0:29:20contained was in the mail sort facility and it caught fire.
0:29:20 > 0:29:25There were four-foot-high flames in the facility.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28The fire was extinguished very quickly to avoid
0:29:28 > 0:29:32what could have been a potentially disastrous fire.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35The people who came into contact with this fake lithium battery
0:29:35 > 0:29:37had a lucky escape.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40A few hours before, this battery was in the hold of
0:29:40 > 0:29:45the passenger aircraft with maybe 350, 400 passengers on board.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47This obviously happened with a fake battery.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50There's next to no chance of this happening with a battery
0:29:50 > 0:29:52from a genuine source.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57And it isn't the only occurrence.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01Geoff showed us a frightening video of a laptop computer.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04Clearly something has gone wrong with the battery,
0:30:04 > 0:30:06which is out of the laptop.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10You'll see somebody move the laptop away from the battery
0:30:10 > 0:30:13and then it rather... Some rather dramatic effects.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17This lithium battery was about to be taken onto an aeroplane.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19It may or may not have been a fake battery,
0:30:19 > 0:30:22but what it does do is illustrate the power that is contained
0:30:22 > 0:30:25within lithium batteries and the problems that can occur
0:30:25 > 0:30:28if they are not treated appropriately and this
0:30:28 > 0:30:32kind of incident is far more likely to occur from a fake battery.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37The fake batteries have the potential to cause a very
0:30:37 > 0:30:40serious fire as we've seen from these videos
0:30:40 > 0:30:42and really, really should be avoided.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53Earlier, we saw how Peter Buckthorpe from West Sussex
0:30:53 > 0:30:55became a target of courier fraudsters,
0:30:55 > 0:31:00losing over ?1,000 to fake police officers and fake bank staff.
0:31:00 > 0:31:04What was going through one's mind was my current account,
0:31:04 > 0:31:07my credit cards were totally vulnerable.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11The police are taking courier fraud extremely seriously.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13It's daybreak in North London.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16A major police operation is under way to arrest a gang
0:31:16 > 0:31:19of suspected courier fraudsters.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22Detective Inspector Danny Lawrence aims to prevent any more
0:31:22 > 0:31:25innocent members of the public from being conned
0:31:25 > 0:31:27out of thousands of pounds.
0:31:27 > 0:31:32These are effectively fake police officers phoning innocent victims
0:31:32 > 0:31:36and gaining their trust and getting them to hand over their cash
0:31:36 > 0:31:38and their cards and their valuables.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43The courier fraudsters have been convincing people to hand over
0:31:43 > 0:31:45credit cards and PIN numbers.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49Posing as police officers and bank staff,
0:31:49 > 0:31:51the fakers are making a killing.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54This runs into millions of pounds.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56It is organised crime on a significant scale.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00There's a number of teams we've dismantled and disrupted already
0:32:00 > 0:32:02and a number of teams that we'll continue to target.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07Today, over 80 officers will be targeting multiple addresses
0:32:07 > 0:32:09across the country.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14The unit arriving at this address will need to secure
0:32:14 > 0:32:16the area as quickly as possible.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22The officers are trying to take the suspects by surprise.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25Police!
0:32:25 > 0:32:27SHOUTING
0:32:30 > 0:32:33Stay where you are! Move, move! Police, hands where I can see them.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38Anyone else upstairs?
0:32:38 > 0:32:40Get off! Get off!
0:32:40 > 0:32:42It's all right, it's all right.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44Is anyone else in the room?
0:32:46 > 0:32:49It looks like it's been a wake-up call for this suspect.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52We've got a warrant to search the address, OK?
0:32:52 > 0:32:54I'm just going to take some details first
0:32:54 > 0:32:56and then we'll explain what's going on, OK?
0:32:56 > 0:32:59As the search gets under way at this address,
0:32:59 > 0:33:03another team of police officers is at a second premises nearby.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07Comparatively, they're taking it softly-softly.
0:33:07 > 0:33:08I'm outside the door.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10Quickly, otherwise it's going in.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13But whoever is inside doesn't seem to be in a hurry.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15You ain't got very long to show your face,
0:33:15 > 0:33:17otherwise it's going to get put in.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20Quick as you can. That's it, just open the door, then.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26Morning, police. We've got a warrant. Hello, fellow. Hello.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29We've got a search warrant at this address and in a minute,
0:33:29 > 0:33:33one of the officers is going to tell you something you might not like.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36One of the suspected courier fraudsters is handcuffed
0:33:36 > 0:33:37and read his rights.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40You're under arrest for conspiracy to commit fraud.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43You don't have to say anything, but it might harm your defence
0:33:43 > 0:33:44if you don't listen when questioned
0:33:44 > 0:33:46something you later rely on in court.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48Two of the suspects are arrested
0:33:48 > 0:33:52and taken into police custody for further questioning.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56For DI Lawrence, this operation is already looking like a success.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00The individuals that we arrested we are hoping have been involved
0:34:00 > 0:34:04in this courier fraud as fake police officers or fake bank employees.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07We suspect that they are the people that make the calls.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10They are also part of the team that go and collect the cards
0:34:10 > 0:34:13and they are part of the team that goes and reap the rewards,
0:34:13 > 0:34:16the financial rewards from this fraud.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20With the suspects detained, it's time for the officers
0:34:20 > 0:34:24to begin a search for evidence that could link the men to courier fraud.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28Anything they find is bagged, tagged and taken away for analysis,
0:34:28 > 0:34:32including this computer, which could contain vital information.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38The officers also find a mobile phone
0:34:38 > 0:34:41which one of the forensics team examines for fingerprints.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44The fake police officers could have used this phone to make calls
0:34:44 > 0:34:47that have cost people thousands of pounds.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51In one of the rooms they found this safe.
0:34:51 > 0:34:55Without the pass code, there's only one way to find out what's inside.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02This looks interesting.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04If you've got card details,
0:35:04 > 0:35:08enough to clone a new card with these cloning devices here,
0:35:08 > 0:35:12this machine, you need to keep it clean,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15and that's a very specific item for cleaning swipe machines.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22This could be evidence that the suspects are faking cards.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26Well, I think it's interesting... why the average person would need
0:35:26 > 0:35:28to clear the head on any card reader.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31It will certainly be something we'd discuss in interview.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36The four suspected courier fraudsters arrested here
0:35:36 > 0:35:39all later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud
0:35:39 > 0:35:41by false representation.
0:35:41 > 0:35:46The investigation is ongoing, but it's just one of many in a fraud
0:35:46 > 0:35:48that has spread right across the country.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51Courier fraud has become an epidemic.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54People are losing tens of thousands of pounds.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57Hundreds of thousands of pounds of valuables are being handed over
0:35:57 > 0:36:01to these fake police officers and fake couriers for what
0:36:01 > 0:36:05they perceive to be safe keeping or assisting in an investigation.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07This is a national issue.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09On the raid that Fake Britain accompanied us on,
0:36:09 > 0:36:13we can attribute that organised crime group to committing offences
0:36:13 > 0:36:15in as far afield north as Grimsby,
0:36:15 > 0:36:18south as the south coast towns, Hastings,
0:36:18 > 0:36:20to Lowestoft on the east coast
0:36:20 > 0:36:24and to Gloucester in the west of the country and everything in between.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27The police have already chalked up some big wins
0:36:27 > 0:36:29against courier fraudsters.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32DI Lawrence led the investigations
0:36:32 > 0:36:35into brothers Dulu Miah and Shilu Miah,
0:36:35 > 0:36:38fake police officers who led a jet-set luxury lifestyle
0:36:38 > 0:36:41with the money they stole from the bank accounts
0:36:41 > 0:36:43of over 200 innocent people.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46They attributed ?244,000 of loss to victims
0:36:46 > 0:36:50in their role as fake police officers and fake bank officials.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54The Miah brothers were finally jailed for a total of ten years.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56They are not the only gang who've been enjoying
0:36:56 > 0:36:59the spoils of this type of crime.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02This group of individuals, who were purporting to be
0:37:02 > 0:37:05fake police officers and fake banking officials,
0:37:05 > 0:37:07got away with hundreds of thousands of pounds.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11This CCTV footage shows the teenage courier fraudsters
0:37:11 > 0:37:14using one of their victims' credit cards.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18First they make a test purchase of ?50 to make sure the card works.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22When it does, they embark on a spending spree, racking up
0:37:22 > 0:37:27a bill of ?2,500 on designer clothing in just 20 minutes.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31Six members of this gang were charged with conspiracy
0:37:31 > 0:37:34to commit fraud and sentenced to a total of four years
0:37:34 > 0:37:36and nine months for their crimes.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41DI Lawrence wants to get the word out to stop other
0:37:41 > 0:37:45members of the public from falling for courier fraud.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48Should anyone call you and ask for your bank cards, to go
0:37:48 > 0:37:52to the bank to withdraw cash or ask for your PIN number over the phone,
0:37:52 > 0:37:56I'm 100% certain that they are likely to be fake police officers
0:37:56 > 0:37:58or fake banking officials.
0:37:58 > 0:38:00My message is if somebody does call you
0:38:00 > 0:38:03and ask you to do that, is to hang up the phone,
0:38:03 > 0:38:07use an alternative phone and contact 101 and phone the police.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18Earlier, we saw how dangerous fake lithium batteries could be
0:38:18 > 0:38:20when they heat up...
0:38:21 > 0:38:24..but the story doesn't end there.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27Consumers across Europe could unwittingly be using fake
0:38:27 > 0:38:30lithium phone batteries to power their smartphones.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35What if their phone also turns out to be a fake?
0:38:36 > 0:38:39Faisal Sheikh is a mobile phone expert
0:38:39 > 0:38:41and he thinks there's a problem.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43There are so many here now.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45You see so many cases of people bringing in phones for repair
0:38:45 > 0:38:48where they've got a broken screen and they want us to fix
0:38:48 > 0:38:51their Samsung Galaxy S5 or their iPhone and it's not actually
0:38:51 > 0:38:53an iPhone, it's not a Samsung device.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58Faisal has to break the news to the smartphone users
0:38:58 > 0:39:01that they have in fact bought a fake phone.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07Fake Britain wanted to see how easy it is to buy a fake smartphone,
0:39:07 > 0:39:11so we asked one of our industry insiders who managed
0:39:11 > 0:39:14to purchase a suspected fake Samsung Galaxy S5 phone.
0:39:16 > 0:39:21We sent the phone to Samsung. They verified that it was indeed a fake.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24We took our fake smartphone to Faisal to see what he thought
0:39:24 > 0:39:27of it compared to the genuine article.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31Well, what you have here are a couple of Samsung Galaxy S5s
0:39:31 > 0:39:33with the exception being that this one here is real
0:39:33 > 0:39:35and this one here is fake.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41Faisal powers up both phones to see exactly what he's dealing with.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44The actual software on the fake one is very impressive.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46It looks like a Samsung device,
0:39:46 > 0:39:49whereas a lot of the fake phones that I've seen, you can tell
0:39:49 > 0:39:52the minute that you get to the interface that is non-genuine.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55If you don't know any better, you won't know this
0:39:55 > 0:39:58and you can easily be duped by this kind of stuff.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01Our fake Samsung Galaxy phone
0:40:01 > 0:40:04came with a fake lithium battery included.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Having seen how potentially dangerous these fake lithium
0:40:07 > 0:40:10batteries can be, we wanted to see the effects of one developing
0:40:10 > 0:40:13a fault when it's inside a fake phone.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17So we took it to Ciara Holland at the BRE Global test house.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23So we have a fake Samsung phone
0:40:23 > 0:40:26and it's also got a fake Samsung battery inside of it.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37It's not long before the fake battery fails dramatically.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43So you can see the sort of damage that it's done to the phone.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47This will have been caused by the battery itself.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50The worry is that a reaction like this is more likely
0:40:50 > 0:40:52with a fake phone.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54This could happen in someone's house.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56It could happen where it's charging.
0:40:56 > 0:41:00You're more likely to get this type of reaction with a fake device
0:41:00 > 0:41:05or a fake battery, lithium iron battery, than you would with
0:41:05 > 0:41:10the genuine product such as a genuine phone or a genuine battery.
0:41:11 > 0:41:15That is down again to quality control measures.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21It's not just something that's happening in the lab.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24There are numerous media reports of mobile phones
0:41:24 > 0:41:28across the world exploding whilst charging or even when in use.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31All of the incidents involve lithium batteries,
0:41:31 > 0:41:35many of which were suspected or proven to be fake.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38Phone expert Faisal told us about
0:41:38 > 0:41:42the particularly horrific case of Swiss teenager Fanny Schlatter.
0:41:42 > 0:41:47She had a Samsung Galaxy S3 in her pocket, in her back pocket
0:41:47 > 0:41:49and it just blew up.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53You can see from the device the kind of damage caused.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56It's intense heat needed to do something like this to a phone.
0:41:56 > 0:42:01She's got a huge bandage there, a big burn mark.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03Wow.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05Wow, I mean, that's horrific.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07That's quite a horrific burn.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12Fanny suffered second and third degree burns from the explosion.
0:42:12 > 0:42:17She claimed the accident left her with no feeling in her right thigh.
0:42:17 > 0:42:22Fake Britain contacted Samsung about Ms Schlatter's exploding phone.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25Samsung confirmed that following an investigation, it was found
0:42:25 > 0:42:29that the battery that caused the explosion wasn't one of theirs.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31Faisal thinks it could have been even worse.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33She could have been on the phone next to her face,
0:42:33 > 0:42:35that could have been a lot more nasty.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37It must be a frightening experience.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41Faisal believes we could soon see accidents like this involving
0:42:41 > 0:42:43fake phone batteries in the UK.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46It's quite scary because there are so many of these batteries out there.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51There are telltale signs to watch out for.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54If your phone is heating up, it's not a good sign.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58These kind of batteries that we have here where they're starting
0:42:58 > 0:43:01to swell, that will eventually get to an exploding battery
0:43:01 > 0:43:04if we don't give it more attention.
0:43:04 > 0:43:05So don't ignore this stuff.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.
0:43:44 > 0:43:45I think we've found four incredible cooks.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48But now it's finals week, we turn up the heat.
0:43:48 > 0:43:50We want to find our final three.
0:43:50 > 0:43:52It's time for business.
0:43:52 > 0:43:54It's going to be so sexy.
0:43:54 > 0:43:56It's like playing a cool game.
0:43:56 > 0:43:59I wanted to show that I can do something different.