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.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24Get down. Get down! Put your hands behind your back now!
0:00:24 > 0:00:27It's just an ordinary house.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29It could be anywhere in the country,
0:00:29 > 0:00:34but this is the Fake Britain house and it's filled with fakes.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37You may not know it, but your home could be too.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41In this series, we'll be investing the criminals trying to get
0:00:41 > 0:00:47their hands on your cash by using fraud, forgeries and fakery.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51And I'll be showing you how you can avoid being taken for a ride.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57Today on Fake Britain, we expose the shockingly dangerous fake
0:00:57 > 0:01:01motorcycle safety wear on sale to British bikers.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03If you have a crash in a helmet like that,
0:01:03 > 0:01:06the chances are you are not going to walk away from it.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08You'll end up in a mortuary.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12We tell the tale of the man who had three quarters of a million
0:01:12 > 0:01:17pounds he was spending on a house stolen by a fake firm of solicitors.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20I was absolutely gutted. I felt sick.
0:01:20 > 0:01:26Erm, I didn't think it was possible that anything like that could
0:01:26 > 0:01:27ever happen.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30We meet the people who were sold fake caravan
0:01:30 > 0:01:33holidays by serial fraudster Michael Fisher.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37Michael Fisher is a public menace.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41How do you tell a seven-year-old kid that she's not going to Butlins
0:01:41 > 0:01:42when I promised her?
0:01:42 > 0:01:46And we join the border force as they discover Class A drugs
0:01:46 > 0:01:50ingeniously hidden in fake cargos.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54I'm positive from the reaction there, there's heroin in this consignment.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01Ask any biker.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05The one thing you can't afford to compromise on is safety.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09A good set of well made protective clothing can
0:02:09 > 0:02:13reduce your injuries in a crash, or even save your life.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15However, it doesn't come cheap.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19The whole lot, hundreds or thousands of pounds.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22If you were to spend that money on this however,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26you'd be throwing it away, because this is a fake.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30And as we've discovered, if you were to rely on this in a crash,
0:02:30 > 0:02:32well, you could end up in real trouble.
0:02:34 > 0:02:381.2 million people ride motorbikes in the UK.
0:02:38 > 0:02:39When things go wrong,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42vital safety equipment goes some way to help to protect them.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48If you haven't got proper, decent safety equipment,
0:02:48 > 0:02:50you are playing Russian roulette as
0:02:50 > 0:02:52to whether you are going to walk
0:02:52 > 0:02:53away without a mark on you,
0:02:53 > 0:02:58or you end up in A&E with catastrophic injuries.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01Worryingly, Fake Britain's received information that fake
0:03:01 > 0:03:05motorbike safety wear is being sold online.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07We decided to investigate further,
0:03:07 > 0:03:09and see if these fakes are dangerous.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11The results are shocking.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Looking online, auction sites advertise lots of bike
0:03:16 > 0:03:20leathers described as genuine for attractive prices.
0:03:20 > 0:03:26We opted for a set of branded Yamaha leathers. Very smart, too.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30The leathers soon arrived. It turns out they've come from Pakistan.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33We took them to motor sport mecca Brands Hatch to ask
0:03:33 > 0:03:36the semi-professional riders there what they made of them.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39The quality of leather straightaway gives away it looks like vinyl.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42It doesn't really look like a good quality leather.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45Just the quality...even the stitching, doesn't look great.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48That would ring alarm bells straightaway.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51You can tell the stitching's terrible. You'd come off...
0:03:51 > 0:03:54It would probably wear down within seconds.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57If they cost more than a fiver, I'd be surprised.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01Yeah, just by weight. Again, that's the most obvious thing.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04It just weighs nothing. It just hasn't got the material in it.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10When we contacted Yamaha, they confirmed the riders' suspicions,
0:04:10 > 0:04:12the bike leathers are fakes.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15The counterfeiters had clearly tried to imitate the colours
0:04:15 > 0:04:18and pattern of a genuine Yamaha suit.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24But we wanted to know whether the fakes were also dangerous.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29To find this out, we took the leathers all the way to Italy to
0:04:29 > 0:04:33internationally renowned motorcycle equipment manufacturer, Dainese.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38Genuine Yamaha bike suits are made here in this complex in Malvina
0:04:38 > 0:04:43and are put through rigorous safety tests, including an abrasion
0:04:43 > 0:04:46test that mimics the conditions of an accident.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50The number of seconds the suit lasts is equivalent to
0:04:50 > 0:04:53the time it would protect someone sliding along the ground.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59First, the team performs the test on a genuine suit.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04To pass EU regulations for this test, the leather of the suit
0:05:04 > 0:05:10must withstand five seconds against a hard surface at 70mph.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Reassuringly, it lasts 5.7 seconds.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17But how would our fake from Pakistan fare?
0:05:18 > 0:05:23The team cut samples from the fake suit and put it to the test.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29After just three and a half seconds, it wears through to the skin,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32failing the vital safety standard.
0:05:32 > 0:05:38The fake leather would be very dangerous for the motorcycle rider.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42You can break very easily this leather.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48Back in the UK, we showed the results of our test to Tony Carter.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52With 30 years as a police officer and now an accident
0:05:52 > 0:05:56investigator, Tony's an expert when it comes to motorcycle safety.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01What was most significant is the time it took to wear away
0:06:01 > 0:06:03the poor quality leather.
0:06:03 > 0:06:08The difference between the fake suit and a genuine quality leather,
0:06:08 > 0:06:102 and a half seconds nearly.
0:06:10 > 0:06:1270mph on a motorway,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15that could be the difference between a rider getting up
0:06:15 > 0:06:18and walking away relatively uninjured,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21or ending up in an ambulance spending a long time in hospital
0:06:21 > 0:06:24recovering from severe injuries.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29Some parts of genuine suits actually have two layers of leather,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32meaning they're substantially safer than our fake.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37And British bikers are buying fake motorcycle safety wear.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Alan Routledge appeared in court for importing dangerous
0:06:42 > 0:06:44counterfeit leathers, also from Pakistan.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49Operating from units at a business park in Jarrow,
0:06:49 > 0:06:55he made £400,000 a year for eight years, selling the leathers online.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Coming up, we reveal it's not just bike leathers being faked.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07Poor quality counterfeit helmets are also being sold online.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09We show just how dangerous they are.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Moving house is supposed to be one of the most stressful
0:07:21 > 0:07:24things you can do, and no wonder.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26First, you've got to find a property,
0:07:26 > 0:07:30then get your offer accepted, arrange your mortgage,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32then you might have to sell your old house,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35AND you have to sort out the move itself.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38At least if you've got a solicitor, you can
0:07:38 > 0:07:41rely on them to deal with the legal side of things.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Transferring huge sums of money.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46Unless they're a fake.
0:07:46 > 0:07:47In which case, you can't.
0:07:50 > 0:07:51For most of us,
0:07:51 > 0:07:54buying a house is the biggest transaction of our lives.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57It generally costs hundreds of thousands of pounds,
0:07:57 > 0:07:59and involves a fair few stresses.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02But, the reward of having your own home is worth it.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06How would you feel, then, if you moved into your new home
0:08:06 > 0:08:09and then lost it all through no fault of your own?
0:08:10 > 0:08:13Nick Christophy lives in Hertfordshire
0:08:13 > 0:08:14with his wife and two sons.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18When a dream house became available in a sought-after neighbourhood,
0:08:18 > 0:08:22he jumped at the chance to buy it, borrowing and scraping together
0:08:22 > 0:08:25hundreds and thousands of pounds from his family.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27I was very excited, the whole family were.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29It's what you dream about when you're young and
0:08:29 > 0:08:33you're growing up and you dream about the kind of house you wanted
0:08:33 > 0:08:36and you think "right, this is the one".
0:08:36 > 0:08:40And so we were ecstatic about it.
0:08:40 > 0:08:45Nick's offer of £735,000 on his dream house was accepted,
0:08:45 > 0:08:49and his solicitor worked closely with the firm representing
0:08:49 > 0:08:52the owner, Acorn Solicitors, in order to seal the deal.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57I've done all the right things. I bought through the estate
0:08:57 > 0:09:01agents, the solicitors, I got the keys from the estate agent,
0:09:01 > 0:09:04paid over our money and everything.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08Nick and his family moved in, delighted with their new home.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11But he was about to receive a huge shock.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14Postman came, put the letters through the door,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17and one of them said to the owner/occupier,
0:09:17 > 0:09:22so I opened it, had a look at it, and it was a notice of eviction.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26Confused, Nick immediately phoned his solicitor, who tried to
0:09:26 > 0:09:30contact Acorn Solicitors to confirm that the money had gone through.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33She couldn't get hold of them.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36It was a dead line on the other side,
0:09:36 > 0:09:40and she came back and said the house hadn't been paid for.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42That's when it all began to sink in.
0:09:42 > 0:09:47The money had been received by Acorn Solicitors, based in Rotherham,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50and not to be confused with any other firm of the same name.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54But the company, with an office and staff, had vanished.
0:09:55 > 0:10:00The awful truth dawned on Nick. Acorn was a fake firm of solicitors.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06They'd hoodwinked the seller of the house as well as Nick
0:10:06 > 0:10:13and his solicitor, and stolen his entire purchase money of £735,000.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19Nick was stunned, and faced the prospect of a crippling debt.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24I was absolutely gutted. I felt sick.
0:10:24 > 0:10:29Erm, I didn't think it was possible that anything like that could
0:10:29 > 0:10:30ever happen.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34And deep down, just thought that everything was going to be
0:10:34 > 0:10:38all right and it couldn't happen to me.
0:10:40 > 0:10:41To make matters worse,
0:10:41 > 0:10:45Nick discovered that his dream house should never have been sold.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47It was due to be repossessed.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50I mean I've worked hard all my like to provide for me
0:10:50 > 0:10:54and my family and just for that to be taken away from you,
0:10:54 > 0:10:58you literally own nothing. Erm, it was terrible.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
0:11:02 > 0:11:03It was devastating.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08The shock hit Nick and his family very hard.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11It's completely changed my life.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14Erm, emotions, stress,
0:11:14 > 0:11:19anxiety attacks...I've had depression as well at times.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22I try to protect the kids and to keep them out of this.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25I didn't want them to get affected. It was a tough time.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29The fakers had completely vanished,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32and police have been unable to trace them.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36However, they've uncovered the complex means by which bogus
0:11:36 > 0:11:40company Acorn carried out their audacious deception.
0:11:40 > 0:11:45It involved stealing the identity of a genuine lawyer.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49Looking online, the fraudsters discovered a retired solicitor.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53Without his knowledge, they changed his name online via deed poll,
0:11:53 > 0:11:57a practice alarmingly easy and cheap.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00The fakers then contacted the Solicitors Regulation Authority,
0:12:00 > 0:12:04informing them the retired solicitor had changed his name
0:12:04 > 0:12:07and was setting up a new practice, Acorn Solicitors.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11Shockingly, the SRA, the official trade body,
0:12:11 > 0:12:14didn't question the new company,
0:12:14 > 0:12:18and put the fraudsters on the law society's Find-a-Solicitor website.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22The fakers are thought to have used a counterfeit passport to open
0:12:22 > 0:12:28a new bank account in order to receive Nick's £735,000.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31When Nick Christophy spoke to his solicitor,
0:12:31 > 0:12:35she assured him the SRA who'd registered the fake company,
0:12:35 > 0:12:39had a compensation fund, and he'd get his money back.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42They'd say "don't worry, there's a compensation fund."
0:12:42 > 0:12:44"You're covered one way or the other."
0:12:45 > 0:12:50His application for compensation was rejected by the SRA,
0:12:50 > 0:12:52who are based here in Birmingham.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56This was despite the fact they'd kept the fake solicitor's details
0:12:56 > 0:13:00up on the website for six weeks after their fakery was exposed.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06Antony Townsend is their Chief Executive.
0:13:06 > 0:13:12Sadly, as a regulator, the Solicitors Regulation Authority cannot
0:13:12 > 0:13:16help people who have lost money to criminals.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20The SRA doesn't regulate criminals, we regulate law firms
0:13:20 > 0:13:22and genuine solicitors.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Consumers must take the responsibility for making their
0:13:25 > 0:13:27checks because if they don't check
0:13:27 > 0:13:31and they go to a fraudulent solicitor and they lose money,
0:13:31 > 0:13:33the only thing they can do is go to the police and see
0:13:33 > 0:13:37whether they can recover their money through the courts.
0:13:38 > 0:13:43Nick Christophy was left devastated, and feeling utterly abandoned.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45I'm disgusted with them.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48For someone, for me and my family,
0:13:48 > 0:13:53I was hoping to get a bit of help, but there was no help at all.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58In an out-of-court settlement with his own solicitor,
0:13:58 > 0:14:03Nick has managed to claw back two-thirds of the £735,000 stolen
0:14:03 > 0:14:07by the fakers, but he lost his dream house,
0:14:07 > 0:14:10AND was faced with repaying his family the remaining
0:14:10 > 0:14:12hundreds of thousands of pounds that he borrowed.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17Worryingly, Nick's experience isn't unique.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21Other families have also had their mortgage funds stolen by fake
0:14:21 > 0:14:23solicitors.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27With £600 million exchanged every day in return for houses,
0:14:27 > 0:14:29it's an obvious target for criminals.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37Lawyer David Robinson is an expert in property fraud.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41Fraudsters like convention transactions because they're high
0:14:41 > 0:14:49value transactions where large sums of money pass on completion,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52and even on exchange of contracts.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56David is bringing a case against the SRA on behalf of Nick Christophy
0:14:56 > 0:15:00and four other people who fell victim to fake solicitors.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04The SRA had registered Acorn as a bona fide firm, and they remained
0:15:04 > 0:15:09on the Find-a-Solicitor website even after their fakery had been exposed.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13The information on the site is misleading.
0:15:13 > 0:15:19The system for admitting solicitors and holding them out needs to be
0:15:19 > 0:15:23changed to make it more difficult for
0:15:23 > 0:15:27fraudsters to masquerade as lawyers.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29As Nick Christophy discovered,
0:15:29 > 0:15:32it can be very difficult to spot a fake solicitor.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36However, David has some general advice for anyone
0:15:36 > 0:15:38thinking of buying a home.
0:15:40 > 0:15:45Check up on the vendor's solicitor's name and firms name. Ask in person.
0:15:45 > 0:15:46Don't get fobbed off.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Double the checks that you're making on the vendor.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53When appointing your own solicitor, choose, if you haven't chosen
0:15:53 > 0:15:58one before, one recommended by a friend, family or work colleague.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02Use all the checks that are available. Lawyer checker is one.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06Don't search the internet for the ultra cheap price.
0:16:06 > 0:16:07It's a big transaction,
0:16:07 > 0:16:11it's worth spending a few extra pounds to get peace of mind.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20For fakers, sometimes the hardest part of getting their hands
0:16:20 > 0:16:25on our cash is getting their goods into Britain in the first place.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28That means using all sorts of tricks and deceptions to get them
0:16:28 > 0:16:32past the UK's border force, and as you're about to see,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35that's a game that leads to some extraordinary discoveries.
0:16:39 > 0:16:40Previously on Fake Britain,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43we've revealed how fakers stashed counterfeit
0:16:43 > 0:16:47cigarettes in kitchenware, coffee grounds, and even air conditioning
0:16:47 > 0:16:51units, in a desperate bid to get their fakes into the country.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56This morning, Fake Britain's come to Heathrow Airport to join
0:16:56 > 0:16:59the border force as they look for fake goods
0:16:59 > 0:17:03and other illegal products hidden in packages entering the country.
0:17:05 > 0:17:10It's not long before team member Annie turns up a suspect package.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14The paperwork states that it contains receivers,
0:17:14 > 0:17:15but that's not what's inside.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19It looks like they are quite cheap headphones.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22But when Annie opens a box, she's in for another shock.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27OK! Surprise. They are Dr Dre's.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30They have concealed them
0:17:30 > 0:17:33very carefully with a different wrapping on it by putting
0:17:33 > 0:17:36a different packaging, the description of goods is
0:17:36 > 0:17:40completely different as well, from what they are.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44Annie suspects the headphones are fakes.
0:17:44 > 0:17:45As a premium item,
0:17:45 > 0:17:49Dr Dre Beats headphones are a popular target for counterfeiters,
0:17:49 > 0:17:53but this level of sophisticated concealment is something new.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58They will actually be sent to the right holders,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01that's Dr Dre's right holders,
0:18:01 > 0:18:04and they will ascertain whether they are actually counterfeit.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10It's not long before another suspect parcel is discovered by the team.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14Right. This is a package from Pakistan.
0:18:14 > 0:18:19It's described as Ludo boards, it's 32 kilos.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21That's a lot of gifts for one person.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23I say it's just a really strange shipment.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26In all the years I've done this job, you don't come across it.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29It just looks really really odd.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31I mean we're looking for packages primarily. Class A drugs.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34So, with this sort of thing, X-rays aren't really going to
0:18:34 > 0:18:39show very much, so the only way to do it is going in by hand.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44So, I'm going to have to damage these ones, I'm afraid.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46It's unusual that the whole package is marked as
0:18:46 > 0:18:49a gift for just one person.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Glen suspects the game boards could be fake,
0:18:51 > 0:18:56and simply a way of smuggling something inside into the country.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58And he's not sure what.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01It's two layers of card, so...
0:19:01 > 0:19:04Luckily, Glen's nose for fakes is highly developed,
0:19:04 > 0:19:07and he soon finds something suspect.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10There's no packages...
0:19:10 > 0:19:14BUT there's like a chemical smell coming up from this.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17It looks slightly wet and when you come up close,
0:19:17 > 0:19:21there's little glints like crystallisation.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23The damp patches could be glue,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26but they could also be something much more worrying.
0:19:26 > 0:19:31I think they've impregnated the cardboard with diamorphine.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35That's what I'm suspecting from the smell.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39Liquid diamorphine is better known as heroin.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42But to be certain, he must do a special chemical test.
0:19:42 > 0:19:47If the acid goes pink, there is heroin in the Ludo boards.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50So, what we'll do now is get one of our test kits.
0:19:51 > 0:19:56We have to cut a piece of the cardboard,
0:19:56 > 0:19:58put these bits in the test...
0:19:58 > 0:20:01It's basically concentrated acid so we have to be quite careful.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05..and we have to crack the acid open and then wait for the reaction.
0:20:05 > 0:20:11So, let's crack the acid. Can you see the colour there?
0:20:11 > 0:20:15It's going sort of like a pink tinge.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Glen's suspicions seem to be confirmed.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19So I'm positive from the reaction there,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22there's heroin in this consignment.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30The team search the remaining fake boards
0:20:30 > 0:20:35and discover four they suspect have been laced with liquid heroin.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39They soak the drugs in liquid form and then impregnate it on.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41That's how they do it.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45One final test remains, and it involves a furry investigator.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49This is Maggie, and she specialises in cash and Class A drugs.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54She'll freeze and point at the consignment with her nose
0:20:54 > 0:20:58where she thinks the Class A or cash is.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02The Ludo boards are put back into the parcel,
0:21:02 > 0:21:06and it's hidden amongst others to disguise its contents.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09But Maggie makes straight for the suspect game boards.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12I've brought the dog in, run over the consignment,
0:21:12 > 0:21:17and she's given me a positive indication on a box in the middle.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20We used the dog today to get another indication.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24It backed up the field test as well, to say that's diamorphine in that.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27It's good team work today. It's very good team detection.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31And the team's left in no doubt that the board games were simply
0:21:31 > 0:21:34a fake cover for smuggling heroin into the country.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39These fakers are playing with peoples lives.
0:21:40 > 0:21:45Had the border agency staff not detected the package, dangerous
0:21:45 > 0:21:49Class A drugs could have been on the streets of Britain within days.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54Glen can't be sure of the exact amount of the drug,
0:21:54 > 0:21:56but it's still a good find for the team.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01With this now, we're going to secure it in a safe environment
0:22:01 > 0:22:04and maintain our chain of evidence if it goes to court.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08And I've passed on all the details to our investigation colleagues
0:22:08 > 0:22:12who will look into this seriously and proceed on with it.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Earlier, Fake Britain revealed that a set of bike leathers
0:22:23 > 0:22:28we bought online was fake. Tests at world famous Italian
0:22:28 > 0:22:33manufacturer Dainese also showed them to be dangerous.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36But if your leathers are important, it's nothing compared to your lid.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40Dainese also make genuine helmets for AGV.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44Shockingly, they've discovered fake versions of AGV helmets
0:22:44 > 0:22:46made in China on sale online.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50They agree to put one to the test to see just how dangerous they are.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55To demonstrate the difference in quality between a fake and genuine
0:22:55 > 0:22:59helmet, they set up a drop test that re-creates
0:22:59 > 0:23:04the conditions of a rider landing head first onto asphalt.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07First up, a genuine AGV helmet.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09It's dropped five times at a
0:23:09 > 0:23:12speed of 7.5m per second to mimic
0:23:12 > 0:23:14possible repeated collisions
0:23:14 > 0:23:15with the road, pavement corners,
0:23:15 > 0:23:17or other hard surfaces.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Even with repeated blows,
0:23:21 > 0:23:24the genuine helmet remains intact.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26How will the fake get on?
0:23:30 > 0:23:31It's already chipped
0:23:31 > 0:23:33by the first drop.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46And it only gets worse.
0:23:51 > 0:23:56The counterfeit helmet breaks in a very dangerous way.
0:23:56 > 0:24:01You can guess how dangerous it is during an accident.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05A helmet is the most important piece of safety wear for a biker.
0:24:05 > 0:24:11This fake has failed crucial EU safety tests categorically.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14It's illegal, and very dangerous.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19Back in the UK, we also showed the results of the helmet tests
0:24:19 > 0:24:24to motorcycle safety expert and accident investigator Tony Carter.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29I'm staggered. Genuinely staggered.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32I have investigated many thousands of crashes
0:24:32 > 0:24:34involving many motorcyclists,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37and I have never seen a helmet split like that has.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48The crash helmet is designed to absorb the shock of your head
0:24:48 > 0:24:50hitting the road surface.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53If you have a crash in a helmet like that, the chances are you are
0:24:53 > 0:24:56not going to walk away from it, you'll end up in a mortuary.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07To see what motorcycle enthusiasts thought of our fake safety wear,
0:25:07 > 0:25:11we took it to the motorcycle show at Birmingham's NEC arena.
0:25:13 > 0:25:18First impressions, eh, not very well made at all.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21Stitching's coming out there so obviously
0:25:21 > 0:25:24if you have an accident, it's not going to do you so well.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26I wouldn't cut costs on leathers or any safety gear.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Helmets, gloves, you know, boots, because at the end of the day,
0:25:29 > 0:25:31you can't put a price on your life.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37There isn't any substantial elbow on this either.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41I can feel it straightaway. That's not going to do you any good at all.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Stall holders at the event can't believe the poor
0:25:44 > 0:25:46quality of the leathers.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48It is dangerous because you're travelling at 70mph
0:25:48 > 0:25:51on a bike potentially. If you come off, you want something to be close
0:25:51 > 0:25:53to your skin that's going to give you protection.
0:25:53 > 0:25:54The stitching is just going to give.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57I suspect if I pull this hard, it would probably fall apart.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing this at all.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01In fact, I wouldn't put anyone in this.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03I wouldn't put my worst enemy in it.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06If you go into your local dealer, you can touch, you can feel,
0:26:06 > 0:26:10and you can examine what you're buying, and then you know that
0:26:10 > 0:26:15you're getting a genuine product if you buy from a genuine dealer.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19Safety expert Tony Carter has clear advice for anyone wanting to
0:26:19 > 0:26:23buy new motorbike safety equipment.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26It is imperative that you buy the best that you can afford,
0:26:26 > 0:26:28the best quality, and it's genuine.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32Because as we've seen already with fakes, you are literally
0:26:32 > 0:26:36running the gauntlet as to whether it is going to do the job or not.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45With a round a million earthings in the UK,
0:26:45 > 0:26:49it's no surprise that caravanning has become a multibillion pound
0:26:49 > 0:26:53holiday industry, employing 90,000 people.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57And if you fancy a go, you don't have to buy. You can rent.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59It's never been easier.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03There are dozens of websites booking them out across the whole country.
0:27:03 > 0:27:08It should be a fun, affordable week of freedom,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11unless of course, your caravan holiday is a fake.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16This is the story of how a serial fraudster stole
0:27:16 > 0:27:20over £100,000 from would-be holiday makers in an audacious plot
0:27:20 > 0:27:24involving a web of lies, forged documents and 20 fake caravans.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Julie Tippling and her family live in Bradford.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38When her father was diagnosed with cancer, she decided to
0:27:38 > 0:27:42book them all a holiday to help them try to deal with the trauma.
0:27:42 > 0:27:43At the end of 2008,
0:27:43 > 0:27:47my father was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and his
0:27:47 > 0:27:53prognosis was very upsetting because he was given 12 months to survive.
0:27:54 > 0:27:59So, we thought it would be nice for us to book a holiday,
0:27:59 > 0:28:01give us something to look forward to.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06Julie decided on a caravan in Butlins at Skegness.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10They're often sub-let online by owners,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13and she found what appeared to be a great offer on eBay.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17We were looking to book for the following summer
0:28:17 > 0:28:20because I knew my dad would undergo some chemotherapy
0:28:20 > 0:28:25and brain radiation so he would need time to recover.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30The offer came from a company called Lucy's Caravans.
0:28:30 > 0:28:31They boasted that they
0:28:31 > 0:28:36owned 20 Caravans at the Butlins Skegness site, and at £350
0:28:36 > 0:28:39for a week for the whole family, it seemed like a terrific deal.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44She rang the number and spoke to a Mr Michael Fisher.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49He reassured me because he told me that he was there at Butlins.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54It seemed quite busy with children in the background.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58Julie went ahead and made the booking.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00And everything came back OK.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03I received a receipt for my money,
0:29:03 > 0:29:09I received a booking form headed "Lucy's Caravans", and I received
0:29:09 > 0:29:13a sub-letting form headed "Butlins" so I though everything was OK.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18The whole family was very excited about their forthcoming holiday.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22But a few months later, Julie received a letter from Fisher,
0:29:22 > 0:29:26saying he'd changed his company name to Blue Sky Lettings.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28She thought nothing of it.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30Then Julie got another letter that did make her worry.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37I received another letter saying that the company had ceased
0:29:37 > 0:29:41to trade, and that they'd been forced to cease to trade with
0:29:41 > 0:29:44an ongoing legal dispute with Butlins.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47That's when I thought, "hmm, something's not quite right".
0:29:50 > 0:29:54Julie wrote to Butlins to find out exactly what was going on.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57She was stunned by their response.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01They wrote back stating Mr Fisher had no caravans at the site.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05Julie was confronted by an awful truth.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08The caravan and the holiday she'd booked were fake.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11She was devastated.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13I knew the holiday was gone.
0:30:14 > 0:30:20I felt really annoyed and frustrated
0:30:20 > 0:30:24and upset that he could really do this.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30And especially with my father being terminally ill.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33As a family, we were all really really disappointed.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36Julie Tippling wasn't the only would-be holiday maker
0:30:36 > 0:30:39duped by fraudster Michael Fisher.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42He was pedalling his fake caravans to as many people as he could.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48Further south in Cambridgeshire, Paul Toms had also spotted
0:30:48 > 0:30:50Fisher's deal online.
0:30:50 > 0:30:55Amazed at the low prices, he'd also snapped up a family holiday.
0:30:55 > 0:31:00I was so convinced that my nephew came round who lives in Basildon
0:31:00 > 0:31:04and I said to him, "This would be great for you for a honeymoon."
0:31:04 > 0:31:07The caravan would have suited him ideal and he says "Oh, great.
0:31:07 > 0:31:08"I'll phone up now."
0:31:08 > 0:31:12And he phoned up and he booked one next to ours almost.
0:31:12 > 0:31:18So, again, he got a booking form, a receipt for his money,
0:31:18 > 0:31:22order of acknowledgement, everything seemed above board.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27Paul Toms even booked a third holiday, an Easter break,
0:31:27 > 0:31:31meaning he'd paid faker Fisher a total of £900.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35But after weeks of not having heard from Fisher,
0:31:35 > 0:31:39and with his holiday approaching, he called Butlins. Like Julie Tippling,
0:31:39 > 0:31:42he was shocked by the truth.
0:31:42 > 0:31:43And I phoned Butlins
0:31:43 > 0:31:46and said "Do you have a Mr Fisher as an owner of yours?
0:31:48 > 0:31:51"He tells me he's got 20 caravans there" and they said,
0:31:51 > 0:31:56"No, he's got no caravans here. We've had problems with this already."
0:31:56 > 0:31:59And then alarm bells started to ring.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01Butlins directed Paul, Julie
0:32:01 > 0:32:05and others conned by Fisher to Suffolk trading standards.
0:32:05 > 0:32:09Lee Nunn was deluged with complaints and began to investigate.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Initially, we were alerted to this fact by colleagues at
0:32:12 > 0:32:15trading standards in Lincolnshire.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18They reported that some consumers had arrived at the Butlins
0:32:18 > 0:32:23site in Skegness, only to find that their bookings weren't valid.
0:32:23 > 0:32:28Lee and his team visited the business premises of Michael Fisher.
0:32:28 > 0:32:32This office complex here was where Mr Fisher was based, and this is
0:32:32 > 0:32:37the place where we completed an entry and seizure of various documents.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41Fisher had already fled.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45But inside, Lee was flabbergasted by what he found.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48Not only had Fisher duped families with fake holidays,
0:32:48 > 0:32:50he'd forged documents
0:32:50 > 0:32:54and attempted to buy genuine caravans with worthless cheques.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00Mr Fisher used a variety of bank accounts,
0:33:00 > 0:33:02some of which were in existence,
0:33:02 > 0:33:07but never had more than a few hundred pounds in when he was writing
0:33:07 > 0:33:14out cheques to the tune of £20,500, £16,000, £16,500.
0:33:17 > 0:33:23He even, when his scam was uncovered, tried to repay some of the consumers
0:33:23 > 0:33:27with cheques from the same accounts that didn't have any funds in.
0:33:27 > 0:33:33He even manufactured, he forged, caravan contract agreements to try
0:33:33 > 0:33:37and provide evidence to innocent people that he actually owned
0:33:37 > 0:33:39some of these caravans.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43This caravan owner never knew anything about this contract,
0:33:43 > 0:33:49never had any agreement with Mr Fisher to purchase that caravan or
0:33:49 > 0:33:55allow Mr Fisher to advertise and let holidays for this actual caravan.
0:33:56 > 0:34:01In total, Fisher's caravan con had duped over 200 families.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04Some still didn't know their holiday was a fake,
0:34:04 > 0:34:06and it was Lee's job to call them.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12Sadie Blunderfield was amongst them.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14She'd booked an '80s weekend
0:34:14 > 0:34:18and a family holiday at a total cost of £730.
0:34:19 > 0:34:26Trading standards got in touch with me and my stomach just dropped.
0:34:26 > 0:34:30My kids were really looking forward to it because we go to Butlins
0:34:30 > 0:34:32every year and they really enjoy it so yes,
0:34:32 > 0:34:35they were really excited about going.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40I'm just asking "Why?" basically.
0:34:40 > 0:34:44How could he do that to families with young children?
0:34:45 > 0:34:47I'm just asking "Why?".
0:34:47 > 0:34:51When they were told they weren't going, my youngest at the time
0:34:51 > 0:34:57was six and he couldn't understand why someone had done that.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02Julie Tippling was so enraged that faker Fisher had conned her
0:35:02 > 0:35:05and her dying father out of their last holiday,
0:35:05 > 0:35:08she pursued him through the small claims court.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11Eventually, she got almost all of her money back,
0:35:11 > 0:35:13but others weren't so lucky.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17The police did track Fisher down though.
0:35:17 > 0:35:18He appeared at Ipswich Crown Court
0:35:18 > 0:35:22and was charged with fraudulent trading under the Fraud Act.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26It emerged the faker had stolen over £100,000 from members
0:35:26 > 0:35:30of the public and legitimate businesses.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34Fisher pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 40 months in jail.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36Lee Nunn was delighted.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38I was pleased with the sentence.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41As much for myself and my department,
0:35:41 > 0:35:46- I was pleased for the victims that had some form of closure.- Maybe.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50But for those who lost money and precious time together,
0:35:50 > 0:35:53thanks to Michael Fisher, they still have to count the cost.
0:35:53 > 0:35:59It's a despicable crime. People don't...
0:35:59 > 0:36:03He's preying on people who are trying to save money or who
0:36:03 > 0:36:05have got very little money to go on holiday.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08You know, how do you tell a seven-year-old kid here that
0:36:08 > 0:36:11she's not going to Butlins when I promised her?
0:36:13 > 0:36:15He's an absolute waste of space.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19I just think he's horrible.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24He obviously hasn't got a conscience because of what he's done.
0:36:24 > 0:36:30He's deceitful, dishonest, a serial fraudster.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34Michael Fisher is a public menace, he's a serial fraudster,
0:36:34 > 0:36:38and he has no care for any of the victims that he's scammed.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46Have a look at this big green book.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50It's the Institution of Engineering
0:36:50 > 0:36:55and Technology's Requirements For Electrical Installations.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58Electricians have another word for this though.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00They call it their Bible.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03It's a rulebook that makes sure that every electrical
0:37:03 > 0:37:07installation in the UK is absolutely safe.
0:37:07 > 0:37:08However...
0:37:11 > 0:37:15Here's another one. Almost identical, but this one is a fake.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17And as we've discovered,
0:37:17 > 0:37:21someone is trying to smuggle these into the UK in their thousands.
0:37:23 > 0:37:27This morning, head of East Kent Trading Standards, Mark Rolfe,
0:37:27 > 0:37:30is on his way to inspect a surprising new haul of suspect
0:37:30 > 0:37:36goods, fake wiring regulations, for professional electricians.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39The books were seized at Dover docks, working with our colleagues
0:37:39 > 0:37:44in the Borders Agency, and we've now got them in a secure storage unit.
0:37:44 > 0:37:48Genuine wiring regulations have been in use since 1882, and are
0:37:48 > 0:37:53the industry standard in Britain for ensuring electrical wiring is safe.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Containing what professionals call "the regs", every
0:37:57 > 0:38:02electrician in the UK is expected to hold a copy of this gold standard.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05For safety reasons, it's critical that they're correct.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11This shipment of possible fakes was discovered being
0:38:11 > 0:38:13smuggled into local docks.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16Like every port in the UK, Dover is inundated with counterfeit
0:38:16 > 0:38:19goods coming in from overseas.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22The manuals have come from Latvia.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25It's not the usual manufacturing source,
0:38:25 > 0:38:29so the border force has immediately flagged them as suspicious.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32Mark arrives at the storehouse and makes straight for the locker where
0:38:32 > 0:38:35the suspect manuals are being stored.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38There's quite a lot more there than I'd imagine to be honest.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41That's quite a significant printing operation.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44Mark is keen to take a look at what's inside.
0:38:44 > 0:38:48The paper is a reasonable quality paper, it's professionally bound.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52I've seen books in the past where the binding isn't what it should be,
0:38:52 > 0:38:56but this has clearly been professionally manufactured.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00To do something of this standard requires a lot of time,
0:39:00 > 0:39:05a lot of organisation, you know, it is organised criminality.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09This isn't just a small scale market trader chancing his arm.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11Somebody's gone to a lot of trouble to do this.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14There's a reason the fakers have laboured to counterfeit
0:39:14 > 0:39:18something as unusual as an electrician's manual.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22We know that the original version sells for somewhere
0:39:22 > 0:39:24in the region of £80.
0:39:24 > 0:39:29So I think somebody trying to sell a fake version of this could
0:39:29 > 0:39:32easily get away with £40 or £50 and some people would still think
0:39:32 > 0:39:36they're getting a bargain. £50...800 copies,
0:39:36 > 0:39:39that's still £40,000 of criminal benefit.
0:39:43 > 0:39:47But it's not the money that's the real worry with these fake manuals.
0:39:47 > 0:39:51We took one of the suspect books to expert, Mark Coles.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54He's Technical Regulations Manager for the IET,
0:39:54 > 0:39:59the body which compiles the genuine electrical standard.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01He immediately confirms it's fake, and is appalled by the
0:40:01 > 0:40:07possibility of counterfeit versions of the book being out there in use.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09This is the IET wiring regulations.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12Now, every electrical installation in the country needs to comply
0:40:12 > 0:40:13with the content of this book.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16The idea of a standard is, every time the installation is performed,
0:40:16 > 0:40:20we get the same result so that every house is as safe as the next one.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22If you install to a counterfeit book,
0:40:22 > 0:40:26then we could be installing a dangerous installation.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29Compared with the real book, it's certainly very convincing.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32What are the differences? Well, they're very similar.
0:40:32 > 0:40:37Put the two together, you'll see that the counterfeit copy is darker,
0:40:37 > 0:40:39darker green.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41And you'll also find if you do have a fake copy,
0:40:41 > 0:40:44the paper's a bit thicker, a bit stiffer.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48Now, when we put the two together and look at the spines, we'll see in
0:40:48 > 0:40:53the counterfeit copy, the printing on the spine is moved to one side.
0:40:53 > 0:40:55The differences on the outside are one thing,
0:40:55 > 0:40:59but it's those on the inside that have got Mark worried.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01When we compare these two tables of the genuine
0:41:01 > 0:41:05and the counterfeit copy, this point in the table we have the number 36.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09At the same point in the table of the counterfeit copy, we have 26.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12This means that you'll need to put a larger cable in, therefore
0:41:12 > 0:41:16installing to this fake copy, it'll cost a whole morning more.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21Amazingly, this isn't the only fake IET manual the organisation
0:41:21 > 0:41:23has come across.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28Jack Day is currently studying electrical
0:41:28 > 0:41:32installation at Cambridge Regional College.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36Online, he bought another IET wiring manual, the On-Site Guide.
0:41:37 > 0:41:41He tried to use it to answer a question set by his lecturer
0:41:41 > 0:41:45about what thickness of cable to use in a particular installation.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48It wasn't until I was sitting in the class that we
0:41:48 > 0:41:50realised there was something wrong with it.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53It was when we were doing conduits,
0:41:53 > 0:41:57so it went from, 16, 20 to 35 then 32, whereas it should have gone
0:41:57 > 0:41:5916, 20, 25, 32.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04Steven Davine is Jack's lecturer.
0:42:04 > 0:42:08We quickly realised that some of the information here was false,
0:42:08 > 0:42:10as there is no such thing as a 35ml conduit.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13On identifying that there was a problem within this publication,
0:42:13 > 0:42:17I contacted the IET and as a result of that,
0:42:17 > 0:42:20I sent them a copy of the On-Site Guide and
0:42:20 > 0:42:23they established that there were more than 80 errors in the publication.
0:42:23 > 0:42:29And potentially these errors could cause risk of poor installation
0:42:29 > 0:42:32and essentially risk to life through fire or electric shock.
0:42:34 > 0:42:36Jack's now bought the right manual,
0:42:36 > 0:42:39but the experience has left him chastened.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43It could've caused me to fail my exams. I could've wired up a house.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45I could've caught alight.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50My message to these people who are putting these books together
0:42:50 > 0:42:54is please stop because you're doing untold damage to the industry
0:42:54 > 0:42:57and also bringing dangers into peoples houses.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.