0:00:02 > 0:00:05Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22- Get down! Get down!- On the floor now!
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Put your hands behind your back now!
0:00:24 > 0:00:26It's just an ordinary house.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29It could be anywhere in the country,
0:00:29 > 0:00:31but this is the Fake Britain house,
0:00:31 > 0:00:33and it's filled with fakes.
0:00:33 > 0:00:34You may not know it,
0:00:34 > 0:00:37but your home could be too.
0:00:37 > 0:00:38In this series, we'll be
0:00:38 > 0:00:40investigating the criminals trying
0:00:40 > 0:00:43to get their hands on your cash by
0:00:43 > 0:00:46using fraud, forgeries and fakery.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50AND I'll be showing you how you can avoid being taken for a ride.
0:00:52 > 0:00:57Today on Fake Britain, the fireworks and the fakery that left one man
0:00:57 > 0:00:59blinded and scarred for life.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03I shouted, I screamed. It was awful.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06It was far, far worse than I'd imagined it would be.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11The fake car accessories flooding the market.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14We follow Trading Standards as they investigate...
0:01:15 > 0:01:19..and the fake orphanages that are putting children in danger
0:01:19 > 0:01:22and conning well-meaning British volunteers.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24This place turned out to be an orphanage,
0:01:24 > 0:01:27however, the children weren't orphans.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36Firework displays aren't just for Bonfire Night any more.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Weddings, birthdays, all sorts of celebrations are marked
0:01:40 > 0:01:41by professional displays
0:01:41 > 0:01:45put on by people who we expect to know what they're doing and keep
0:01:45 > 0:01:50us all safe because it goes without saying, fireworks can be dangerous.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54You'd also expect them to have the correct insurance.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57THIS is a certificate of public liability,
0:01:57 > 0:02:01but this crucial document turned out to be a fake.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03When things went wrong, the results were tragic.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11When we visit a fireworks display, we expect a few things.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15Bright lights, big bangs, and above all, we expect to be safe.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18That's why to put on a professional show, the company doing the
0:02:18 > 0:02:24display has to prove to a firework supplier that it's competent.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27The main way of doing that is to have a public liability
0:02:27 > 0:02:29insurance document.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33Faking a document like this would potentially put us all in danger.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Surely such a thing would be unthinkable?
0:02:38 > 0:02:41Chris Hignell from Bristol certainly thought so when he came
0:02:41 > 0:02:46into contact with professional pyrotechnician Jason Edgecombe.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Now, Chris is a businessman and fireworks were his hobby.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52He'd only ever used the ones available to all of us
0:02:52 > 0:02:54over the shop counter.
0:02:54 > 0:02:55But when they met,
0:02:55 > 0:02:59Edgecombe invited Chris to help out at one of his professional displays.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01Chris jumped at the chance.
0:03:02 > 0:03:07I had this huge enthusiasm for firework displays as many
0:03:07 > 0:03:13people do, and he invited me along to assist, to watch from very
0:03:13 > 0:03:18close quarters how a professional firework display is fired.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Chris says he thought Edgecombe was a professional.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25He'd seen THIS public liability insurance document
0:03:25 > 0:03:27and was reassured.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32I saw the document and had no reason to doubt it.
0:03:32 > 0:03:33And when he got to the display,
0:03:33 > 0:03:36Edgecombe made Chris an even more exciting offer.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41I never expected to be offered the chance to actually ignite
0:03:41 > 0:03:46one of the fireworks, erm, but that was offered to me,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49and I accepted it because of my enthusiasm for doing so.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52I understood that he was a professional who was fully
0:03:52 > 0:03:55insured, and fully trained.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58I wasn't given any training at all.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02I was simply told when he says "now", to light the fuse,
0:04:02 > 0:04:04and that is exactly what I did.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Chris wasn't used to professional fireworks.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12He'd only used ones before that any of us could buy, like these.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Edgecombe's were professional grade, and unbeknown to Chris,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20this meant there was no delay on the fuses.
0:04:20 > 0:04:28As soon as I lit the fuse, I felt an incredible pain in my face.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31It knocked me to my knees.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35Even in the dark, I knew blood was pouring from my face,
0:04:35 > 0:04:39and I was soon aware that my hair was on fire.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43I collapsed to the ground and used the dew off of the grass
0:04:43 > 0:04:48on my hands to try and put the flames out on my head.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52One of the other people that was there shouted, "Man down!"
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Unfortunately, Mr Edgecombe chose to ignore the man down
0:04:56 > 0:05:00and carried on with the display for a further seven minutes.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04Chris was drifting in and out of consciousness.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08Meanwhile, Wendy received a call at work.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10I knew he'd gone to help somebody with some fireworks
0:05:10 > 0:05:14and I just knew straightaway that something awful had happened.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17I said to my colleagues I had to go. I dropped everything.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20I drove to where the accident had happened.
0:05:20 > 0:05:25I just stopped my car, got out, ran over to where Chris was.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28The paramedics were dealing with him. You can't describe it.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31You really can't describe what you're seeing
0:05:31 > 0:05:33because you couldn't even distinguish a face.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37Awful. Absolutely awful.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40When it's somebody you love, to see them like that -
0:05:40 > 0:05:41it's very difficult.
0:05:42 > 0:05:47Chris was rushed to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol.
0:05:47 > 0:05:48For the first 24 hours,
0:05:48 > 0:05:52I'm led to believe by the doctors, my life was in the balance.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55This was a life-threatening injury.
0:05:55 > 0:05:56Absolutely devastating
0:05:56 > 0:05:59because you think that the person you love is never going to be
0:05:59 > 0:06:03the same again, and you just cannot imagine how life is going to be.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06You've had a life together, you've done lots of things
0:06:06 > 0:06:09and all of a sudden, one split second
0:06:09 > 0:06:12and you feel it's all been taken away from you.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14And you feel nothing will ever be the same again.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17Chris's face was badly burnt.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19He was blinded in one eye
0:06:19 > 0:06:22and surgeons were fighting to save the other.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25The photos from the time are too distressing to show.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28These were taken some months after his first operation.
0:06:33 > 0:06:34While Chris was lying in hospital,
0:06:34 > 0:06:38Edgecombe should have contacted either the local council or
0:06:38 > 0:06:41health and safety officials to report his accident.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46But Robin Wood at Trading Standards in Bath says he was illusive.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52We heard about it three days later via a member of the family
0:06:52 > 0:06:54and when we tried to follow it up,
0:06:54 > 0:06:58we contacted Mr Edgecombe by telephone, by letter,
0:06:58 > 0:07:02by e-mail, we contacted him for several weeks
0:07:02 > 0:07:05and he didn't return the calls at all.
0:07:05 > 0:07:10Eventually, some three months later, we had to go to the lengths
0:07:10 > 0:07:13of getting him arrested in order to get him to answer our questions.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18It turned out there was a reason why Edgecombe hadn't gone to the
0:07:18 > 0:07:21authorities. He was a faker.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Trading Standards say Edgecombe had faked insurance to get
0:07:26 > 0:07:29hold of the professional grade fireworks that injured Chris,
0:07:29 > 0:07:34and that Edgecombe would never have got those fireworks without it.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37The supplier needs to satisfy themselves that that person
0:07:37 > 0:07:40is a professional, so they do need to see something like
0:07:40 > 0:07:43a liability certificate to prove that that's the case.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48He'd also shown the same fake public liability document to get
0:07:48 > 0:07:51access to the venue where Chris was injured.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55We'd heard from the organisers that they'd seen the document.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59That reassured them obviously that he was competent.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02I don't think they would have allowed Mr Edgecombe to carry
0:08:02 > 0:08:04out the display without the public liability insurance.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08But why had Edgecombe faked his insurance?
0:08:08 > 0:08:12We know he'd been turned down for insurance the previous year
0:08:12 > 0:08:15by all three of the companies that supply this
0:08:15 > 0:08:20type of insurance so he ended up falsifying the insurance to
0:08:20 > 0:08:23make it look as though he did have the competency to carry it out.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29This is the forged public liability document that Edgecombe used.
0:08:29 > 0:08:34The insurance company is genuine, but HE faked the details on it.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40It was issued to a company in the north for a different date
0:08:40 > 0:08:41the year previously,
0:08:41 > 0:08:44so what Mr Edgecombe did was that he got hold of that document,
0:08:44 > 0:08:47he managed to change the typeface
0:08:47 > 0:08:49and make it show that he himself had public liability
0:08:49 > 0:08:52insurance by putting his own company details on it.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56Finding out that Edgecombe didn't have insurance was a bitter
0:08:56 > 0:08:58blow for Chris and Wendy.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Absolutely awful. When I first heard, I just went cold.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04If he hadn't have had the false insurance,
0:09:04 > 0:09:06he would never have got the fireworks.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08None of this would have ever, ever happened
0:09:08 > 0:09:10and our lives would be as they were before.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15The couple say they're still coming to terms with the devastation
0:09:15 > 0:09:19wrought by both the accident AND the fake insurance document.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22There have been some difficult times.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24Nobody had told me how badly I looked.
0:09:25 > 0:09:30They had covered up all the mirrors in all the bathrooms on the ward
0:09:30 > 0:09:35so that I couldn't see myself, and towards the end of my stay,
0:09:35 > 0:09:37when I was able to go to the bathroom on my own,
0:09:37 > 0:09:42unfortunately somebody had removed the paper from the mirror
0:09:42 > 0:09:44and before I could do anything about it,
0:09:44 > 0:09:48I saw my reflection in the mirror in the bathroom.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50And there was just a scream from the bathroom
0:09:50 > 0:09:52and I knew that he'd looked in the mirror.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57I shouted, I screamed. It was awful.
0:09:57 > 0:10:02It was far, far worse than I'd imagined it would be.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06For him to suddenly see what had actually happened,
0:10:06 > 0:10:08that was the worst bit, I think, really.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Absolutely terrible.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15I honestly thought my life as I knew it was gone.
0:10:20 > 0:10:25Chris has had 24 operations to remove over 300 blast fragments,
0:10:25 > 0:10:26and he's blind in his left eye.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32Despite being only too aware of the injuries that Chris has
0:10:32 > 0:10:34suffered, AND having been found guilty in court,
0:10:34 > 0:10:38Edgecombe didn't stop his activities.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40While awaiting sentencing,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Edgecombe decided to put on another fireworks display.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Mr Edgecombe promised the court that he was no longer conducting
0:10:50 > 0:10:55fireworks displays, that he was only going to act as an employee.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57But before he was due to be sentenced,
0:10:57 > 0:11:02he was found to be actually carrying out a display in Bridport in Dorset,
0:11:02 > 0:11:07in-between injuring Mr Hignell and when he was due to be sentenced.
0:11:07 > 0:11:13It shows his complete disregard for me, my wife,
0:11:13 > 0:11:17and the court system, that he went and did another large firework
0:11:17 > 0:11:20display despite being told by a judge not to.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Jason Edgecombe was convicted of fraud and health and safety
0:11:25 > 0:11:30offences, and ordered to pay Chris £5,000, but to this day,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32hasn't paid him a penny.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35Edgecombe was eventually sentenced to 36 weeks in prison.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41There's nothing legally to stop Edgecombe from carrying out
0:11:41 > 0:11:44firework displays, and Fake Britain has discovered that
0:11:44 > 0:11:47since the accident, he's set up another fireworks company,
0:11:47 > 0:11:49FireMaster Fireworks.
0:11:49 > 0:11:54He's also been making some interesting claims on his website.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57He says he's never injured a member of his team,
0:11:57 > 0:12:00and that no member of the public has been harmed.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03He also claims that they've never needed to use emergency
0:12:03 > 0:12:04first aid.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07While this might be true for his current company,
0:12:07 > 0:12:09it's certainly not true for the owner.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13Whatever Edgecombe's up to now,
0:12:13 > 0:12:17Chris still has to deal with the aftermath of his actions.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20I honestly thought that physically
0:12:20 > 0:12:24that I would look dreadful for the rest of my life.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28I never imagined that the skills of the surgeons around me
0:12:28 > 0:12:32would get me to where I am today.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35Basically, we have to try and just carry on with our life, try
0:12:35 > 0:12:40and put it behind us, which is very difficult, and try and carry on -
0:12:40 > 0:12:43not let that affect our life if we can.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Jason Edgecombe told us that whilst he regretted what happened...
0:12:53 > 0:12:56He said he believed at the time that Mr Hignell was more competent
0:12:56 > 0:13:00with category four fireworks than it later emerged,
0:13:00 > 0:13:04and claims that Mr Hignell completed a competency questionnaire.
0:13:04 > 0:13:05He says he continued with
0:13:05 > 0:13:07his display after Chris's injury
0:13:07 > 0:13:08because he thought
0:13:08 > 0:13:10this was safer, and says
0:13:10 > 0:13:11he doesn't believe it continued
0:13:11 > 0:13:13for as long as seven minutes.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Mr Edgecombe puts his failure to inform the correct
0:13:17 > 0:13:19authorities of the accident down to naivety.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22He said the only reason he'd conducted a further fireworks
0:13:22 > 0:13:25display after promising the court he wouldn't was
0:13:25 > 0:13:28because he couldn't find anyone else to oversee the show.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Me Edgecombe says he stands by the claims
0:13:32 > 0:13:34made on the FireMaster Fireworks
0:13:34 > 0:13:35website, saying
0:13:35 > 0:13:36they refer only to THIS company,
0:13:36 > 0:13:38and not to his previous one.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Lose a badge like this from
0:13:47 > 0:13:49your car and you'll probably try
0:13:49 > 0:13:50and replace it.
0:13:50 > 0:13:51There are plenty of shops and
0:13:51 > 0:13:54online traders only too happy to sell you one.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Some are quite expensive, others just a few pounds,
0:13:57 > 0:14:01but sell enough of them, and you've got yourself a lucrative business,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04which is why car accessories like this are now a target
0:14:04 > 0:14:08for the fakers. We've been on the road with Trading Standards teams
0:14:08 > 0:14:10cracking down on the problem.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15Britain's Trading Standards departments have the
0:14:15 > 0:14:18job of policing the internet to try and identify
0:14:18 > 0:14:21and then weed out the fakes that are being sold there.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24This morning, a team in the Midlands are meeting up to plan
0:14:24 > 0:14:26their latest operation.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Today, they're on the trail of a trader
0:14:28 > 0:14:31they suspect to be selling fake car accessories.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36Right, what we've got, we've got an internet based retailer.
0:14:36 > 0:14:37They're selling vehicle
0:14:37 > 0:14:39merchandise and accessories.
0:14:39 > 0:14:40They've got a high turnover,
0:14:40 > 0:14:43suspected counterfeit stock in the last three and a half, four years.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45We've had information that they're
0:14:45 > 0:14:47selling car steering wheel badges,
0:14:47 > 0:14:49logos such as Jaguar.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51None of these are actually authorised for use
0:14:51 > 0:14:54so they're all breaching trademarks legislation.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57These products are poor quality copies.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00The team have already made a test purchase of a car badge which
0:15:00 > 0:15:03they've had confirmed as fake.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05They not only believe the accessories are in breach
0:15:05 > 0:15:09of copyright, but that people are paying good money for them,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13believing them to be real, actually getting a substandard product.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17They even suspect some of the goods might be dangerous.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20We've recently had some information from BMW that
0:15:20 > 0:15:22if someone buys a replacement
0:15:22 > 0:15:26but fake symbol to go in the middle of the steering
0:15:26 > 0:15:30wheel where the airbag cover is, when the airbag goes off,
0:15:30 > 0:15:31that's not attached properly.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35The danger is this symbol will actually be projected
0:15:35 > 0:15:39towards the driver at 220mph so it could be a real safety risk.
0:15:39 > 0:15:40We've checked the test purchases.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44They're confirmed as counterfeit, so if it's got a brand,
0:15:44 > 0:15:47a logo or trademarks, we're seizing it.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51The team make their way to the trading
0:15:51 > 0:15:54estate from which the seller is operating.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58Rob Edmunds is confident they've got a productive day ahead.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00It's a large warehouse on an industrial estate.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03You don't buy a warehouse and not have anything in it, do you?
0:16:03 > 0:16:06They follow police to the target address.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Other officers have arrived before them and entered the unit.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11The business owner is on site
0:16:11 > 0:16:14and Trading Standards explain what's going on.
0:16:14 > 0:16:15Leave us to do what we've got to do.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19If you've got any problems, you come to me.
0:16:19 > 0:16:20The unit is enormous,
0:16:20 > 0:16:25and the team face a daunting task, checking every box for fakes.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28It looks like the team will have a search on their hands to see
0:16:28 > 0:16:31if there are any fake goods amongst the legitimate ones.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34But helpfully, the owner points them
0:16:34 > 0:16:38towards another area of the unit that's nearly all car
0:16:38 > 0:16:42accessories, and Rob Edmunds finds products similar to their test
0:16:42 > 0:16:45purchase which triggered the whole investigation.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49They soon turn up hundreds of branded car badges,
0:16:49 > 0:16:51exactly what they were looking for.
0:16:52 > 0:16:58You've got every type of motor vehicle badge you can think of.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02Every brand, Alfa Romeo down to Vauxhall.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06There's so many different brands. There's a lot of stuff in there.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08The majority of that room will be seized.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11My guess would be the vast majority,
0:17:11 > 0:17:14if not all, of the motor branded parts that we seize will
0:17:14 > 0:17:15actually turn out to be counterfeit,
0:17:15 > 0:17:18but we'll have to run that past the brand owners first.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22No sooner have they started bagging and tagging the goods,
0:17:22 > 0:17:25and they're finding suspected fakes all over the place.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27Premier League merchandise, mainly Man United.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29I suspect that's counterfeit.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32I've just contacted the brand protection
0:17:32 > 0:17:35rep for the Premier League, expecting a call back shortly,
0:17:35 > 0:17:38but I'm 99% sure it's all wrong.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43The suspect goods are coming thick and fast now.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46As well as the car badges, there are spare wheel guards.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50Not all have car marks on them, but any that do will be leaving
0:17:50 > 0:17:54with Trading Standards for further investigation.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57And they find what they believe might be evidence that
0:17:57 > 0:18:00someone is making their own fakes to order from scratch.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04- These are being stuck on here. - They are, they are.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08This is what we found in a drawer
0:18:08 > 0:18:09in one of the offices,
0:18:09 > 0:18:13and it's a drawer full of printed labels for a wide
0:18:13 > 0:18:17variety of brands such as Suzuki, Freelander, Discovery, er,
0:18:17 > 0:18:21all the major car brands. And what we think he's doing is,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23this is what he's putting onto his wheel covers
0:18:23 > 0:18:26so the fact that we've got a large amount of blank wheel
0:18:26 > 0:18:30covers in the storage shows us how he's actually making them
0:18:30 > 0:18:31to people's orders,
0:18:31 > 0:18:35so he's just sticking these on when they need them, so the whole cabinet
0:18:35 > 0:18:38unit with these brand labels in, will be seized and taken away.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41As well as the accessories themselves,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45Rob turns up what he believes could be crucial documentary evidence.
0:18:45 > 0:18:46While we've been in the office,
0:18:46 > 0:18:49obviously we've been looking for potential suppliers
0:18:49 > 0:18:52and we've found all the documentation that we believe relates to the
0:18:52 > 0:18:53products that we're seizing.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55So, it's going to be important to establish where
0:18:55 > 0:18:58it's coming from, how long he's been purchasing it,
0:18:58 > 0:19:00and the quantities as well that are involved.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03He's just said, "You're taking thousands of pounds worth of goods."
0:19:03 > 0:19:05I said, "Well, we're taking items we believe infringe
0:19:05 > 0:19:08"the Trade Marks Act, or that there are safety concerns over."
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Obviously your hood ornaments that are down on the side,
0:19:13 > 0:19:14they've got to go.
0:19:14 > 0:19:20All of the Discovery, Mitsubishi, Shogun, Piero...
0:19:20 > 0:19:22Sorry, it's got to go, I'm afraid.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24The find is still growing.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27The team believe all these items are being offered on sale to the
0:19:27 > 0:19:30public as the real thing.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32These are Jaguar hood ornaments.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Soon, the team's own van isn't big enough.
0:19:41 > 0:19:46A larger vehicle arrives. But even that might be too small.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Whatever trade is going on in this facility,
0:19:48 > 0:19:50the turnover is significant.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54And it doesn't take too long to fill the second van.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03The team get a third lorry and it takes
0:20:03 > 0:20:07so long to load that by the time they're finished, it's getting dark.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13Now it's time to take the whole load off to an undisclosed storage
0:20:13 > 0:20:16area, and with that, it's job done.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19Are we going to get it all in, do you reckon?
0:20:19 > 0:20:23A successful day for the team who've taken a huge amount of suspect
0:20:23 > 0:20:26gear off the market and out of harm's way.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29They'll continue to investigate what they've found.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33So, everything is locked away securely
0:20:33 > 0:20:35and the next step is to complete our investigation
0:20:35 > 0:20:38and bring to a prosecution that we're pleased that we've got such
0:20:38 > 0:20:41a large quantity of fake goods off the marketplace.
0:20:46 > 0:20:47COINS RATTLE
0:20:47 > 0:20:49The reaction of many people to seeing
0:20:49 > 0:20:53one of these on the street is very simple. You give.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57We are a very generous nation when it comes to charity,
0:20:57 > 0:21:01and millions of pounds are collected every year for good causes in
0:21:01 > 0:21:05charity boxes but, as Fake Britain has discovered,
0:21:05 > 0:21:08this can be a target for the fakers.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14There can be few crimes more heartless than
0:21:14 > 0:21:18stealing from a charity, but we've seen before on Fake Britain how
0:21:18 > 0:21:24people still take advantage, even stealing clothes from charity bins.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28But this is not the only way that charitable donations are being
0:21:28 > 0:21:30intercepted by fakers...
0:21:33 > 0:21:35..as Don Young discovered.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39He was out one night for a drink in his local with a friend.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42As they were chatting, a woman entered the pub,
0:21:42 > 0:21:46saying she was collecting for the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Something about the way she was rattling her tin worried Don.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56Her whole attitude didn't seem to match up with what
0:21:56 > 0:21:59I would expect a charity collector to be like.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02She didn't come up to the table and say, "Oh, good evening,
0:22:02 > 0:22:04"gentlemen, sorry to interrupt your conversation, but I'm
0:22:04 > 0:22:08"collecting on behalf of the Marie Curie Cancer Care Charity and..."
0:22:08 > 0:22:09Nothing like that at all.
0:22:09 > 0:22:14It was just a very quick mumble, pointed the tin, and then as soon as
0:22:14 > 0:22:17she'd done the business, she was off like a rabbit.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21And Don's suspicions grew when, a few weeks later, he ran
0:22:21 > 0:22:26into the same collectors again in another pub in the same area.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30This time, he rang Marie Curie to check their credentials.
0:22:30 > 0:22:31I asked them
0:22:31 > 0:22:34if they had any collectors operating in that area in pubs.
0:22:34 > 0:22:39They said no, but they were aware of a scam going on and told me
0:22:39 > 0:22:41that the police were in the process of gathering evidence.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47Hampshire police were indeed investigating.
0:22:47 > 0:22:52Detective constable Julio Pitso had been assigned to the case.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55He'd been hearing complaints from other members of the public
0:22:55 > 0:22:58about a group claiming to be collecting for Marie Curie.
0:22:58 > 0:23:03One of the complainants had actually worked for Marie Curie Cancer Care.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07She was aware as an employee that there was no designated
0:23:07 > 0:23:09fundraising activity in the area at the time,
0:23:09 > 0:23:12and she was also aware that this person was collecting in a manner
0:23:12 > 0:23:15that that is not designated to be a proper
0:23:15 > 0:23:19method of collection by Marie Curie Cancer Care,
0:23:19 > 0:23:21or any other charity for that matter,
0:23:21 > 0:23:24and that is primarily shaking tins in people's faces.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30She rang the phone number on the ID badge of the woman collecting.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33It rang the phone of this man, Gordon Coe.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36But when police spoke to Marie Curie about him,
0:23:36 > 0:23:40he was known to the charity as a legitimate collector.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43He had applied to Marie Curie Cancer Care in December
0:23:43 > 0:23:47of 2008 to become a fundraiser for them.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Marie Curie Cancer Care attended his home address and vetted him
0:23:50 > 0:23:52in line with their policies.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55But two years after registering with the charity,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Coe had only banked £75 with them.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01With suspicions starting to fall on him,
0:24:01 > 0:24:04the charity looked back through its records.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07They found Coe had attended one of their previous fundraising
0:24:07 > 0:24:10events and he hadn't been there alone.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12He brought two members of the public with him which he
0:24:12 > 0:24:13introduced as friends.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17One of those was Pauline Hunt and the other was Susan Christians.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20The descriptions that concerned members of the public had
0:24:20 > 0:24:25given the police matched Susan Christians and Pauline Hunt.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28A week later, Don Young was out again with a friend
0:24:28 > 0:24:32when he saw the same woman collecting in a third pub.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34I thought she had a bit of a cheek trying her
0:24:34 > 0:24:39luck in a number of different places. She was fairly easily recognisable.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41She had obviously an accomplice in a car.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46This time, Don decided to get the police involved.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48He was sharp enough to be able to take
0:24:48 > 0:24:52the registration of the vehicle and he passed that onto the police.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55Ben Chapman was the man driving the car.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57When police checked his movements later on,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00a pattern started to emerge.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05We could plot the movements of the vehicle to tie in with
0:25:05 > 0:25:11the collections at various pubs in the Caterham and Woldingham areas.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Police decided to take action of their own.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17They arrested the collectors
0:25:17 > 0:25:19and executed warrants on their properties.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22What they found during their search staggered them.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27We found a number of different charity tins, in total,
0:25:27 > 0:25:32around about 15 to 20, all branded as Marie Curie Cancer Care.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35Coe had taken the boxes given to him and copied them,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37faking the charities' branding.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39But that wasn't all he faked.
0:25:40 > 0:25:45We found false documentation and false identification on lanyards.
0:25:47 > 0:25:52Finally, police knew the full extent of what Gordon Coe had been up to.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55He'd recruited a gang of his own collectors using the fake IDs
0:25:55 > 0:25:59and collection tins to open the purses of unsuspecting pub-goers
0:25:59 > 0:26:01across the south-east of England.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07In total, the fake collectors gang turned people's generosity
0:26:07 > 0:26:12into a criminal profit of over £34,000.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17It became clear to us that this was certainly an organised syndicate.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20What they would do is identify an area, then search
0:26:20 > 0:26:24the area for various pubs and go and collect at those pubs.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26They'd do various routes of an evening which would
0:26:26 > 0:26:28tie in with our witness accounts saying that
0:26:28 > 0:26:31they left at four, five o'clock in the afternoon and were
0:26:31 > 0:26:35back by sort of one, sometimes as late as two o'clock in the morning.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Police say they were spending that money,
0:26:37 > 0:26:41money that should've gone to cancer patients, on expensive
0:26:41 > 0:26:45holidays abroad to places like the Dominican Republic, and Greece,
0:26:45 > 0:26:47despite the fact that most of them didn't have jobs.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53Police interviews confirmed the gang's involvement further.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57This is a recording of Susan Christians cracking under pressure.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00"So, this is a right little organised crime syndicate,
0:27:00 > 0:27:01"isn't it, really?"
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Susan, it's not my job to judge what you've done,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16it's just my job to investigate what's happened.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20But the guilt didn't last long,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23and the police had a fight on their hands.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26ALL the gang claimed they were innocent, in court.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29They just pleaded ignorance, saying,
0:27:29 > 0:27:33"We went to collect because Gordon Coe asked us to and on that basis,
0:27:33 > 0:27:37"when we came back, we emptied the charity tins and took what we
0:27:37 > 0:27:39"thought was our fair share."
0:27:39 > 0:27:41The jury took a different view.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46It was blatantly obvious that it wasn't within
0:27:46 > 0:27:51the scope of a reasonable person to collect on behalf of a charity
0:27:51 > 0:27:55and take what you think are your legitimate earnings without so much
0:27:55 > 0:27:57as an invoice, without so much as a receipt,
0:27:57 > 0:27:58without so much as an audit trail.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Coe was sentenced to four years in jail.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05The rest of the gang all received prison sentences.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13Marie Curie Cancer Care is far from the only charity
0:28:13 > 0:28:15affected by fake collectors.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19Charities as diverse as Cancer Relief UK, Cerebral Palsy Care
0:28:19 > 0:28:23for children, and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance have all been hit
0:28:23 > 0:28:24by fake collectors.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27But Sophie Kinsman, head of fundraising
0:28:27 > 0:28:31at Marie Curie Cancer Care, says cases like this are still rare.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36All charities have security procedures in place to ensure
0:28:36 > 0:28:39the safety of the public's donations.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43No voluntary fundraiser would be offended if you asked them
0:28:43 > 0:28:45for proof of their identity
0:28:45 > 0:28:48and for a number to call where you could check their credentials.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52If you're at all unsure, please check with the charity or go
0:28:52 > 0:28:55to their website for further information.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57If you're approached in a public house,
0:28:57 > 0:29:01or similar environment that doesn't have a designated event,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04shaking tins in people's faces, asking for money,
0:29:04 > 0:29:06is against the codes of practice.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09So, that should be one of the biggest clues.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11Charity collecting is just not done in this way.
0:29:19 > 0:29:20Lovely leg of lamb.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23But not just any lamb, this is Welsh lamb, and that matters,
0:29:23 > 0:29:27because it's now got protected geographical status.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31It means you can only call lamb "Welsh" if it's actually born
0:29:31 > 0:29:35and bred in Wales. That makes it more expensive.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37Top quality, you see.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40But it also means there's a good business to be had by the fakers
0:29:40 > 0:29:44if they can pull the wool over the public's eyes by selling
0:29:44 > 0:29:46cheaper lamb as Welsh.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52The farms of Wales have long been famous for the quality
0:29:52 > 0:29:54of the meat they produce.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57In fact, Welsh lamb and beef are so sought-after,
0:29:57 > 0:29:59customers are willing to pay more for them
0:29:59 > 0:30:03and Welsh farmer Alan Davies thinks he knows why.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09Welsh lamb has come about through hundreds of years of grazing
0:30:09 > 0:30:13the sheep on the hills of Wales and I believe it's the vegetation on these
0:30:13 > 0:30:19hills which gives the Welsh lamb its flavour, its juiciness, its sweetness.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23Both Welsh lamb and Welsh beef have become so renowned,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26they have protected status from the EU.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31It's an offence to say meat is Welsh when it's not.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34It means that meat can't be sold or described as Welsh
0:30:34 > 0:30:37unless the animals were born and reared in Wales.
0:30:39 > 0:30:43But not everyone treats Welsh meat with the same level of respect.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46Welsh Trading Standards believe some shops and restaurants have
0:30:46 > 0:30:51been faking it, selling meat as Welsh that's anything but.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54And it's something that Gwyn Howells of Meat Promotion Wales wants
0:30:54 > 0:30:56to put a stop to.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59There is a temptation for people to want to fake Welsh lamb
0:30:59 > 0:31:03and Welsh beef on their menus and sometimes in the shops.
0:31:03 > 0:31:07The temptation is born out of a premium image
0:31:07 > 0:31:10and status that the Welsh lamb and Welsh beef brands have.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13Obviously that is very, very wrong.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15It not only misleads the consuming public,
0:31:15 > 0:31:18but also undermines the integrity of those brands and the people
0:31:18 > 0:31:22who have worked so hard to create those brands in the industry.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25It also matters to you and me, consumers.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28Trading Standards estimate the Welsh label will
0:31:28 > 0:31:32add around £1.50 to the cost of your average steak.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36If your steak is a fake, you're paying a premium price
0:31:36 > 0:31:38and not getting what you've paid for.
0:31:38 > 0:31:42Andy McKay is a Trading Standards officer in Caerphilly.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45His is one of 12 Welsh Trading Standards departments that
0:31:45 > 0:31:48have been tasked with policing the problem.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51They're carrying out a survey of pubs and restaurants,
0:31:51 > 0:31:52checking menus to
0:31:52 > 0:31:57see if people advertising Welsh lamb and beef are selling the real thing.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59If it's Welsh, it should be Welsh.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02What we're trying to do is prevent cheaper imports from third
0:32:02 > 0:32:05countries being misdescribed as Welsh beef and Welsh lamb.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09And the results of the survey have turned up some very
0:32:09 > 0:32:11interesting findings.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15Out of 77 hotels, pubs
0:32:15 > 0:32:18and restaurants visited advertising Welsh beef and lamb
0:32:18 > 0:32:23and charging a premium price for it, nearly two thirds, or 50,
0:32:23 > 0:32:27couldn't back up the claims made on menus with evidence that the beef
0:32:27 > 0:32:29and lamb was genuinely Welsh.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33The survey has shown that there are descriptions being made
0:32:33 > 0:32:37that can't be proved. These are maybe misdescriptions.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39They may be due to fraudulent practices.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42If you make that description, you have to be able to prove it,
0:32:42 > 0:32:45so the implication is that the customer could be getting ripped off.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48There is a concern that the member of the public which is buying
0:32:48 > 0:32:51Welsh beef and Welsh lamb is not buying Welsh beef
0:32:51 > 0:32:55and Welsh lamb, and it's actually a cheap import and is in fact fake.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00Restaurants should know where their meat has come from
0:33:00 > 0:33:02and Trading Standards are taking it seriously.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05There will be warnings this time, but if anyone is found
0:33:05 > 0:33:09breaching the rules again, it could result in a fine.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12Like this restaurant.
0:33:12 > 0:33:17In 2011, it was fined for advertising dishes using Welsh black
0:33:17 > 0:33:23sirloin and fillet steak which had actually come from Brazil.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29Elsewhere in Wales, Cardiff Trading Standards have been
0:33:29 > 0:33:30doing their own survey.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34They've been investigating how local butcher's are advertising
0:33:34 > 0:33:38their Welsh meat, and the results also show people willing to
0:33:38 > 0:33:40bend the rules to mislead customers.
0:33:43 > 0:33:44Over the course of two months,
0:33:44 > 0:33:49Cardiff Trading Standards visited 43 butcher's and three of them
0:33:49 > 0:33:52were out-and-out faking it, advertising meat as Welsh,
0:33:52 > 0:33:56but actually selling meat that was born or raised elsewhere.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58This is just a small snapshot.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01They've only been carrying out this work for a few years
0:34:01 > 0:34:06but have found in total 11 businesses faking Welsh meat.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12As guardians of the brand, Meat Promotion Wales is worried
0:34:12 > 0:34:17about businesses advertising the meat wrongly and profiting from it.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20Those people are doing a huge disservice,
0:34:20 > 0:34:23not only to the consumers that they are supplying,
0:34:23 > 0:34:28but also to the industry at large, and we need to seek them out
0:34:28 > 0:34:32and make sure that they correct their ways.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36But it's not just the public that loses out when businesses fake it.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40If a member of the public is being palmed off with
0:34:40 > 0:34:42lamb which isn't Welsh lamb
0:34:42 > 0:34:46and they have a bad experience in the eating of that lamb, then
0:34:46 > 0:34:49obviously they're not going to come back and ask for Welsh lamb again.
0:34:49 > 0:34:54That's going to undermine the business of the Welsh hill farmer and
0:34:54 > 0:34:58would be detrimental to the businesses in the hills of Wales.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08Whether it's a gap year, a career break or even part of a holiday,
0:35:08 > 0:35:12more and more of us are taking the chance to volunteer overseas,
0:35:12 > 0:35:16hoping to help someone less fortunate than ourselves
0:35:16 > 0:35:21but unbelievably there are those trying to cash in on our goodwill.
0:35:21 > 0:35:25Yes, even in the world of volunteering
0:35:25 > 0:35:28not everything is always as it seems.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34With unspoilt beaches, river valleys and historic temples,
0:35:34 > 0:35:37it's no surprise that Cambodia is a popular stop
0:35:37 > 0:35:40on the backpacker trail.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43Every year, thousands of young British travellers come here
0:35:43 > 0:35:48to enjoy its sights and sounds but not all just come to visit.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50An increasing number want to do more,
0:35:50 > 0:35:53fuelling a boom in volunteering.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55Joanna Barclay was one of them.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58As a former assistant head teacher with an interest in
0:35:58 > 0:36:00international development,
0:36:00 > 0:36:05she thought she could use her skills to make a difference in Cambodia.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08She volunteered to help out at what she thought
0:36:08 > 0:36:12was a children's day-care centre but when she got there,
0:36:12 > 0:36:16it didn't take very long for Joanna to realise something was very wrong
0:36:16 > 0:36:18behind its gates.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21The minute I arrived at the children's centre,
0:36:21 > 0:36:25I could see that the conditions were squalid,
0:36:25 > 0:36:29that the children were malnourished, they were being fed on rice
0:36:29 > 0:36:31and a tiny bit of broth.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35They were dressed, some of them in rancid clothes, rags basically.
0:36:35 > 0:36:40There was open sewage which was leaking into the living area,
0:36:40 > 0:36:43the younger children were running barefoot through.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45There was an open rubbish pit,
0:36:45 > 0:36:48there was nowhere to actually deposit rubbish
0:36:48 > 0:36:52so the director was burning rubbish every day so there was an open fire
0:36:52 > 0:36:56that the very young children could run through.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58At first, she thought these conditions might just reflect
0:36:58 > 0:37:03the general poverty in the country but she soon began to discover
0:37:03 > 0:37:07that this place had problems all of its own.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11It wasn't a day-care centre at all, it was being run as an orphanage
0:37:11 > 0:37:16where the children stayed full-time and that wasn't the only thing.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20Jo became so suspicious about how the place was being run,
0:37:20 > 0:37:24she decided to look into the children's backgrounds.
0:37:24 > 0:37:29The director was dodging answering questions about each of the children.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32His story seemed to change on every child
0:37:32 > 0:37:34so I asked to look at the paperwork.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37Basically I did an audit on the 20 children.
0:37:37 > 0:37:42And Jo discovered that the orphanage itself was a fake.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45This place turned out to be an orphanage,
0:37:45 > 0:37:48however, the children weren't orphans.
0:37:48 > 0:37:53Jo had unwittingly been caught up in a dark world of orphanage tourism.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56Most of the children had parents
0:37:56 > 0:37:59and had been recruited from a village in a nearby province.
0:37:59 > 0:38:04It was a shock to both Jo and fellow centre volunteer Sarah Wood.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07I guess for the whole time you just assumed that they didn't have
0:38:07 > 0:38:11parents and they didn't have living relatives and that they were,
0:38:11 > 0:38:14I guess, forced to live in these conditions because
0:38:14 > 0:38:16they had nothing else because they had no-one,
0:38:16 > 0:38:17they had no-one to care for them.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20To find out that that wasn't true
0:38:20 > 0:38:22was mostly just sad for the children.
0:38:22 > 0:38:27I guess you wondered why they weren't with people who love them.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31The children may well have been better off with their families
0:38:31 > 0:38:34because Sarah certainly felt the centre wasn't caring for them.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38Their director had a room out the back and it was full of food
0:38:38 > 0:38:41and it had clothes and it had toys and it had school equipment
0:38:41 > 0:38:45and it was all brand-new and it was all donated by volunteers
0:38:45 > 0:38:47and foreigners and the children weren't allowed to have it.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50All of these things that had been bought with the intention of
0:38:50 > 0:38:54these really amazing, really beautiful, really spirited
0:38:54 > 0:38:56little kids getting it and enjoying it
0:38:56 > 0:38:57and having a better life from it,
0:38:57 > 0:39:00it was really horrible to know that they weren't getting that
0:39:00 > 0:39:03and that they were instead living in the conditions that they were
0:39:03 > 0:39:05when it could've been changed.
0:39:05 > 0:39:10Jo was so shocked by conditions at the centre, she decided to act.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13She reported her concerns to the authorities who shut it down
0:39:13 > 0:39:17and reunited the children with their parents.
0:39:17 > 0:39:19But this isn't an isolated case.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23Benedicta Bywater runs a charity that tries to keep children
0:39:23 > 0:39:26with their families and out of fake orphanages.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31The vast majority of children in orphanages are not orphans.
0:39:31 > 0:39:36A very, very high percentage have at least one living parent,
0:39:36 > 0:39:40they are predominantly what is frequently referred to as
0:39:40 > 0:39:44economic orphans which means they're from a poor background
0:39:44 > 0:39:46and that's soaring.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49The number of orphanages has increased by something like 75%
0:39:49 > 0:39:52since 2005 according to UNICEF.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54With the number of orphanages increasing,
0:39:54 > 0:39:58there's a need for more orphans, so where are they coming from?
0:39:58 > 0:40:00Because there's a need for children,
0:40:00 > 0:40:03orphanages are going out into the community and encouraging people,
0:40:03 > 0:40:06making them believe it's better for their child to be in an orphanage.
0:40:06 > 0:40:10According to the latest figures, in the space of a year
0:40:10 > 0:40:14over 100,000 British people travelled to Cambodia.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16Visiting orphanages and making a donation has become
0:40:16 > 0:40:20part of the well-trodden tourist trail.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23Experts say well-meaning holiday-makers are being conned
0:40:23 > 0:40:29and are fuelling a dark industry of fake orphanages and orphans.
0:40:29 > 0:40:34They are set up as businesses and the children become a commodity.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37That money can come through fundraising,
0:40:37 > 0:40:40it can come in through drop-in orphanage tourists who
0:40:40 > 0:40:43come in for the day and give you some cash.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47You get the organisations that do nightly dances where the children
0:40:47 > 0:40:50come to a restaurant and do a special dance for the tourists,
0:40:50 > 0:40:55brings the money that way and for me, that's just a business.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58Kate Stefanko runs a volunteering company.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01She thinks visitors to Cambodia should be much more aware
0:41:01 > 0:41:04of the true nature of fake orphanages.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06Every volunteer wants to do good.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09They can find themselves in a situation where they're
0:41:09 > 0:41:12actually encouraging the worst possible - child trafficking,
0:41:12 > 0:41:17child abuse, the building and construction of orphanages,
0:41:17 > 0:41:22the creation of "orphans", and I put that in inverted commas,
0:41:22 > 0:41:25simply by creating the demand.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28Some local entrepreneur will say to themselves,
0:41:28 > 0:41:32"Hmm, look at all this money these volunteers are throwing around.
0:41:32 > 0:41:37"We can have a bit of that so why don't we set up our own orphanage?"
0:41:37 > 0:41:42Where is their licensing? How are they legitimate, these orphanages?
0:41:42 > 0:41:45Has anyone actually checked them out?
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Cambodian and English charities have become so concerned
0:41:48 > 0:41:51about the growth in fake orphanages they're now working together
0:41:51 > 0:41:53to try and stamp them out.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56The Safe Haven Trust is supporting this.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59Benedicta says there are things volunteers can look out for
0:41:59 > 0:42:03so they don't fall into the trap of fake orphanages.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06If you're able to do short-term, unskilled placements,
0:42:06 > 0:42:09that's an alarm bell in itself.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13Secondly, if they don't ask you for a criminal record check, don't go.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16If you're able to do drop-in volunteering, don't go -
0:42:16 > 0:42:20unless you have specifically relevant experience,
0:42:20 > 0:42:24childcare, teaching, nursing, something like that
0:42:24 > 0:42:27or are prepared to commit a really long period of time,
0:42:27 > 0:42:31six months to a year, just don't. Don't do it.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34Don't be part of these children's exploitation.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37Don't get involved, it's a murky underworld
0:42:37 > 0:42:40and even if you don't see it, just know it's there.
0:42:41 > 0:42:47Jo says the impact of a well-meaning volunteer can cause lasting damage.
0:42:47 > 0:42:51The reality is, these children, they need professional help.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54They need also to be within their local communities,
0:42:54 > 0:42:59with their families, they need to learn important life skills
0:42:59 > 0:43:03and the best people to teach that are within their local communities,
0:43:03 > 0:43:08not people walking in off the streets from abroad.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.