0:00:02 > 0:00:05Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11- Police! - SHOUTING
0:00:20 > 0:00:22Get down! Get down! On the floor now!
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Put your hands behind your back now!
0:00:25 > 0:00:26Here at the Fake Britain house
0:00:26 > 0:00:29we'll reveal the fakes that are flooding the market,
0:00:29 > 0:00:33conning people like you and me, and making money for the criminals.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36We'll investigate the fraudsters who are selling us
0:00:36 > 0:00:39something that isn't real and could be dangerous,
0:00:39 > 0:00:43and we'll help you avoid falling for a fake.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48Today on Fake Britain, we reveal the trade in fire blankets
0:00:48 > 0:00:50whose safety claims go up in smoke...
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Clearly that hasn't worked.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58..we pay an unwelcome visit to the suspects thought to be running
0:00:58 > 0:01:00counterfeit operations at their own homes...
0:01:00 > 0:01:03I'd describe this as, like, a little shop.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Everything that's for sale on the fake market is
0:01:05 > 0:01:07represented in this one room.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10..and we expose the fake tattoo inks
0:01:10 > 0:01:12that could mean clients get a lethal injection.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16This could potentially cause something fatal
0:01:16 > 0:01:17such as a heart attack.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24It is happening all over the country.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27More than four million of us are now cutting out the daily commute
0:01:27 > 0:01:31and working from the comfort of our own homes.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34People running all sorts of home-based businesses, trades
0:01:34 > 0:01:37and professions could be your neighbours.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40You might not even know a business was there.
0:01:40 > 0:01:41And never one to miss a trick,
0:01:41 > 0:01:44the fakers are getting in on the act, too,
0:01:44 > 0:01:49running their counterfeit empires from behind their own four walls.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51So, do you know what's going on next door?
0:01:53 > 0:01:56Right across Britain an ever-increasing number
0:01:56 > 0:01:58of stay-at-home fakers are setting up shop
0:01:58 > 0:02:01behind the doors of ordinary domestic premises.
0:02:03 > 0:02:04It's a detached dwelling.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08If there's any cash, I would ask that the cash be seized.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12For Trading Standards officers like Chris Jeffs, this emerging trend
0:02:12 > 0:02:14means changing tactics
0:02:14 > 0:02:17to take the fight to the fakers on their home turf.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20We are finding people are moving away from market stalls,
0:02:20 > 0:02:21car-boot sales,
0:02:21 > 0:02:25and operating counterfeit sales from the comfort of their own homes.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28They think they're safer in their own home
0:02:28 > 0:02:30because they don't think they're going to be discovered.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33But, of course, with technology today we can locate them.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35We will find them.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40Today, Chris is on the trail of a suspected faker, who
0:02:40 > 0:02:45intelligence suggests has a thriving trade in counterfeit car parts,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47which he runs from his home.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50There was a large amount of sales on the seller's pages.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55It isn't a genuine item and, of course, there is the enormous loss
0:02:55 > 0:02:59in revenue for the genuine trademark holder.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03While none of the goods are thought to pose a danger to the public,
0:03:03 > 0:03:05if fake, they are threatening legitimate jobs
0:03:05 > 0:03:08by taking sales from genuine companies.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10And as with any fake enterprise,
0:03:10 > 0:03:13there's no knowing where the profits may end up.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16We are now in the street at 7:30 in the morning,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19so I would imagine there would be somebody at the address.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29Morning.
0:03:29 > 0:03:30Hello, I'm from trading standards.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34My name is Chris Jeffs and this is a local police officer.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36We'd like to search the property.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41We do have a warrant under The Trademark Act. Thank you.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44The team gain access to the property and after a rude awakening,
0:03:44 > 0:03:48the suspect appears and Chris gets straight to the point.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Is there any parts here, can you indicate anything to us
0:03:51 > 0:03:53in the garage or upstairs?
0:03:53 > 0:03:56- They're outside, in the hut. - In the hut outside?- Yeah.- OK.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01- As anyone working from home knows, it is important to have a- space
0:04:01 > 0:04:04where you can go about your business without being disturbed.
0:04:04 > 0:04:11It seems this unassuming garden shed is the hub of a suspected home faker's operation.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14It is a purpose-built shed, if you like.
0:04:14 > 0:04:19Drawers full of vehicle parts that are being sold.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23Centre wheel covers - BMW, BBS.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Each drawer has a different wheel centre cap.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32Chris has uncovered a massive stash of suspected counterfeit car badges
0:04:32 > 0:04:35being shipped in from China and sold over the internet.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40These apparently fake goods aren't simply being stored here.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43There's evidence of a whole dispatch operation being run out of the garden shed.
0:04:45 > 0:04:51There's an item here for measuring the envelopes prior to dispatching.
0:04:51 > 0:04:56On the desk, there's padded envelopes for postage.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59As the team begin to bag and tag the evidence,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02the scale of this backyard operation is becoming clear.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05It's very pleasing and particularly because it's been
0:05:05 > 0:05:10operated from a private house, as opposed to a business premises.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14Yes, we've been to premises which are factory units
0:05:14 > 0:05:17where there is perhaps more volume but, of course,
0:05:17 > 0:05:21this is a business being run from home and from a garden shed.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25As the evidence is taken to a lock-up,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Chris's suspect gets taken in for questioning.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32But this apparent home faker is just one of an ever-increasing number.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Some are much more brazen about their dealings.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39Nearly 200 miles south in Bedfordshire,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Chris Jones is en route to another suspected stay-at-home faker
0:05:42 > 0:05:46that he has heard has been running an open house.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50From our intelligence today, it appears that there is a garage
0:05:50 > 0:05:54at the rear of the house which is full of Ugg boots
0:05:54 > 0:05:57and some of these headphones,
0:05:57 > 0:05:59so it should be quite a lot of stuff today.
0:06:00 > 0:06:05He's believed to have duped customers with his counterfeit goods
0:06:05 > 0:06:07and they've shopped him to Trading Standards.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14- Mr- BLEEP?
0:06:14 > 0:06:15I'm from Trading Standards.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18We have a warrant to search your premises for fake items.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23The suspect leads Chris to his garage, housing not his car,
0:06:23 > 0:06:26but what appears to be a counterfeit stash.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Wow.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30Welcome to the latest store, just off the high street,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33where everything seems to be a fake.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36I would describe this as, like, a little shop.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Everything is on display.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42We even had carrier bags to take the stock away,
0:06:42 > 0:06:46and all the stock was displayed in the varying brand areas.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49So we have watches with watches, electrical goods together,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52and clothing in another section of the shop.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56So it's like a corner store for fake items.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00All these watches are Michael Kors watches.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Well done, jewelled, all working.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05In fact, his collection is so extensive
0:07:05 > 0:07:08some of it's even new on Chris.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10I've never heard of this Michael Kors hat,
0:07:10 > 0:07:11and never heard of the Ugg hat.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14So it'll be interesting what the brand holder comes up with.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16To be honest with you, I didn't know
0:07:16 > 0:07:19that the brand made that particular product.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22Like any shopkeeper the faker's not only got the latest gear,
0:07:22 > 0:07:25he's also on hand to answer questions.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28- Are you able to tell me how much you would charge for that?- How much?
0:07:28 > 0:07:31- Yeah.- 25.- OK, thanks for that.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33This Ralph Lauren and SuperDry stuff,
0:07:33 > 0:07:35I'm going to that row, right?
0:07:35 > 0:07:37As it is, it's easier if we do that.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40The faker's even willing to throw in a free extra.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43- You can have the hangers. - You sure?- Yeah.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45The suspect might be trying to make light of the situation
0:07:45 > 0:07:49but the evidence against him seems overwhelming.
0:07:49 > 0:07:50The van's going to be full.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53We're on about something like, I think, Exhibit 25,
0:07:53 > 0:07:57of these big bags of varying products.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59Not had so many different ones at all, like this.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01It's a bit of everything.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05Virtually a current "what's for sale" on the fake market
0:08:05 > 0:08:07is represented in this one room.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09It's not just clothes on sale
0:08:09 > 0:08:12but also suspected counterfeit electrical goods.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14This is a radio mic.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Very popular with young people at the moment.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22And actually, to buy the real, non-fake product, very expensive.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26But cheap counterfeits often don't meet British standards
0:08:26 > 0:08:29and could pose a danger to the public.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33Eventually, two vehicles are crammed full of confiscated goods
0:08:33 > 0:08:36which will be analysed back at base.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39And Trading Standards has proved that selling from home
0:08:39 > 0:08:40rather than on the high street
0:08:40 > 0:08:44doesn't offer suspected fakers a safe place to hide.
0:08:44 > 0:08:49This chap is like a general shop in any high street in a town.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51So he's been making good money out of it.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55He's lost a lot of money today, cos his stock has gone.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05Last year, 30 people were killed and more than 3,000 injured
0:09:05 > 0:09:08as a result of cooking fires in the home.
0:09:08 > 0:09:13Little wonder that many of us choose to protect our homes and loved ones
0:09:13 > 0:09:16by having safety equipment like these fire blankets close at hand.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19They should provide us with peace of mind
0:09:19 > 0:09:21but these are no comfort blankets.
0:09:21 > 0:09:26They're on sale, they're untested and make fake safety claims
0:09:26 > 0:09:28that could be putting lives at risk.
0:09:32 > 0:09:33Britain's fire services
0:09:33 > 0:09:37are called out to over 20,000 kitchen fires every year.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41In fact, they make up over two-thirds of their shouts
0:09:41 > 0:09:42to domestic premises.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47These fires can burn out of control in an instant,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50causing untold damage, and putting lives in danger...
0:09:55 > 0:09:57..something which furniture designer John Crawford
0:09:57 > 0:10:01became very aware of when a family friend was seriously injured.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07She'd unfortunately been very badly burned in a kitchen fire.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09She'd been cooking dinner for her children,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12wearing a loose shirt and her shirt had caught fire
0:10:12 > 0:10:14and spread very quickly.
0:10:14 > 0:10:19She didn't have anything in the kitchen, such as a fire blanket
0:10:19 > 0:10:25and, as a consequence, really, was very badly burned.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30I think it does strike a chord with you,
0:10:30 > 0:10:33it's a daily activity that we do,
0:10:33 > 0:10:35we're cooking dinner for the children every night,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38and it does chime with you that
0:10:38 > 0:10:41that could very easily happen in your own home.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Spurred into action by what he'd heard,
0:10:44 > 0:10:46John went online to buy a fire blanket
0:10:46 > 0:10:48that could help protect him and his family.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55But what had appeared like a quality product online
0:10:55 > 0:10:58began to look very questionable when it arrived.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00As I took it out of the box, it became clear
0:11:00 > 0:11:05that the packaging of the product looked a little bit unusual.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07The immediate thing that jumped out was
0:11:07 > 0:11:12where you would expect to see a manufacturer, a country of origin,
0:11:12 > 0:11:13there's nothing there.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17You start to read the text that's on it and we have,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20"If clothing is on fire, force victim to groud."
0:11:20 > 0:11:22"Wrao", instead of "wrap", "..in fire blanket."
0:11:22 > 0:11:29So they're immediately very obvious grammatical or English mistakes on there.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31Altogether you do start to wonder
0:11:31 > 0:11:34if the product isn't right in packaging terms,
0:11:34 > 0:11:37is it really going to do the very serious function
0:11:37 > 0:11:40which it's designed for?
0:11:40 > 0:11:44In Britain there are no compulsory standards for fire blankets,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47but there is a voluntary European standard they can be tested to.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50John's blanket claimed to meet that standard.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52If true, it would mean it had been proven
0:11:52 > 0:11:54to suppress a fire within seconds
0:11:54 > 0:11:56and that the fire wouldn't reignite
0:11:56 > 0:11:58if the blanket was removed after 17 minutes.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06But there are some more basic tests the fire blanket must pass first,
0:12:06 > 0:12:10and the British Standard Institute's head of fire safety, Bob Wells,
0:12:10 > 0:12:14can tell it falls short of the first hurdle and it's a fake.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20On the blanket itself you should have a label,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23rather like you find in a T-shirt or your trousers,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26relating to the manufacturer's name,
0:12:26 > 0:12:30manufacturer's address, and a model reference.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34As you can see, this product has no marking on it at all.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Failing to meet this simple requirement
0:12:38 > 0:12:41means there's no way the blanket would have been approved
0:12:41 > 0:12:45and casts doubt on whether it's even up to the job.
0:12:45 > 0:12:46I'd be pushing these aside
0:12:46 > 0:12:50and going for something perhaps a little bit more expensive,
0:12:50 > 0:12:52but I know it's going to work when I need it to.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56Alarmingly, Fake Britain has discovered
0:12:56 > 0:12:59thousands of cheap fire blankets being sold,
0:12:59 > 0:13:01many making false safety claims.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04Whether they actually work is anyone's guess.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09To find out, later we'll call in the professionals
0:13:09 > 0:13:11and put a selection of them to the test.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13We're just going to place it over.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Here on Fake Britain, we've shown you
0:13:23 > 0:13:26how the fakers have infiltrated the high street,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29the internet, businesses and even our homes.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33But now they are literally getting under our skin.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37That's because tattoos are more popular than they have ever been.
0:13:37 > 0:13:38Look at these.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41They're inks that a tattooist might use, but they're fake,
0:13:41 > 0:13:43and that's a very serious problem.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50We all know someone who's got one because tattoos are now mainstream,
0:13:50 > 0:13:54with high-profile figures from David Beckham to David Dimbleby...
0:13:54 > 0:13:57- Ow!- ..sporting ink on their skin.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00In fact there are over 10,000 tattoo studios
0:14:00 > 0:14:01dotted up and down the country,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04adding body art to the 1.5 million Brits
0:14:04 > 0:14:07who get permanently inked every year.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Charging around £100 an hour, it's a multi-million-pound industry
0:14:12 > 0:14:15that's seen massive growth in recent years.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19And that growth has been fuelled by the work of people like Louis Malloy
0:14:19 > 0:14:20and his celebrity clients.
0:14:22 > 0:14:27I have worked on quite a few famous clients, including the Beckhams,
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Sir Bradley Wiggins,
0:14:29 > 0:14:31Andrew Flintoff,
0:14:31 > 0:14:33I could go on and on, but I won't.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35With over 30 years' experience,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38Louis is one of Britain's most respected tattooists
0:14:38 > 0:14:40and is a master of his art.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44But with the rise in popularity of tattoos
0:14:44 > 0:14:47he's seen a rise in fakes flooding the industry.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51I've seen examples of products
0:14:51 > 0:14:55that are manufactured by European and American companies,
0:14:55 > 0:14:58literally within weeks of them releasing those products,
0:14:58 > 0:15:01the Chinese are then doing counterfeits.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06A long-time target of the fakers has been these tattoo machines.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Determined to make their mark, though,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10the fakers haven't stopped there.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13We can reveal that they've moved on to tattoo inks,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16something which alarms leading industry figures like Louis.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19When you move on to things like tattoo colours,
0:15:19 > 0:15:21it's a whole different ball game
0:15:21 > 0:15:24because they're going into people's skin.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26You're dealing with an unknown quantity,
0:15:26 > 0:15:28and it can be very, very dangerous
0:15:28 > 0:15:33because you've got no idea what you're putting into your body.
0:15:34 > 0:15:39One of the most popular and trusted brands of tattoo ink is Intenze.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42A single one-ounce bottle costs around £10.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45That is, if it's the real deal.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48This set of 14 Intenze inks, for example,
0:15:48 > 0:15:52is on offer for the unbelievable price of £26 for the lot.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57As you know, we can't resist a bargain here at Fake Britain,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59so we snapped them up and took them
0:15:59 > 0:16:03to Intenze's sole UK distributor, Global Tattoo Supplies.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08Boss Steve Crane sells these inks day in, day out,
0:16:08 > 0:16:10and, before he even takes them out of the packet,
0:16:10 > 0:16:14he confirms that they may be cheap but they're also a con.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17The fakes we can tell immediately.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19They would never be shrink-wrapped
0:16:19 > 0:16:21or loosely packaged in this foil.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26And, once he gets his hands on them, Steve's experienced eye begins
0:16:26 > 0:16:31to uncover a trail of telltale signs that the fakers have left behind.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33On the fake,
0:16:33 > 0:16:35the ingredients and the disclaimers
0:16:35 > 0:16:37are all going into a tonal grey colour.
0:16:37 > 0:16:42On the original, all of the ink on the label is the same tone.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46No barcode information on the fake, but it is on the original.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49Another giveaway is the colour tone.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53This is the original Mario's Light Blue.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57Unfortunately, the fake is slightly darker,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00so there wouldn't be any consistency for the tattoo artist
0:17:00 > 0:17:05and the customer in getting an ongoing piece of tattoo art.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08With the appearance so different,
0:17:08 > 0:17:10Steve's keen to see what this
0:17:10 > 0:17:12means for the quality of the product inside.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15What we're going to do is we're going to try the fake first of all.
0:17:15 > 0:17:21All I'll do is put a little drop of ink down on the paper...
0:17:24 > 0:17:26..and spread it around with my thumb.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30As we can see, we've got quite a streaky consistency,
0:17:30 > 0:17:33and it's spreading out quite a lot on the paper.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35This is the original product.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37What we're going to do is exactly the same thing again.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41Straight away, you see it's a completely different,
0:17:41 > 0:17:46denser product, giving us a nice, bright finish
0:17:46 > 0:17:48as opposed to the streakiness of the fake.
0:17:48 > 0:17:53The difference between the real and fake inks is immediately clear.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57What he's seeing makes Steve worry about the customers who end up
0:17:57 > 0:18:00with this fake ink injected into their skin.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03There would be concern that the tattoo pigment itself
0:18:03 > 0:18:07is so thin and weak that it would result in a bad tattoo
0:18:07 > 0:18:10and also the health risks associated
0:18:10 > 0:18:13with any inconsistencies in the manufacturing and bottling
0:18:13 > 0:18:17and the hygiene side of this product.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Years of research has gone into the genuine products
0:18:20 > 0:18:23to make sure they're safe to use on human skin,
0:18:23 > 0:18:27and comply with European regulations on the content of tattoo inks.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31The fakes are untested and their true contents unknown.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36What he's already seen is giving Steve serious cause for concern
0:18:36 > 0:18:39and, as the ink dries, alarm bells begin to ring about the fake's
0:18:39 > 0:18:41potential to cause serious harm.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46The fake ink is just rubbing away
0:18:46 > 0:18:50and disappearing as we touch it.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53The original one is not moving at all.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56This is telling me that we have
0:18:56 > 0:18:57a good, strong, stable product.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01Here, I don't know what we've got.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07With the fake inks looking not just dodgy but potentially dangerous,
0:19:07 > 0:19:11it's time to get them tested and find out exactly what they contain.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15At the University of Loughborough, two chemists have agreed
0:19:15 > 0:19:18to run a series of tests that will reveal once and for all
0:19:18 > 0:19:23whether these are harmless inks or a potential health hazard.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Whilst Dr Matt Turner gets to work determining exactly what
0:19:26 > 0:19:29chemicals the inks contain, a floor below, his colleague,
0:19:29 > 0:19:33Professor Sweta Ladwa, is testing the fake's claim to be sterile.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38What I've done so far is just dilute the dye
0:19:38 > 0:19:41in some liquid nutrient broth,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44which is essentially, in layman's terms, bacteria food,
0:19:44 > 0:19:48and I'm going to swab onto an agar plate.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53What we'll then do is incubate the plates
0:19:53 > 0:19:56and we'll see if anything grows.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01If it was sterile, we should see nothing.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05The plates stay in the incubator for 48 hours
0:20:05 > 0:20:07at a temperature of 37 degrees,
0:20:07 > 0:20:11designed to replicate what would happen in the human body.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16When they're taken out, the genuine product is all clear, as expected.
0:20:16 > 0:20:21But the fake white ink paints a very different, and scary, picture.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25We saw that there was bacterial growth.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28It was quite shocking actually because you could
0:20:28 > 0:20:31see that there was certainly something growing in there.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33The dye is contaminated
0:20:33 > 0:20:34with some sort of bugs.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37There are two families of bacteria present.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40I suspect one is the streptococcal family,
0:20:40 > 0:20:42the other is the proteus family.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49Proteus bacteria are found in human and animal faeces,
0:20:49 > 0:20:51meaning, far from being sterile,
0:20:51 > 0:20:55these inks are being produced in squalid, unhygienic conditions.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00Anyone getting a tattoo with these could be in serious trouble.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04If this particular dye is injected into the skin,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07if it does get into the bloodstream
0:21:07 > 0:21:10then this could cause a variety of problems.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14The worst-case scenario we're looking at is sepsis, where we've
0:21:14 > 0:21:20got inflammation occurring due to the infection in the body
0:21:20 > 0:21:25and this could potentially cause something fatal,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27such as a heart attack.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29Sweta's findings mean that
0:21:29 > 0:21:32anyone being conned into buying these counterfeit inks
0:21:32 > 0:21:36could end up administering a deadly dose to one of their clients.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41The results from Matt's analysis of the contents are equally concerning.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46On the top, we have the genuine tattoo ink,
0:21:46 > 0:21:48where we have just two major components.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51On the bottom, we've got the fake black tattoo ink,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54where you can see there are several different components.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56We don't know what these components are,
0:21:56 > 0:21:59or what they'll do once they get into your body.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Using his years of experience to interpret these findings,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06Matt fears what he's seeing in the fakes poses a real danger.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09These dyes could be industrial dyes
0:22:09 > 0:22:11that are used in paints or clothing,
0:22:11 > 0:22:16and were never meant for use to come into contact with skin.
0:22:16 > 0:22:17The worst-case scenario
0:22:17 > 0:22:20would be these inks getting into your bloodstream,
0:22:20 > 0:22:23the materials in the ink accumulating in your body,
0:22:23 > 0:22:27and in your organs, and you get a severe allergic reaction
0:22:27 > 0:22:30and it shuts your organs down.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32The findings could hardly be worse,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35with the fakes declared potentially lethal on two fronts.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39For respected tattooist Louis Molloy,
0:22:39 > 0:22:41who campaigns against counterfeit products,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44this time the fakers have gone too far.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47I think it's quite shocking that someone is prepared to make
0:22:47 > 0:22:51something like that and sell it. It's wrong, it's very, very wrong.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53It shouldn't be allowed.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58People who manufacture counterfeit tattoo pigments
0:22:58 > 0:23:00put profit over people's health.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03They're just scum, in my mind.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14Earlier, we saw how thousands of fire blankets are being sold bearing
0:23:14 > 0:23:18fake safety claims, with no proof that they're even up to the job.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23And if something does go wrong,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26it's your local fire service who has to come to the rescue.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32West Midlands Fire Service is one of the busiest brigades in the country.
0:23:32 > 0:23:37With over 20 years on the job, operations commander Steve Harris
0:23:37 > 0:23:40knows just how dangerous kitchen fires can be.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46Recently we had a fatal kitchen fire, so it's a serious situation.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50We advise people just to get out and stay out and call us out
0:23:50 > 0:23:51to put the fire out for them.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54But for the thousands who have fire blankets to hand,
0:23:54 > 0:23:57and use them to bring a fire under control,
0:23:57 > 0:24:00they must, at the very least, be reliable and up to the job.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Steve's shocked to learn that there are fakes on the market.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06If fire blankets turn out to be fake
0:24:06 > 0:24:09and don't do what they say they're supposed to do on the tin
0:24:09 > 0:24:12then, yes, it could make the situation worse.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14Somebody might believe they're using a genuine product
0:24:14 > 0:24:17to put a fire out, and actually it doesn't do the job,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20makes the situation worse, puts that person in danger,
0:24:20 > 0:24:24and then we have to go into the building to try to save their life.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28At the service's training base, Steve's getting kitted up
0:24:28 > 0:24:31to put a selection of six fire blankets we've found
0:24:31 > 0:24:35bearing fake safety markings through a real-life scenario.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41This mobile unit is normally used to demonstrate to the public
0:24:41 > 0:24:44just how lethal chip pan fires can be.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Now, Steve's firing it up to discover how this lot perform
0:24:48 > 0:24:49when the heat is on.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51We're just going to place it over.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55It quickly becomes apparent
0:24:55 > 0:24:57that, far from protecting themselves,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00anyone relying on these fake fire blankets
0:25:00 > 0:25:02could be putting themselves in serious danger.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09Clearly, that hasn't worked. It is still a substantial fire.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11That would've set fire to a kitchen now,
0:25:11 > 0:25:14and you'd have a significant property fire.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16I can't comment on the European standard.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19What I can say is that doesn't work.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22That doesn't do what I expect a fire blanket to have done.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24The blanket itself has not cut off oxygen to the fire,
0:25:24 > 0:25:26so we still have oxygen, we still have heat,
0:25:26 > 0:25:28and we still have fuel, and we still have a fire.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30I'd be very worried that people are selling these
0:25:30 > 0:25:32and the public are buying them,
0:25:32 > 0:25:34assuming that they would put out a chip pan fire.
0:25:34 > 0:25:39The advice from us is to just get out, stay out and call 999.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41Then you're not in any danger.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Five minutes in, the fire is still burning
0:25:44 > 0:25:47and the fire blanket's claims are clearly fake.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50The kitchen would've been destroyed by fire by now.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53On average, it takes around five minutes for a fire engine
0:25:53 > 0:25:55to get to a property.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58This has been five minutes and we still have a fire.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00So it's worrying.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02In fact, it takes more than eight minutes for the flames
0:26:02 > 0:26:04to finally die out.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07Something in this blanket has caused it
0:26:07 > 0:26:09not to do what it's supposed to do.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Some of this is heat damaged
0:26:11 > 0:26:14and we would expect that from a blanket that's done its job,
0:26:14 > 0:26:19but this one has just gone very, very brittle now.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22As you can see, it didn't do its job.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24It didn't work.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Disturbingly, it's not the only one.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37Almost instantly, the flames broke through this blanket and,
0:26:37 > 0:26:41as you can see, there's still fire on top of the actual fire blanket
0:26:41 > 0:26:44so, in essence, the fire blanket has not done anything.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47I certainly wouldn't want to use that kind of fire blanket
0:26:47 > 0:26:48in my property,
0:26:48 > 0:26:52and I wouldn't suggest that anybody buys a blanket of that standard.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54Out of our sample of six,
0:26:54 > 0:26:57two have been engulfed by flames and had no effect.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03But this test has taken place under more forgiving outdoor conditions
0:27:03 > 0:27:06and, having seen them up close, Steve's not happy any of
0:27:06 > 0:27:11these blankets could be relied upon in an emergency inside a property.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14It appears it's a bit of a lottery as to which one works.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16You don't know whether it works until you actually need it.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18You can't test a fire blanket.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21You use it, and it works or it doesn't,
0:27:21 > 0:27:23and that's too much of a chance for me.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28We showed John Crawford, who bought one of these fake fire blankets
0:27:28 > 0:27:32to protect his young family, the results of this trial by fire.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36I am very glad that I did buy another blanket.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39It's quite scary, really, to see
0:27:39 > 0:27:42the intensity of the flames after the blanket has been put on.
0:27:44 > 0:27:45By trusting his suspicions,
0:27:45 > 0:27:48John realises he may have had a lucky escape.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51It's clearly quite dangerous, what's being done.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55I think a good comparison is perhaps buying a car that claims
0:27:55 > 0:27:58to have airbags and by the time you have an accident
0:27:58 > 0:28:02and you realise that no airbags were fitted then it's clearly too late.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.