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.
0:00:09 > 0:00:10Police!
0:00:21 > 0:00:24- Get down!- Put your hands behind your back, now!
0:00:24 > 0:00:27Here, at the Fake Britain house, we'll reveal the fakes
0:00:27 > 0:00:30that are flooding the market, conning people like you and me
0:00:30 > 0:00:33and making money for the criminals.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35We'll investigate the fraudsters
0:00:35 > 0:00:40who are selling us something that isn't real and could be dangerous,
0:00:40 > 0:00:43and we'll help you avoid falling for a fake.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Today on Fake Britain...
0:00:47 > 0:00:50We reveal the scandal of fake part worn tyres
0:00:50 > 0:00:53that are an accident waiting to happen.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55I could have killed anybody that got in my car.
0:00:56 > 0:01:01We expose the fake face mask filters putting workers' lives at risk.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03This is one of the worst masks I've ever seen.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09And we reveal the hidden dangers of fake kitchenware.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12The materials they've chosen can cause cancer
0:01:12 > 0:01:15and child defects at birth.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24Running a car can be very expensive.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28You've got road tax, insurance, servicing and, of course, the fuel,
0:01:28 > 0:01:32so it's tempting to try and save money wherever we can.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35A new tyre could cost well over £100,
0:01:35 > 0:01:39so you might opt for this - a part worn tyre.
0:01:39 > 0:01:44Much cheaper, they're subject to strict regulations and inspections,
0:01:44 > 0:01:47and they are legal to sell, except this one isn't,
0:01:47 > 0:01:48because it's a fake.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51We've discovered that dangerous fakes like this
0:01:51 > 0:01:56are on sale all over the country and they are putting lives risk.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00Like many of us,
0:02:00 > 0:02:04mum of four Gina Gee relies on her car to get around.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07I use my car on a day-to-day basis.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11I take my kids to school, I take my mum to and from work.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15I'm a home carer, so I have the lady I look after in my car as well,
0:02:15 > 0:02:19so I use my car every day.
0:02:19 > 0:02:20But also, like many of us,
0:02:20 > 0:02:24she finds keeping it on the road an expensive business.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26So, when her tyres needed replacing,
0:02:26 > 0:02:30she opted for the most economical way of doing it.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32I've only been driving for just over a year,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35so it's the first time I've ever had to buy tyres.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Because I needed more than one tyre replacing,
0:02:38 > 0:02:43I chose to go for part worn tyres. My partner told me where to go.
0:02:43 > 0:02:48I went down there and they put part worn tyres on my car,
0:02:48 > 0:02:49which were cheaper.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55Whilst new tyres for Gina's car can cost well over £100 each,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58part worns can start from as little as a tenner.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01It's a similar story for most makes and models.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04The sale of tyres is governed
0:03:04 > 0:03:07by the Motor Vehicle Tyres Regulations Act -
0:03:07 > 0:03:10this sets standards such as minimum tread depth and repairs.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14Part worn tyre dealers
0:03:14 > 0:03:16are responsible for making these safety checks
0:03:16 > 0:03:19and that's exactly what genuine ones like this do,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22showing they've done so by marking the tyre wall
0:03:22 > 0:03:24with an indelible white stamp.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29If the tyre doesn't meet those part worn safety standards,
0:03:29 > 0:03:30it's a fake.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33After all that, when a part worn tyre dealer
0:03:33 > 0:03:34puts their tyres on sale,
0:03:34 > 0:03:36they are declaring that they're safe,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39and that's exactly what Gina thought she was getting.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41I went in, they were very chatty,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44very bubbly, quite friendly down there.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48When she later took the car to another garage
0:03:48 > 0:03:49with a mechanical fault,
0:03:49 > 0:03:53he also looked at her tyres and was shocked by what he saw.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57He wasn't happy with me to drive away in the car.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59None of the tyres that they had put on were legal,
0:03:59 > 0:04:01none of them were safe.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04They were just really dangerous.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Gina alerted the authorities
0:04:08 > 0:04:11and her tyres were passed to Trading Standards officer Dan Brown.
0:04:11 > 0:04:16Clearly, here, you can see a repair that has been done to a hole
0:04:16 > 0:04:20through the tyre, which is in an illegal position in the tyre,
0:04:20 > 0:04:21as it is in a dangerous position.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24Secondly, we have another tyre here.
0:04:24 > 0:04:29Again, from the same complainant. The tyre wall here has been damaged.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31Now, under road conditions,
0:04:31 > 0:04:34this could have potentially put somebody's life at risk.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37Gina's isn't an isolated case.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Dan Brown has been investigating
0:04:39 > 0:04:42several local part worn tyre dealers.
0:04:42 > 0:04:43One of them, Luke McKenzie,
0:04:43 > 0:04:48was caught selling unsafe part worn tyres to unsuspecting motorists.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51He received a nine-month suspended sentence.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54These traders should not be, and cannot be, allowed to supply
0:04:54 > 0:04:56unsafe or fake part worn tyres
0:04:56 > 0:05:00that are putting members of the public...public's lives at risk.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05Every year, more than 1,200 motorists are injured in an accident
0:05:05 > 0:05:09where illegal, defective or under-inflated tyres play a part.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16Gina was one of the lucky ones -
0:05:16 > 0:05:18she and her family escaped unscathed.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21I felt like I had put my kids at risk.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24I could have killed anybody that had been in the car.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27I thought it was safe, and it wasn't.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33To find out just how dangerous fake part worn tyres can be,
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Fake Britain decided to put them to the test.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Tyre expert and test driver Steve Dolby will get behind
0:05:41 > 0:05:45the wheel of a car that will be fitted with fake part worn tyres.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48But the damage on some of them is so bad
0:05:48 > 0:05:53the team are having a hard time even fitting one to the wheel.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56There's really very dangerous damage on the side walls.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58And in order for us to keep an eye on this while we're fitting it,
0:05:58 > 0:06:02I'm just going to mark it with a yellow crayon.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08I'm going to stick it in a safety cage
0:06:08 > 0:06:11because I'm not confident that when we inflate the tyre,
0:06:11 > 0:06:13it's going to inflate safely,
0:06:13 > 0:06:16as a new tyre or a normal tyre would.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20I'll put it in that cage so that, if it does explode, we're safe.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24AIR HISSES
0:06:24 > 0:06:28I'm going to gently pull it out and have a look at it...
0:06:28 > 0:06:32And you can see how horrific this bulge is on that tyre.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36Even for Steve, this is too dangerous to drive.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42But with four tyres eventually fitted, he's ready to hit
0:06:42 > 0:06:48the road and find out just how fake their claims of roadworthiness are.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52As Steve heads to the track,
0:06:52 > 0:06:54the effects on handling become immediately obvious.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Front end slides and the back end slides.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03The main danger with illegal part worns is that their damage
0:07:03 > 0:07:07makes them leak air as they run and the tyre constantly loses pressure.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12So, to simulate the situation of a slow puncture, we are
0:07:12 > 0:07:15deflating one of the rear tyres to see how it would feel,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17as a typical driver, driving a part worn tyre
0:07:17 > 0:07:19that is gradually deflating.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27Taking all of my concentration to stop the car from spinning,
0:07:27 > 0:07:30and already, I can feel the back end is really sliding a lot.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32Nearly lost control completely there.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34TYRES SCREECH
0:07:34 > 0:07:38Steve is an experienced driver, but he's finding it hard to keep
0:07:38 > 0:07:40these fake part worn tyres on the track.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42- BLEEP- hell!
0:07:42 > 0:07:43Who knows what sort of trouble
0:07:43 > 0:07:46the average driver would find themselves in.
0:07:47 > 0:07:48Oh, there it goes.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54A complete spinout.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58I wouldn't like at all to have this sort of tyre on my car.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04A recent national study found a staggering 98% of part worn
0:08:04 > 0:08:06tyres have been sold illegally
0:08:06 > 0:08:11and over a third of those had potentially dangerous damage.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13As far as Gina is concerned,
0:08:13 > 0:08:17the fakers are putting innocent motorists' lives at risk.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20It's like they don't care whose lives they're putting in danger.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24I don't know how they can sleep at night-time. It is disgusting.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28But the problem isn't simply confined to a handful of dealers.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32It's an epidemic that reaches right across the country.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Later, we join those on the front line,
0:08:34 > 0:08:36as Trading Standards officers fight back,
0:08:36 > 0:08:41tackling the suspected fakers head-on.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43We have looked at it and it doesn't appear to be safe.
0:08:43 > 0:08:44We have to seize it.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54As a nation, we are obsessed by design, from kettles to cars,
0:08:54 > 0:08:58from phones to furniture and, not forgetting, kitchen gadgets.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01We want to spend our money on things that don't just work well,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03but also look great.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Companies can spend years creating,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08perfecting and protecting their designs,
0:09:08 > 0:09:10but the fakers are always hot on their heels.
0:09:10 > 0:09:11Look at these.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15One of them is an innovative invention that has cracked
0:09:15 > 0:09:17a key task in the kitchen.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19The other is a fake that's a complete failure.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21Could you tell the difference?
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Design is the lifeblood of many businesses
0:09:27 > 0:09:30and countless millions are spent by companies every year trying to
0:09:30 > 0:09:35produce something that's new, fresh and which stands out from the crowd.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39And to come up with the next big thing,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42they turn to people like inventor and designer Mark Sanders.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46It seems as though the fakers are the biggest followers of his innovations
0:09:46 > 0:09:49because, as fast as this serial inventor can make it,
0:09:49 > 0:09:51it seems someone's out there faking it.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55Well, basically, everything on this side of the table
0:09:55 > 0:09:59are the authentic, genuine product
0:09:59 > 0:10:02and all these fellas are all copies.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06These products have taken Mark years to perfect,
0:10:06 > 0:10:09but the fakers are knocking out cheap copies in weeks that,
0:10:09 > 0:10:11on the surface, are virtually identical,
0:10:11 > 0:10:14like this automatic can opener.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17This one is the real one.
0:10:17 > 0:10:18This one is the fake.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21We've got a very strong patent on that mechanism,
0:10:21 > 0:10:25but it hasn't prevented people just copying it completely.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30The fakers may think they've lifted the lid on Mark's design secrets,
0:10:30 > 0:10:33but without having put in his years of development,
0:10:33 > 0:10:34it's time to find out
0:10:34 > 0:10:38if it can rival the performance of the real thing.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40Let's try the genuine one.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44- Basically, you put it on the lid... - CAN OPENER BUZZES
0:10:44 > 0:10:48..and then it automatically walks around the can,
0:10:48 > 0:10:50opening the lid.
0:10:50 > 0:10:55OK. And then you have the lid stuck to the opener,
0:10:55 > 0:10:57which you then flick in the bin.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01The real thing makes short work of the job.
0:11:01 > 0:11:02But can the fake cut it?
0:11:02 > 0:11:05- WHIRRING - The first thing we notice is it's a lot louder.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10As you can see,
0:11:10 > 0:11:14although it looks the same, it doesn't work as well.
0:11:14 > 0:11:15Erm...
0:11:15 > 0:11:18It's gone about a quarter of the way around,
0:11:18 > 0:11:22the lid is still stuck on there,
0:11:22 > 0:11:24and somebody has just wasted
0:11:24 > 0:11:26a lot of money on this.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28That's faked.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32The fakers may have copied the form,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35but by cutting corners, the function simply doesn't deliver,
0:11:35 > 0:11:39and it's the same story with some of his other inventions.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41This is the real chopping board.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43You can grasp the handle and it forms a chute,
0:11:43 > 0:11:45so you don't miss the pan.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49Now, this looks the same, but if you compare the thickness of plastic,
0:11:49 > 0:11:52it's actually about half the thickness.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Mark sold his original chopping board design to British
0:11:56 > 0:11:58kitchenware company Joseph Joseph,
0:11:58 > 0:12:02who now market the genuine article under their brand name.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06They also have an in-house design team
0:12:06 > 0:12:08and innovative twists on kitchen classics,
0:12:08 > 0:12:12combined with a distinctive look, are how they've made their name.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17Like Mark, they've had their own designs counterfeited,
0:12:17 > 0:12:22but owner Richard Joseph has seen the scale of fakery here escalate.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26We've probably had 100 products faked that we know about.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28This is one of our "Elevate" tools.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30That's the original.
0:12:30 > 0:12:31That's the fake.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35The key design feature in this is it's got a foot that we've put into the handle
0:12:35 > 0:12:38It keeps the head of ladle off the countertop
0:12:38 > 0:12:40and basically makes it hygienic.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42With the fake product, when you place this on the table,
0:12:42 > 0:12:45the head actually comes into contact with the table
0:12:45 > 0:12:48and that means it's a product that doesn't work.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53In fact, it seems as though the fakers are flooding the market
0:12:53 > 0:12:55with their knock-offs.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59If you put in "Index Chopping Boards",
0:12:59 > 0:13:03a trademark name, you have 8...9...
0:13:03 > 0:13:0610, 11, 12...
0:13:06 > 0:13:08I'll carry on...
0:13:08 > 0:13:1313 companies, just there, that are producing copies.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15They're all infringing our trademark
0:13:15 > 0:13:19and claiming it as their own, and selling either direct copies,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22direct fakes or versions of.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Perhaps their most faked product is this set of eight stacking bowls
0:13:25 > 0:13:29and measuring cups, known as the Nest Eight.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32So, here we have the original Joseph Joseph Nest Eight
0:13:32 > 0:13:34and here is the fake.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37And, as you can see, they're virtually identical.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40One thing that isn't identical is the price.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43Whilst the real thing retails for around £35,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46the fake generally costs £20 or less.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49And as at first glance they look the same, for many people,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52it appears as though that can be the deciding factor.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56£20 because it's the same.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58- I'd take the £20. - I'll go for the £20 ones.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01They look exactly the same, so probably the cheapest one.
0:14:03 > 0:14:04They may look the same,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07but the counterfeit contains a very unwelcome addition.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12Fake bowls like these are being sold in California, where the law states
0:14:12 > 0:14:18that products must carry a warning if they contain dangerous materials.
0:14:18 > 0:14:19The materials they've chosen
0:14:19 > 0:14:21can cause cancer and
0:14:21 > 0:14:24child defects at birth,
0:14:24 > 0:14:25so it's quite incredible.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28They, first of all, should never be on sale,
0:14:28 > 0:14:31and secondly, very damaging for the consumer
0:14:31 > 0:14:33and for us as a brand, as well.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37These cheap and potentially dangerous plastics are the reason
0:14:37 > 0:14:41this product can undercut the genuine article.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45Knowing this, will our street sample still think the fake is a bargain?
0:14:45 > 0:14:48Well, then I'd definitely not buy it!
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Because, obviously, long-term, if it's going to affect me
0:14:51 > 0:14:54and my health, then I'm not going to be interested in it.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56Just shows you how you can be deceived, really, doesn't it?
0:15:05 > 0:15:09We are a nation of DIY lovers and, for lots of those
0:15:09 > 0:15:11"can't put it off any longer" jobs around the house,
0:15:11 > 0:15:13we should wear one of these -
0:15:13 > 0:15:16a protective mask with a special filter.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19They're also essential safety wear in many jobs
0:15:19 > 0:15:23to protect against potentially dangerous dust, particles and fumes.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26But these filters are fake
0:15:26 > 0:15:30and anyone using them might never know they'd put themselves at risk
0:15:30 > 0:15:32until it was too late.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38Hope Robertson understands why face masks are so important.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42Up until 2000, her husband David
0:15:42 > 0:15:45worked on the shipyards of the Clyde.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50He was an electrician, always in the yards.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Back then, they didn't even get a mask.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56David was exposed to asbestos day in, day out,
0:15:56 > 0:15:58with seemingly no ill effects.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03Then, in late 2000, Hope began to notice changes in him
0:16:03 > 0:16:05which caused her concern.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08He was losing weight and he wasn't eating.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12And he had what you call a slight tickly cough.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Nothing much to write home about, but it was...
0:16:15 > 0:16:17the change in his temperament.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19Hope made an appointment with the doctor,
0:16:19 > 0:16:21who was immediately worried,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24and sent David straight to the hospital for tests.
0:16:25 > 0:16:26That was on the Monday.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29On Tuesday, it was our wedding anniversary,
0:16:29 > 0:16:31our 36th wedding anniversary.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34And on the Thursday, February 24th,
0:16:34 > 0:16:37they came and they told us that he had mesothelioma.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the lungs
0:16:41 > 0:16:44and doctors linked David's to his years working
0:16:44 > 0:16:48without being issued a mask and being left exposed to asbestos.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53It can lie dormant for over 20 years before symptoms appear,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57by which time, as in David's case, it can be highly advanced.
0:16:59 > 0:17:04Four weeks exactly after he got out of hospital, he died at home.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09We didn't get a chance to say a proper goodbye.
0:17:12 > 0:17:13That really hurt.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19And that was it, all over -
0:17:19 > 0:17:22all because of neglect.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30And David's wasn't an isolated incident.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Whole communities whose workers weren't at the time issued
0:17:34 > 0:17:37with face masks were to suffer the same fate.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41This is my late husband's name on here.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44All these other people, all the way down,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46they were all exactly the same.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50They've all died from either asbestosis or mesothelioma.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52Just purely because
0:17:52 > 0:17:54they were not given the proper equipment.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58It's precisely cases like this that led to a change in the law.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04Now, employees are protected and given face masks,
0:18:04 > 0:18:07like this carpenter, whose exposure to sawdust
0:18:07 > 0:18:10greatly increases the risk of nasal cancer.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Various companies manufacture masks.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15One of the most trusted is 3M,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18but we've discovered one of the filters for their masks
0:18:18 > 0:18:20is being faked.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24We bought some of the fake filters online and took them
0:18:24 > 0:18:29to 3M's headquarters to show technical manager Alan McArthur.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32These are one of the particle filters we sell in the UK.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35They attach onto our masks,
0:18:35 > 0:18:38The contaminated air, as they breathe,
0:18:38 > 0:18:42passes through the filter and the particles are captured,
0:18:42 > 0:18:44and the wearer then is breathing cleaned air.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50We're making many thousands of respirators every day
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Globally, runs into millions and millions of devices.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56It is something we take seriously because it's...
0:18:56 > 0:18:59The health of the wearer of the product is at risk.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Genuine filters that are P3 grade
0:19:04 > 0:19:07should offer the wearer the highest level of protection
0:19:07 > 0:19:10against everything from brick dust to asbestos.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13A filter like this might have saved David Robertson's life
0:19:13 > 0:19:15in his asbestos-filled workplace.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21The fake filters claim to offer P3 grade protection,
0:19:21 > 0:19:22but if they don't perform,
0:19:22 > 0:19:27the wearer could unwittingly be inhaling toxic particles
0:19:27 > 0:19:29with devastating long-term effects.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35Many of 3M's genuine products are tested here at the BSI,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38British Standards Institution.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40Expert Mike Thompson has agreed to put the fakes
0:19:40 > 0:19:43through one of the tests all masks of this grade
0:19:43 > 0:19:46must meet to be sold anywhere in Europe.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51The aim of this test is to represent fine particles
0:19:51 > 0:19:54to see whether they penetrate through the particulate filter media.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Sodium particles are blasted into the box
0:19:59 > 0:20:01to mimic a hazardous environment.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04The air is then sucked through the filter into a device
0:20:04 > 0:20:06acting as the wearer's lungs.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11Hardly any sodium should pass through to this stage.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14When assessed to European standard, it should protect the wearer
0:20:14 > 0:20:18from 99.95% of particles that they are subjected to.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23Five minutes in, the first full set of readings come back
0:20:23 > 0:20:25and the results are damning.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29The penetration value is over 14% -
0:20:29 > 0:20:33nearly 300 times the actual limit for this European standard.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36This is one of the worst masks I've ever seen.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40For 3M, the brand the fakers are ripping off,
0:20:40 > 0:20:42it's a warning for customers to be on their guard.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47Buy through reputable channels within the UK.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50I think searching for a bargain on a website
0:20:50 > 0:20:52is where you may find trouble.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58And for Hope Robertson, who lost her husband to asbestos exposure,
0:20:58 > 0:21:03the message to the fakers putting others at risk is loud and clear.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07These are people's lives that are at stake.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10It's a horrible way to go. It's a dreadful way to go.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Earlier, we met Gina,
0:21:19 > 0:21:23who had a lucky escape after being conned by a part worn tyre dealer,
0:21:23 > 0:21:27selling dangerous tyres making fake claims to be safe.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29I felt like I'd put my kids at risk
0:21:29 > 0:21:31and myself and anyone that had been in my car.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35But that wasn't a one-off.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Fake Britain can reveal that thousands of unsafe part worn tyres
0:21:39 > 0:21:41are on sale across the country.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48Industry insiders, like Stuart Jackson of Tyresafe,
0:21:48 > 0:21:50fear the rise of these dodgy dealers
0:21:50 > 0:21:52is not only tarnishing the whole trade,
0:21:52 > 0:21:54but putting lives at risk.
0:21:54 > 0:21:59It is a concern for us that we have people, unscrupulous dealers,
0:21:59 > 0:22:00across the country.
0:22:00 > 0:22:05The unknown, hidden dangers of a part worn or used product
0:22:05 > 0:22:07is the biggest issue.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10Has it been damaged? Has it been in an accident? We just don't know.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14What we do know is that every year, in the UK,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17more than 1,200 motorists are injured in an accident
0:22:17 > 0:22:22where illegal, defective or underinflated tyres play a part.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Very few people are in the position of being able to cope
0:22:25 > 0:22:28in the event that they have a sudden tyre failure.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39Alerted to a rising tide of fakers blighting the tyre trade,
0:22:39 > 0:22:43the authorities are clamping down on this criminal activity.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47In London, trading standards officer Samuel Abdullahi
0:22:47 > 0:22:50is heading out with partner Andy Faulkner on an operation
0:22:50 > 0:22:53aimed at stopping suspect tyre dealers in their tracks.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Many of the tyres we do find are unsafe,
0:22:56 > 0:22:59they should never have been supplied to consumers
0:22:59 > 0:23:03and businesses should not have them on their premises for supply.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05Hence the reasons why we do the inspections,
0:23:05 > 0:23:07to make sure that the public are safe.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12And because it's up to the part worn tyre dealers themselves
0:23:12 > 0:23:14to check their tyres are roadworthy,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17the only way to make sure they aren't faking it
0:23:17 > 0:23:19is for Trading Standards to go door-to-door.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24- Hello, boss.- As Samuel and Andy begin their search,
0:23:24 > 0:23:27it's clear this owner doesn't want us along for the ride.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30- Turn off the camera, please.- OK. - Turn off the camera, please.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33The owner claims some of this stock has just arrived
0:23:33 > 0:23:35and is yet to be checked,
0:23:35 > 0:23:38but nothing should be on display until it's been tested
0:23:38 > 0:23:40and declared up to standard.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44As none of it is marked up, it may all be on offer to the public
0:23:44 > 0:23:49and one tyre has immediately caught their eye as potentially dangerous.
0:23:49 > 0:23:50This one has no ticket.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54It seems the owner is reluctant to give it up and wants them
0:23:54 > 0:23:57to take at a better-looking tyre instead.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01- No, no, no, I'll give you paperwork.- Yes.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03If it doesn't have part worn tyre, it is wrong.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08- This one is rubbish. - I don't want that one.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11If we identify an item which we believe is unsafe,
0:24:11 > 0:24:15which is in here, we have to seize it.
0:24:15 > 0:24:16It looks as though it's unsafe,
0:24:16 > 0:24:20we have suspicion that it is, so we'll be taking it today.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25With this suspected unsafe tyre off the streets,
0:24:25 > 0:24:27it's on to the next dealer on the list.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32I'm Samuel Abdullahi, I'm from Trading Standards.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35The tyres are marked part worn,
0:24:35 > 0:24:37meaning they have claimed to have passed all the safety checks
0:24:37 > 0:24:41demanded by law, but Andy has his doubts.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43This is just a tearaway sticker.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46The point of the marking is to be able to see that it's been shown
0:24:46 > 0:24:49to everyone that it is a part worn and people are aware,
0:24:49 > 0:24:52and it is supposed to be compliant with the legislation.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57Um... That is probably not, to be honest.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01As he delves deeper, his suspicions appear to be well-founded.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04The concern we've got with this one is we've got a chunk straightaway
0:25:04 > 0:25:05that's come away from it.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09Andy and Samuel seize two more suspect tyres
0:25:09 > 0:25:12they think could be putting the public at risk.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14They both have the part worn stamp on them,
0:25:14 > 0:25:16which is not the right way.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19It needs to be permanent, on the actual tyre itself.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22The question is how unroadworthy is it?
0:25:25 > 0:25:29To find out, back at base, Samuel has called in Steve Dolby.
0:25:29 > 0:25:34Steve's an expert with over 30 years' experience in tyre testing.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37He can tell whether what's been seized is safe,
0:25:37 > 0:25:41as its markings claim, or whether it's being sold by fakers
0:25:41 > 0:25:43making a profit by putting the public at risk.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47What we've found is that quite a few tyres have the part worn marking,
0:25:47 > 0:25:50but they're still effectively in an unroadworthy condition.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54Samuel's got a stack of recently seized tyres.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56He wants Steve's verdict.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59First up is one of the tyres he's just brought in
0:25:59 > 0:26:02and Steve begins by checking the tyre's age.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04The four numbers here,
0:26:04 > 0:26:09meaning that the tyre was made in week nine of 2003.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12So this tyre's already 12 years old, so it's quite an old tyre.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16I would suggest it shouldn't be put back onto the road at that age.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21Although there is no age limit in law for part worn tyres,
0:26:21 > 0:26:23tyres are changed on average every three years -
0:26:23 > 0:26:27this one is over four times that age.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Alarm bells are already ringing and, seconds later,
0:26:30 > 0:26:32Steve finds hard evidence
0:26:32 > 0:26:35that the tyre's claims to be road safe are fake.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38So, straightaway, there's a repair in the side wall of the tyre.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40Only specific repairers can do that.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43It's a major job. This has just been a bit of a bodge job.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47Disturbingly, it's not the only defect.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49We can see another patch on the inside.
0:26:49 > 0:26:50With a repair on the inside,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53there should be a corresponding one on the outside
0:26:53 > 0:26:56where the road damage actually took place.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59But with no such repair made to the tyre tread,
0:26:59 > 0:27:02it means the cause of the damage has never been dealt with.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04The person who's repaired the tyre has just put a patch
0:27:04 > 0:27:08only on the inside, but it hasn't sealed the hole on the outside.
0:27:08 > 0:27:09The tyre can start to separate,
0:27:09 > 0:27:13which could eventually cause a rapid deflation on the motorway.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16And the problems don't stop there.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19- It looks like a razor blade or a Stanley knife.- Looks like a knife.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22That will have sliced through some of the cords of the tyre,
0:27:22 > 0:27:24Should never go back into the marketplace.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27It seems like the problem is endemic.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31The tyre's probably had some sort of nail or screw through it.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35The entire stack of tyres, from many different dealers,
0:27:35 > 0:27:37all failed to make the grade
0:27:37 > 0:27:39and some of them were even marked to confirm
0:27:39 > 0:27:41that they'd passed safety standards.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44It's still shocking to see the number of tyres
0:27:44 > 0:27:46that have not met the safety standards.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50It's still disturbing, the whole part worn tyre industry, really.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55Samuel's case against the part worn tyre dealers is still ongoing...
0:27:58 > 0:28:01..and his work to protect motorists still isn't done.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05It has definitely been a worthwhile operation
0:28:05 > 0:28:07and there are plenty of other traders out there
0:28:07 > 0:28:11which we haven't visited, so we will be targeting them in the future.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.