Episode 2

Download Subtitles

Transcript

0:00:02 > 0:00:06Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems.

0:00:06 > 0:00:09Welcome to Fake Britain.

0:00:09 > 0:00:11SHOUTING

0:00:20 > 0:00:22SHOUTING

0:00:22 > 0:00:24Put your hands behind your back now!

0:00:24 > 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 > 0:00:35We'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 > 0:00:46Today on Fake Britain...

0:00:47 > 0:00:50The movie has won the hearts of children across the world

0:00:50 > 0:00:54but the fake merchandise has left one little girl scarred for life.

0:00:54 > 0:00:58The blood was absolutely flowing out of her face.

0:00:58 > 0:01:02The fake hi-tech coat that could have chilling consequences.

0:01:02 > 0:01:06If a consumer was counting on a jacket for their survival

0:01:06 > 0:01:08and they bought a counterfeit jacket,

0:01:08 > 0:01:11that could result in a life-and-death situation.

0:01:11 > 0:01:15Fake hair extensions that led to the worst bad hair day ever.

0:01:15 > 0:01:18It was a shock, like, "Oh, my God.

0:01:18 > 0:01:21"Have you seriously ripped half my hair out getting them out?"

0:01:21 > 0:01:23And the fraudsters trying to steal millions

0:01:23 > 0:01:26from taxpayers and charities.

0:01:26 > 0:01:29It makes you intensely angry that somebody could come

0:01:29 > 0:01:32and take money away from hard-working people.

0:01:39 > 0:01:41Even if you don't have young children,

0:01:41 > 0:01:45you can't have escaped the phenomenon that is the Disney blockbuster,

0:01:45 > 0:01:47Frozen.

0:01:47 > 0:01:50It quickly became the highest-grossing animated film

0:01:50 > 0:01:53of all time and demand for the merchandise has been huge -

0:01:53 > 0:01:58with toys, dolls, games and much more flying off the shelves.

0:01:58 > 0:02:00They just can't make it fast enough.

0:02:00 > 0:02:03Little wonder then that the fakers have grabbed their slice

0:02:03 > 0:02:05of the Frozen pie.

0:02:05 > 0:02:09But the consequences for some kids have been truly shocking.

0:02:11 > 0:02:14Frozen tells the story of Princess Elsa

0:02:14 > 0:02:17who turns everything she touches to ice and snow,

0:02:17 > 0:02:20- and her little sister, Anna... - Really?- ..who sets out to save her.

0:02:20 > 0:02:21That's my sister.

0:02:23 > 0:02:27Kids who adored the film went even crazier for the merchandise,

0:02:27 > 0:02:31with dresses, dolls and soft toys all selling out at Christmas time.

0:02:31 > 0:02:34Parents who couldn't get their hands on the toys in the shops

0:02:34 > 0:02:37quickly turned to the internet, where the fakers were only too happy

0:02:37 > 0:02:39to fill the demand.

0:02:40 > 0:02:44But give these fakes to a child and their smiles may turn to tears.

0:02:48 > 0:02:51One dad with a Frozen-mad daughter is Stuart Broll,

0:02:51 > 0:02:52from Stockton-on-Tees.

0:02:52 > 0:02:56My daughter Lydia is pretty much obsessed with Frozen,

0:02:56 > 0:02:58like most girls are these days.

0:03:00 > 0:03:01She loves it.

0:03:02 > 0:03:03Like any loving dad,

0:03:03 > 0:03:06Stuart wanted to make his daughter's dreams come true.

0:03:06 > 0:03:09So, he bought her some Frozen toys.

0:03:09 > 0:03:12I'd been looking online one night, looked on eBay

0:03:12 > 0:03:16and they've got a massive selection of Frozen products.

0:03:16 > 0:03:19Stuart chose a watch with a bendy metal strap

0:03:19 > 0:03:22that would wrap around his daughter's slim wrist.

0:03:22 > 0:03:24Known as slap or snap bands,

0:03:24 > 0:03:27these accessories come in a wide range of designs

0:03:27 > 0:03:28and are popular with children,

0:03:28 > 0:03:31who enjoy slapping them round their wrists.

0:03:31 > 0:03:34Lydia is quite small and I did have trouble, obviously,

0:03:34 > 0:03:35getting a watch to fit her.

0:03:35 > 0:03:37So, I thought with it being a snap band,

0:03:37 > 0:03:39it would be the best alternative.

0:03:39 > 0:03:41It would actually fit round her hand neat and tidy

0:03:41 > 0:03:42and it wouldn't fall off.

0:03:44 > 0:03:48Stuart also bought a stuffed toy in the shape of Sven the reindeer,

0:03:48 > 0:03:50one of the characters from Frozen.

0:03:50 > 0:03:54But when the toys arrived, Stuart made an appalling discovery.

0:03:54 > 0:03:58On inspection, I found that the metal legs inside

0:03:58 > 0:04:01was actually sticking through the outer covering of the animal.

0:04:01 > 0:04:03I couldn't even think about the damage that

0:04:03 > 0:04:04could have done.

0:04:04 > 0:04:05I mean, it's horrific.

0:04:05 > 0:04:08You know, it's a metal rod that's sticking through.

0:04:08 > 0:04:10The amount of damage that could have caused,

0:04:10 > 0:04:13it's not even worth thinking about to be quite honest.

0:04:14 > 0:04:16The slap watch was equally deadly.

0:04:16 > 0:04:20Sadly, on inspection and cutting it open,

0:04:20 > 0:04:24I found a metal tape measure to be used inside.

0:04:24 > 0:04:26Shockingly, the wristband was simply made

0:04:26 > 0:04:28from a standard builder's measuring tape

0:04:28 > 0:04:32that had been cut to the right shape and covered with cheap plastic.

0:04:32 > 0:04:35It is absolutely razor-sharp down the sides

0:04:35 > 0:04:39and also at the corners where it's actually been cut down.

0:04:39 > 0:04:41Thankfully, Stuart managed to spot the danger

0:04:41 > 0:04:44and remove the toys before Lydia was hurt.

0:04:44 > 0:04:47I'm absolutely disgusted that people are actually selling these products

0:04:47 > 0:04:49in the first place.

0:04:49 > 0:04:52That could potentially harm or even kill a child.

0:04:55 > 0:04:59But one father who wasn't so lucky is Nathan Stodden from Cornwall.

0:04:59 > 0:05:04Nathan's dad to three girls - Chelsea, Bethany and Madison.

0:05:04 > 0:05:08Like other girls their age, they too are fanatical about Frozen.

0:05:08 > 0:05:10- Who is your favourite character? - Elsa.

0:05:10 > 0:05:12Elsa's your favourite character?

0:05:12 > 0:05:13Why do you like Elsa?

0:05:14 > 0:05:19I like Elsa because she's got magic powers.

0:05:20 > 0:05:23When six-year-old Bethany and three-year-old Madison

0:05:23 > 0:05:26were invited to a friend's Frozen-themed birthday party

0:05:26 > 0:05:29one Saturday afternoon, they were delighted.

0:05:29 > 0:05:32After the event, both girls were given a party bag

0:05:32 > 0:05:34containing a Frozen slap wristband.

0:05:34 > 0:05:36They absolutely loved them.

0:05:36 > 0:05:38As soon as Bethany had the wristband, yeah,

0:05:38 > 0:05:44it was on and she's slapping away and playing with it. Weren't you?

0:05:46 > 0:05:50Bethany loved the wristband so much she didn't take it off

0:05:50 > 0:05:51and was still wearing it the next morning.

0:05:53 > 0:05:55Then I was in the kitchen doing the dishes.

0:05:55 > 0:05:58The kids were upstairs playing and bouncing around.

0:05:58 > 0:06:02And I heard a massive scream from upstairs.

0:06:04 > 0:06:07Nathan was about to be confronted with a shocking sight.

0:06:07 > 0:06:11Bethany had come walking into the kitchen with footprints of blood.

0:06:12 > 0:06:17Blood dripping down her face with a massive open wound,

0:06:17 > 0:06:19which was very, very deep and wide.

0:06:19 > 0:06:21It was like something out of a horror movie.

0:06:21 > 0:06:24Literally, it was just a trail of disaster.

0:06:24 > 0:06:27Poor little Bethany had caught her face on the edge

0:06:27 > 0:06:31of the fake wristband, causing an inch-long cut in her cheek.

0:06:31 > 0:06:33Bethany was in hysterics when she came in to me

0:06:33 > 0:06:36and I was in a massive state of shock from looking at it.

0:06:36 > 0:06:40You know, my beautiful daughter had a massive gash on her face,

0:06:40 > 0:06:41which frightened me.

0:06:42 > 0:06:44When Nathan examined the wristband,

0:06:44 > 0:06:46he discovered that just like Stuart's,

0:06:46 > 0:06:49it contained a cut up tape measure.

0:06:49 > 0:06:51This is the one that actually did the damage itself.

0:06:51 > 0:06:53This is absolutely razor-sharp.

0:06:53 > 0:06:56It actually entered Bethany's face

0:06:56 > 0:06:58to just below where my thumb is now.

0:06:58 > 0:07:01That's how deep it actually went into her face,

0:07:01 > 0:07:04which is nearly 10mm.

0:07:04 > 0:07:06Bethany was rushed to hospital, where the doctors were able

0:07:06 > 0:07:09to stop the bleeding and close the wound.

0:07:09 > 0:07:11But she may be scarred for life.

0:07:11 > 0:07:13It really hurted.

0:07:13 > 0:07:15And how do you feel now?

0:07:15 > 0:07:17- Scared.- It's sad, isn't it?

0:07:17 > 0:07:20You don't like seeing the scar on your face, do you?

0:07:20 > 0:07:23Even after what has happened, Nathan still believes

0:07:23 > 0:07:24they've been very lucky.

0:07:24 > 0:07:27If it had slashed her wrist or caught an artery

0:07:27 > 0:07:31or anything like that, the doctors would have really struggled.

0:07:31 > 0:07:33And certainly within the time it took me

0:07:33 > 0:07:36to take her to my local hospital,

0:07:36 > 0:07:39she would have lost a serious amount of blood.

0:07:40 > 0:07:43But it's not just the occasional slap band or stuffed toy

0:07:43 > 0:07:44slipping through.

0:07:44 > 0:07:47Faking Frozen products is a boom industry.

0:07:47 > 0:07:50Huge container-loads of fake Disney merchandise

0:07:50 > 0:07:53have been secretly arriving at British ports

0:07:53 > 0:07:56and no-one knows how much of it has found its way into people's homes.

0:07:58 > 0:08:02It's Trading Standards' job to try and stop the deluge.

0:08:02 > 0:08:05And in Nottinghamshire, one team has successfully intercepted a huge haul

0:08:05 > 0:08:10of fake Frozen merchandise, which was being sold from a shop in their area.

0:08:10 > 0:08:13It was just everywhere and all tat.

0:08:14 > 0:08:17Paul Gretton and Robert Martinez were part of the team

0:08:17 > 0:08:19that seized the toys.

0:08:19 > 0:08:21We first came across this as a result of a tip-off

0:08:21 > 0:08:23from a member of the public.

0:08:23 > 0:08:25We were rather surprised to find this huge quantity

0:08:25 > 0:08:28but I think that reflects the popularity of the film

0:08:28 > 0:08:30and how much demand there is for this stuff.

0:08:30 > 0:08:32They're an obvious fake because on the back...

0:08:33 > 0:08:36..you've got the impression of buttons but no actual buttons.

0:08:36 > 0:08:39And there's no screw for the battery compartment as well.

0:08:39 > 0:08:41So, the batteries would be accessible to little kids.

0:08:41 > 0:08:42Delightful little thing(!)

0:08:43 > 0:08:45What's really surprised me -

0:08:45 > 0:08:49and I've been in Trading Standards a long time -

0:08:49 > 0:08:52is the really poor quality of some of this.

0:08:52 > 0:08:54Ooh, the leg's come off.

0:08:54 > 0:08:57This is some of the worst fake stuff I've seen in 30 years.

0:08:57 > 0:08:59It's not robust enough to be given to children.

0:08:59 > 0:09:02It's really, really shockingly poor stuff.

0:09:02 > 0:09:06In total, they've seized over 700 items, including umbrellas,

0:09:06 > 0:09:09wallets, bags, alarm clocks and much more.

0:09:09 > 0:09:12- The story on the back makes no sense.- No.

0:09:12 > 0:09:15"Anna's sister cold snow queen to her under a curse."

0:09:15 > 0:09:18And so it goes on. It doesn't make any sense at all.

0:09:18 > 0:09:22- They're at least £20. - Really?- Yeah.- Goodness.

0:09:22 > 0:09:26What is a little bit unusual is fake product normally sells for less

0:09:26 > 0:09:27than the market value.

0:09:27 > 0:09:30But the demand is so high for this particular product

0:09:30 > 0:09:32that it's actually selling at market value,

0:09:32 > 0:09:34what the real stuff is selling for.

0:09:35 > 0:09:37As well as being poor quality,

0:09:37 > 0:09:39many of the toys are potentially dangerous.

0:09:39 > 0:09:42These dresses could be highly flammable.

0:09:42 > 0:09:44Nasty material it's made out of.

0:09:45 > 0:09:49There's just no thought given to the actual safety of the product.

0:09:49 > 0:09:52It could go up in a ball of flames, or it could melt onto the child.

0:09:53 > 0:09:56Also of serious concern are hooded coats

0:09:56 > 0:09:58with chords that could strangle.

0:09:58 > 0:10:00They're really nasty.

0:10:00 > 0:10:02You know, I thought we'd seen the back of this sort of thing,

0:10:02 > 0:10:03I really did.

0:10:03 > 0:10:06The problem with that is, if that gets caught -

0:10:06 > 0:10:08and the classic one is when they're coming down a slide

0:10:08 > 0:10:12in a playground - and pulls, it actually forms a noose.

0:10:12 > 0:10:13And there were deaths.

0:10:13 > 0:10:15Two to three deaths a year before the law was changed on that

0:10:15 > 0:10:17some years ago.

0:10:17 > 0:10:19So, that's the real worry with those.

0:10:19 > 0:10:23Children's coats with drawstrings that pull all the way through

0:10:23 > 0:10:25are now banned in the UK.

0:10:25 > 0:10:26Coats for children under seven

0:10:26 > 0:10:29aren't even allowed to have decorative chords.

0:10:29 > 0:10:31I don't think I'm exaggerating by saying that

0:10:31 > 0:10:33the worst that could happen with some of this product

0:10:33 > 0:10:35is there could be a fatality.

0:10:35 > 0:10:39And Nottinghamshire County Council's Trading Standards aren't alone.

0:10:39 > 0:10:42Enforcement agencies have been seizing goods

0:10:42 > 0:10:44up and down the country.

0:10:44 > 0:10:47At the port of Dover, a lorry-load of fake toys,

0:10:47 > 0:10:50including nearly 500 fake Frozen dolls,

0:10:50 > 0:10:54was impounded in the run-up to Christmas 2014.

0:10:54 > 0:10:58Meanwhile, at Stansted Airport, dolls and accessories worth over £8,000

0:10:58 > 0:11:02were confiscated from shipments arriving from Malaysia and China.

0:11:03 > 0:11:07Paul finds the whole thing very frustrating.

0:11:07 > 0:11:09They've not given a care to the safety of the product.

0:11:09 > 0:11:12They just want to make the money while the film is at the height

0:11:12 > 0:11:15of its popularity and then they'll walk away from it.

0:11:15 > 0:11:19But, unfortunately, I don't think they should be able to walk away

0:11:19 > 0:11:21from potentially killing a child.

0:11:21 > 0:11:23For the Stodden family,

0:11:23 > 0:11:25their encounter with a fake Frozen toy

0:11:25 > 0:11:28is an experience they're never going to be able to forget.

0:11:28 > 0:11:31I think the difficult thing for ourselves is the childhood years of,

0:11:31 > 0:11:34certainly school photos, are going to be haunted by

0:11:34 > 0:11:37such a horrible scar on such a beautiful girl's face.

0:11:37 > 0:11:38It's...

0:11:38 > 0:11:41It's quite...it's quite emotional, isn't it? Hm?

0:11:50 > 0:11:55When you buy a coat to keep you warm, well, you want it to keep you warm.

0:11:55 > 0:11:59A parka filled with goose down is amongst the very warmest there is -

0:11:59 > 0:12:00as this one should be.

0:12:00 > 0:12:02But it's a fake.

0:12:02 > 0:12:05Buy a real down coat and you'll be toasty.

0:12:05 > 0:12:08Buy a fake, you'll be left out in the cold.

0:12:10 > 0:12:13Down-filled parkas were designed for those working

0:12:13 > 0:12:14in the very coldest conditions.

0:12:14 > 0:12:18But they're now a regular sight on our high streets during winter.

0:12:19 > 0:12:22One brand of down-filled coat is called Canada Goose.

0:12:24 > 0:12:27Kevin Spreekmeester is Chief Marketing Officer.

0:12:27 > 0:12:32Canada Goose is a nearly 60-year-old company

0:12:32 > 0:12:35that manufactures some of the world's best down outerwear.

0:12:36 > 0:12:39The company makes coats for anyone who wants to stay warm -

0:12:39 > 0:12:41from shoppers out and about on a frosty day,

0:12:41 > 0:12:45to rugged outdoor workers in the coldest places on earth.

0:12:45 > 0:12:47We make warm jackets for the city.

0:12:47 > 0:12:50We make warm jackets for athletes and dog mushers

0:12:50 > 0:12:52and researchers in Antarctica.

0:12:52 > 0:12:55For these people, it's a tool of their trade.

0:12:55 > 0:12:59It's equipment. It's necessary. It's a survival piece.

0:12:59 > 0:13:02Of course, you don't have to be an Arctic researcher to wear one

0:13:02 > 0:13:03of these coats.

0:13:03 > 0:13:06In fact, they're now regularly worn as winter outerwear

0:13:06 > 0:13:07in towns and cities.

0:13:08 > 0:13:11But the manufacturers say they're still designed to withstand

0:13:11 > 0:13:13the most extreme temperatures.

0:13:14 > 0:13:18We continually study jackets in cold chambers.

0:13:18 > 0:13:22We continually look for improvements in fabrications and trims.

0:13:22 > 0:13:24It's an ongoing process.

0:13:26 > 0:13:29Of course, the fakers have spotted the chance to profit

0:13:29 > 0:13:31from the company's success.

0:13:31 > 0:13:33They are making coats that look like exact replicas

0:13:33 > 0:13:37of their high-end designs but with none of the technical wizardry.

0:13:38 > 0:13:41And for outdoor workers relying on their gear to protect them

0:13:41 > 0:13:43from the elements, that could have serious consequences.

0:13:45 > 0:13:48As Maya Plass found out.

0:13:48 > 0:13:51- Come here.- Maya is a marine biologist who spends her days

0:13:51 > 0:13:54battling the weather around Britain's coastline.

0:13:54 > 0:13:57I'm often outside so I spend a lot of time

0:13:57 > 0:13:58just exploring the coastline,

0:13:58 > 0:14:01whether it's doing rock pool rambles with children,

0:14:01 > 0:14:05or whether it's diving as well and spending a lot of time on the water.

0:14:06 > 0:14:09After a particularly cold day out on the boat,

0:14:09 > 0:14:12Maya decided it was time to buy a new warm jacket.

0:14:13 > 0:14:16Spotting a French website that had the coats on sale,

0:14:16 > 0:14:19she jumped at the chance to grab a bargain.

0:14:19 > 0:14:21And I knew friends that had had Canada Goose coats

0:14:21 > 0:14:24and completely relied on them, even going on polar expeditions

0:14:24 > 0:14:25and things as well.

0:14:25 > 0:14:28So, I just felt that I couldn't lose the opportunity

0:14:28 > 0:14:31of staying lovely and warm and dry for very cold, wet days

0:14:31 > 0:14:33out on the sea.

0:14:35 > 0:14:39Maya ordered a parka and a gilet, both on sale at a hefty discount.

0:14:41 > 0:14:44But when the coats arrived, her hopes of staying warm and dry were dashed.

0:14:45 > 0:14:47As soon as I got them out of the parcel,

0:14:47 > 0:14:50the coat material just didn't feel quality.

0:14:50 > 0:14:52It felt very cheap.

0:14:52 > 0:14:54It felt like it wasn't going to be waterproof

0:14:54 > 0:14:56and I knew that they were fakes.

0:14:58 > 0:15:01The fake parka had none of the top-quality insulating features

0:15:01 > 0:15:03that Maya was expecting.

0:15:03 > 0:15:05You can see from some of the stitching here

0:15:05 > 0:15:07that there's stitches loose.

0:15:07 > 0:15:10That the material's really poor quality and isn't waterproof.

0:15:11 > 0:15:14If I just get some water and just drop it on the top.

0:15:14 > 0:15:19And if it's a really good waterproof coat, the water beads will stay.

0:15:19 > 0:15:21But you can see already by leaving it on there,

0:15:21 > 0:15:22it's completely soaked in.

0:15:22 > 0:15:25There are problems with the fit too.

0:15:25 > 0:15:26Not a very good hood.

0:15:26 > 0:15:28SHE LAUGHS

0:15:28 > 0:15:32Maya kicked herself for having been taken in by the fakers.

0:15:32 > 0:15:35So, when I realised they were fake, I was genuinely really disappointed

0:15:35 > 0:15:37cos I'd wasted my money.

0:15:37 > 0:15:38I also felt a bit of an idiot.

0:15:38 > 0:15:41I thought, "How could I have done something so stupid?"

0:15:41 > 0:15:43But I realise that anyone can do it as well.

0:15:44 > 0:15:46So, if you've bought one online,

0:15:46 > 0:15:49how can you tell if you've been fooled?

0:15:49 > 0:15:52So, what we have here is an authentic jacket.

0:15:52 > 0:15:54And here we have a fake jacket.

0:15:54 > 0:15:57The most obvious thing is the overall appearance

0:15:57 > 0:15:59of the jackets.

0:15:59 > 0:16:04This is our Arctic Tech fabric, which is a polycotton blend.

0:16:04 > 0:16:08It's smart. It's covered in DWR, which is a water resistancy.

0:16:08 > 0:16:11It doesn't crinkle like this one.

0:16:11 > 0:16:14And, if you take a look at this, it just looks mangy.

0:16:14 > 0:16:17It is worn and flimsy.

0:16:17 > 0:16:22On the authentic jacket you have this, what we call our Arctic Disc.

0:16:22 > 0:16:25And you can see the definition in the type.

0:16:25 > 0:16:27There's not a thread out of place.

0:16:27 > 0:16:29If you take a look at the fake jacket,

0:16:29 > 0:16:32this is an ugly mess.

0:16:32 > 0:16:36You can see the stitching on the inside of the label here.

0:16:36 > 0:16:40Weird strands. The Arctic is messed up.

0:16:40 > 0:16:43What's inside the fake coat is even worse.

0:16:43 > 0:16:47These are two glasses filled with down

0:16:47 > 0:16:51and what the counterfeiters put in their fake jackets.

0:16:51 > 0:16:53So, we've had these analysed in a lab.

0:16:53 > 0:16:56This one, the fake down, is 5% down.

0:16:56 > 0:16:59It's 50% feathers

0:16:59 > 0:17:02and the rest, who knows what.

0:17:02 > 0:17:06Dust and dirt and whatever's on the factory floor.

0:17:06 > 0:17:07This is down.

0:17:07 > 0:17:12Down filaments are the underbelly of the bird that go under the feathers.

0:17:12 > 0:17:14That's what keeps you warm.

0:17:14 > 0:17:19The results of owning a fake coat like this could be serious.

0:17:19 > 0:17:23If a consumer was counting on a jacket for their survival

0:17:23 > 0:17:25and they bought a counterfeit jacket,

0:17:25 > 0:17:28that could result in a life-and-death situation.

0:17:30 > 0:17:34It's clear from looking at the fakes that the quality isn't up to scratch.

0:17:34 > 0:17:36But how well do they perform in the cold?

0:17:37 > 0:17:38At Loughborough University,

0:17:38 > 0:17:41Professor George Havenith studies how people perform

0:17:41 > 0:17:43in extreme temperatures.

0:17:43 > 0:17:46What we're standing in front of here is our climatic chamber.

0:17:46 > 0:17:47We have two of those.

0:17:47 > 0:17:50And we can simulate most climates of the world in these chambers.

0:17:50 > 0:17:52We can go from -30 to +50.

0:17:52 > 0:17:54Or we can change the humidity as well

0:17:54 > 0:17:56and make it very humid or very dry.

0:17:59 > 0:18:02Professor Havenith tests both the real and fake coats

0:18:02 > 0:18:05using a special heated mannequin.

0:18:05 > 0:18:07He measures the amount of power required

0:18:07 > 0:18:10to maintain the surface of the mannequin at 34 degrees,

0:18:10 > 0:18:12normal skin temperature.

0:18:13 > 0:18:15If the coat doesn't insulate the mannequin properly,

0:18:15 > 0:18:19it'll require more energy to maintain that stable temperature.

0:18:20 > 0:18:22The greater the amount of energy used,

0:18:22 > 0:18:24the worse the coat is performing.

0:18:26 > 0:18:28So, here we have the Canada Goose jacket

0:18:28 > 0:18:30and next to it, we've put the fake jacket.

0:18:30 > 0:18:31The trousers are the same.

0:18:31 > 0:18:33So, you see the same colours for the trousers.

0:18:33 > 0:18:35But if we look at the trunk and the arms,

0:18:35 > 0:18:38you see very clearly the fake jacket has more red-type colours,

0:18:38 > 0:18:40which means they have a higher heat loss.

0:18:40 > 0:18:43Almost double than we have in the real jacket.

0:18:43 > 0:18:44That would make a substantial difference,

0:18:44 > 0:18:47if you would use this in extreme cold.

0:18:47 > 0:18:49The professor also takes photos of the coats

0:18:49 > 0:18:53using a thermal imaging camera to see how much heat is escaping.

0:18:53 > 0:18:55If we look at both jackets here

0:18:55 > 0:19:00you see that the Canada Goose jacket has a quite blue back area.

0:19:00 > 0:19:03And this is the fake jacket and you see there is a lot more heat loss

0:19:03 > 0:19:06along the seams, which separates the different pockets of insulation.

0:19:06 > 0:19:08So, that means there is much more heat coming through,

0:19:08 > 0:19:11which confirms what we saw with the mannequin.

0:19:12 > 0:19:14There's no doubt that in the tests on the dummy,

0:19:14 > 0:19:18the fake coat didn't insulate as well as the real one.

0:19:18 > 0:19:20But what does that mean for someone wearing it in the cold?

0:19:21 > 0:19:24Right, gentlemen. So, we've got the jackets.

0:19:24 > 0:19:27So, to see how the coats perform on real people,

0:19:27 > 0:19:30Professor Havenith is testing them on two colleagues.

0:19:30 > 0:19:32Alex is wearing the fake jacket.

0:19:32 > 0:19:34Simon's wearing the genuine one.

0:19:34 > 0:19:38At the moment, I'm quite warm but I don't think so in a minute.

0:19:38 > 0:19:40I think I'm going to be quite cold, so...

0:19:40 > 0:19:42OK, let's take you guys in.

0:19:45 > 0:19:49The climatic chamber is cooled to -20 degrees Celsius,

0:19:49 > 0:19:51as cold as the average household freezer.

0:19:52 > 0:19:55Alex and Simon will stay in there for half an hour.

0:19:55 > 0:19:57Just make sure you're as warm as you can be.

0:20:01 > 0:20:03My face is quite cold.

0:20:03 > 0:20:06- Yeah.- I'm not too bad.

0:20:07 > 0:20:09It could be worse.

0:20:09 > 0:20:10You've got the nice jacket.

0:20:12 > 0:20:15So, what we're trying to do here is just to illustrate

0:20:15 > 0:20:16how the jackets work on real people.

0:20:16 > 0:20:18This will show us how people cool down.

0:20:18 > 0:20:21And we would expect to see, with the infrared camera,

0:20:21 > 0:20:24that actually Alex is losing more heat through the jacket.

0:20:24 > 0:20:27So, he would feel colder and we would see more heat on the outside.

0:20:29 > 0:20:32After 30 minutes at -20 degrees,

0:20:32 > 0:20:36the differences between the two coats have become very clear.

0:20:36 > 0:20:37I'm very, very cold now.

0:20:38 > 0:20:39I've had enough.

0:20:39 > 0:20:43After about 15 minutes, my nose hairs started to freeze.

0:20:43 > 0:20:46Right, guys. I think you're cold enough.

0:20:46 > 0:20:49But I do want to take a quick infrared picture.

0:20:49 > 0:20:51Using the thermal imaging camera,

0:20:51 > 0:20:54Professor Havenith takes a photo of Alex and Simon

0:20:54 > 0:20:57to see how much heat is escaping from the coats.

0:20:59 > 0:21:00OK, get your coats off, guys.

0:21:02 > 0:21:04If you look on the left, it's the fake jacket here

0:21:04 > 0:21:07and you see the bright colours showing how much heat

0:21:07 > 0:21:08is coming through.

0:21:08 > 0:21:10Whereas on the right-hand side, the real jacket,

0:21:10 > 0:21:13you see much more darker blue colours.

0:21:13 > 0:21:15So, in contrast of the two,

0:21:15 > 0:21:18there's a lot less insulation in this jacket.

0:21:19 > 0:21:21Professor Havenith's tests have proved

0:21:21 > 0:21:23that when it comes to insulation,

0:21:23 > 0:21:27the fake coat is vastly inferior to the genuine one.

0:21:27 > 0:21:29The insulation of the real jacket is probably a third more

0:21:29 > 0:21:32than the other one, so that's really a substantial difference.

0:21:32 > 0:21:35And if you would go to the Arctic and depend on the jacket

0:21:35 > 0:21:37and you would have bought the fake jacket,

0:21:37 > 0:21:38I think you would be in trouble.

0:21:39 > 0:21:44The existence of fakes is a major cause of concern for the company.

0:21:44 > 0:21:48Most of the fakes are bought on what we call rogue websites.

0:21:48 > 0:21:51So, these are counterfeiters that have taken our images,

0:21:51 > 0:21:56taken our copy and created websites that look identical to ours.

0:21:56 > 0:21:59So, it's very easy to get tricked.

0:21:59 > 0:22:02But if you don't want to get caught out when buying online,

0:22:02 > 0:22:03what can you do?

0:22:03 > 0:22:06Some of the things to look out for are -

0:22:06 > 0:22:08where's the phone number to customer service?

0:22:08 > 0:22:11Where's the e-mail to customer service?

0:22:11 > 0:22:16Sometimes you'll see on a fake site that the pricing is quite low.

0:22:16 > 0:22:19Canada Goose jackets don't often go on sale.

0:22:19 > 0:22:21So, it's rare that you would see that.

0:22:23 > 0:22:25For Maya, it's a relief that she spotted the fake

0:22:25 > 0:22:28before anything serious happened.

0:22:28 > 0:22:31If I was wearing this coat on a day when it was raining,

0:22:31 > 0:22:34when I'd been diving, I could have even got hypothermia

0:22:34 > 0:22:36from the fact that this coat wouldn't keep me warm

0:22:36 > 0:22:38and wouldn't keep me dry.

0:22:38 > 0:22:40So, it's not just the case that I've lost the money,

0:22:40 > 0:22:43it's the case that, actually, it could cause you harm.

0:22:50 > 0:22:53These are big business. Hair extensions.

0:22:53 > 0:22:55And they sell in hundreds of thousands.

0:22:55 > 0:22:58Sections of hair that are attached to your own locks

0:22:58 > 0:23:01to make them longer, thicker and more fashionable.

0:23:01 > 0:23:03And the best are real human hair.

0:23:03 > 0:23:06But, as with everything in the Fake Britain house,

0:23:06 > 0:23:08these hair extensions are fake.

0:23:08 > 0:23:11Use them and you might end up with something very different

0:23:11 > 0:23:14to that glorious mane you were hoping for.

0:23:16 > 0:23:19Having hair extensions can transform your look

0:23:19 > 0:23:22and make you feel happier, healthier and more confident.

0:23:23 > 0:23:26But if you accidentally buy fake hair extensions...

0:23:26 > 0:23:29you may find the results are the exact opposite.

0:23:33 > 0:23:37In the last five years, the UK hair extension industry has taken off.

0:23:37 > 0:23:40Between 2009 and 2014,

0:23:40 > 0:23:44the amount of human hair imported into this country more than doubled,

0:23:44 > 0:23:49from £15 million to over £38 million worth.

0:23:49 > 0:23:52So, what are we looking for today?

0:23:52 > 0:23:53Bit of length, bit of volume.

0:23:54 > 0:23:58Michelle Griffin has been in the hair extensions industry for 30 years

0:23:58 > 0:24:02and now trains other extensionists from her award-winning salon

0:24:02 > 0:24:04- in Birmingham. - Does it feel comfortable?- Yeah.

0:24:04 > 0:24:08Today, she's doing a full set of hair extensions on client Emma.

0:24:08 > 0:24:10People are wearing hair extensions

0:24:10 > 0:24:13because the celebrities and the pop stars are wearing it.

0:24:13 > 0:24:16So, it's coming from a very early age, a young age

0:24:16 > 0:24:19where they're knowing more about extensions.

0:24:19 > 0:24:22Hair extensions can come in individual strands

0:24:22 > 0:24:28or larger sections and can be attached with clips, rings or glue.

0:24:28 > 0:24:30Some extensions are made of synthetic fibres.

0:24:30 > 0:24:32But for the most natural, long-lasting look,

0:24:32 > 0:24:36the best option is to use 100% human hair.

0:24:36 > 0:24:40It's very important that they have 100% human hair

0:24:40 > 0:24:43purely because if you have synthetic hair put into your hair

0:24:43 > 0:24:47and you don't realise and you're using a hot dryer

0:24:47 > 0:24:50or any hot styling tool,

0:24:50 > 0:24:51you will get a melt.

0:24:51 > 0:24:54It will melt into your natural hair and it will cause major problems

0:24:54 > 0:24:56in getting it out.

0:24:56 > 0:24:58But with a full set of extensions from a top salon

0:24:58 > 0:25:01costing up to 1,500 quid a go,

0:25:01 > 0:25:05price-conscious customers are increasingly doing it themselves.

0:25:05 > 0:25:09Hair extensions for home use can be bought from shops and markets

0:25:09 > 0:25:11for as little as £25.

0:25:11 > 0:25:15And it's one way to get the celebrity look without the hefty price tag.

0:25:17 > 0:25:19But there are fake extensions out there

0:25:19 > 0:25:23and using those could lead to a hair disaster.

0:25:23 > 0:25:25As Chelsea Temperton from Hull discovered

0:25:25 > 0:25:28when she decided to get extensions to enhance her own short cut.

0:25:29 > 0:25:34Having shorter hair doesn't suit a lot of people and it didn't suit me.

0:25:34 > 0:25:38So, having longer hair made me feel better about myself

0:25:38 > 0:25:41and not conscious about the way I looked.

0:25:41 > 0:25:42Being a trained hairdresser,

0:25:42 > 0:25:47Chelsea knew how vital it is to have 100% human hair.

0:25:47 > 0:25:50Well, I wanted 100% human hair because, obviously,

0:25:50 > 0:25:52your straighteners, your curlers, they all heat up

0:25:52 > 0:25:54to a high temperature.

0:25:54 > 0:25:55So, you don't want...

0:25:56 > 0:25:59..ones that are going to singe or anything like that.

0:25:59 > 0:26:02Chelsea went down to her local beauty supplies shop

0:26:02 > 0:26:07and purchased a set of 100% human hair extensions for £25.

0:26:07 > 0:26:10When she got home, she started fitting the extensions

0:26:10 > 0:26:12with help from her boyfriend.

0:26:12 > 0:26:15I started to straighten them and I said,

0:26:15 > 0:26:18"What's that smell?" And he went, "Oh, my God!"

0:26:18 > 0:26:20And they kind of, like, sizzled up,

0:26:20 > 0:26:24like, as if you'd put a flame to your own hair

0:26:24 > 0:26:26and just stuck to the back of my head.

0:26:26 > 0:26:28And he just had to instantly rip them out.

0:26:28 > 0:26:32Which obviously pulled a lot of my hair out with it

0:26:32 > 0:26:36and I had little bald patches all over the back of my head.

0:26:36 > 0:26:39And, like, little bits that were shorter than the rest of my hair.

0:26:39 > 0:26:41The extensions were fake.

0:26:41 > 0:26:45They weren't 100% human hair at all, and the synthetic strands mixed in

0:26:45 > 0:26:48had melted and fused with Chelsea's own hair.

0:26:49 > 0:26:52By tugging and ripping, she managed to get them out,

0:26:52 > 0:26:55but it left her scalp severely damaged.

0:26:55 > 0:26:57It was really stinging because it had took bits of my skin away

0:26:57 > 0:27:00where I'd ripped it...ripped it out.

0:27:00 > 0:27:04A distraught Chelsea contacted her local Trading Standards,

0:27:04 > 0:27:07who visited the shop where she'd bought the extensions.

0:27:07 > 0:27:09Chris Wilson dealt with the case.

0:27:09 > 0:27:13An inspection of the premises found 160 of these packaged

0:27:13 > 0:27:16hair extensions, which we believed were all misleading.

0:27:17 > 0:27:19Trading Standards seized the extensions

0:27:19 > 0:27:21and sent samples off for testing.

0:27:22 > 0:27:27The results revealed that far from being 100% human hair as advertised,

0:27:27 > 0:27:30they were all more than 50% polyester,

0:27:30 > 0:27:33with some nearly 70% synthetic.

0:27:33 > 0:27:38This is one of the samples that were seized from the premises.

0:27:38 > 0:27:42And as you can see, it clearly states 100% human hair.

0:27:43 > 0:27:47And on the care instructions on the reverse, it states that,

0:27:47 > 0:27:50"Straightening irons and curling tongs can be used on the hair."

0:27:51 > 0:27:53But that is not the case.

0:27:53 > 0:27:55We found that they contained polyester

0:27:55 > 0:27:59and this would melt if you ever chose to actually

0:27:59 > 0:28:00straighten the hair with them.

0:28:00 > 0:28:03For Chelsea, it was important to know that her concerns

0:28:03 > 0:28:05about the extensions had been justified.

0:28:05 > 0:28:08It was like, "Yes. I knew I was right," kind of thing.

0:28:08 > 0:28:11I knew that it wasn't something that I'd done

0:28:11 > 0:28:13that made them melt.

0:28:13 > 0:28:16The investigation revealed that the shop where Chelsea bought

0:28:16 > 0:28:19the extensions had purchased them in good faith,

0:28:19 > 0:28:21believing them to be real.

0:28:21 > 0:28:25But the company who'd supplied the shop was taken to court.

0:28:25 > 0:28:27The owner of Eve International Hair and Beauty

0:28:27 > 0:28:31of Manchester pleaded guilty at Hull Magistrates Court

0:28:31 > 0:28:33to trades descriptions offences

0:28:33 > 0:28:37and had to pay £2,000 in fines and court costs.

0:28:37 > 0:28:40Clearly, in this case, the manufacturers had mixed

0:28:40 > 0:28:45human hair with synthetic fibres to really maximise their profits.

0:28:45 > 0:28:48And they don't really care when they mislead consumers.

0:28:48 > 0:28:50They're just after making money from the venture.

0:28:51 > 0:28:56Despite her traumatic experience, Chelsea believes she got off lightly.

0:28:56 > 0:29:00You've got to remember nowadays that younger people are using them,

0:29:00 > 0:29:03like, 12-year-olds, 13-year-olds,

0:29:03 > 0:29:05and it really could cause some serious damage to younger girls.

0:29:06 > 0:29:11And it could get them in serious trouble with the skin and the hair.

0:29:11 > 0:29:14Later, we'll see what happens when an extensions expert

0:29:14 > 0:29:16goes in search of fake hair.

0:29:16 > 0:29:19I can't run my fingers through it. It's actually rock hard.

0:29:25 > 0:29:28All these letters were sent to large organisations,

0:29:28 > 0:29:30like councils and hospitals,

0:29:30 > 0:29:33informing them that the bank account details of one of their suppliers

0:29:33 > 0:29:35had changed.

0:29:35 > 0:29:37Fairly straightforward, you might think.

0:29:37 > 0:29:41Thousands of letters like these turn up at organisations every year.

0:29:41 > 0:29:44But all these letters are fakes, sent by criminals.

0:29:44 > 0:29:49The new bank account has nothing to do with the legitimate suppliers.

0:29:49 > 0:29:53That means councils, hospitals, big businesses, even charities,

0:29:53 > 0:29:57can unwittingly pay huge sums directly to the fakers.

0:29:57 > 0:30:00And an awful lot of that money... is ours.

0:30:02 > 0:30:06Some large organisations can receive as many as 2,000 letters a year

0:30:06 > 0:30:10from suppliers informing them of a change of bank details.

0:30:10 > 0:30:12So, if a fake letter arrives,

0:30:12 > 0:30:15you have to be pretty switched on to spot it.

0:30:16 > 0:30:20Sharron Evans is finance administrator for the YMCA

0:30:20 > 0:30:24in Cheltenham, which provides housing for homeless people.

0:30:24 > 0:30:26When their existing building became too dated,

0:30:26 > 0:30:29they knocked it down and built a brand-new one.

0:30:29 > 0:30:33The percentage of homeless people was just rising

0:30:33 > 0:30:35and they needed somewhere to go.

0:30:35 > 0:30:38And we felt that, you know, we were in a position at that time

0:30:38 > 0:30:40to be able to offer this.

0:30:42 > 0:30:44After a consultation process,

0:30:44 > 0:30:48the YMCA hired local construction company, Speller Metcalfe,

0:30:48 > 0:30:50to build the new accommodation.

0:30:50 > 0:30:52Andy Metcalfe is Chief Executive.

0:30:52 > 0:30:55The value of the project to us as a construction

0:30:55 > 0:30:58was approximately £3.6 million

0:30:58 > 0:31:02and took about 18 months to complete.

0:31:04 > 0:31:07As the project progressed, the YMCA made regular payments

0:31:07 > 0:31:10to the builders for the work completed so far.

0:31:10 > 0:31:15The next payment due was for £175,000.

0:31:15 > 0:31:17But then Sharron received a letter.

0:31:18 > 0:31:20The letter was from Speller Metcalfe

0:31:20 > 0:31:22telling me that they'd changed their bank account

0:31:22 > 0:31:25and that from this date forward,

0:31:25 > 0:31:30to transfer any monies owed to them to this new bank account.

0:31:30 > 0:31:33The letter had the correct logo and all the right details.

0:31:33 > 0:31:36But something about it wasn't quite right.

0:31:36 > 0:31:39I was suspicious because when I looked at the address,

0:31:39 > 0:31:41there was a H missing.

0:31:41 > 0:31:44Instead of Brockworth, it said "Brockwort".

0:31:44 > 0:31:47I thought I needed to just check with them.

0:31:47 > 0:31:49Sharron contacted the builders

0:31:49 > 0:31:52to ask if they'd changed their bank details.

0:31:53 > 0:31:55They then e-mailed me back and said, no, they hadn't.

0:31:57 > 0:31:59The letter was a fake.

0:31:59 > 0:32:01It wasn't from the builders at all.

0:32:01 > 0:32:02If Sharron hadn't checked,

0:32:02 > 0:32:08she would have paid £175,000 straight into a fraudster's bank account.

0:32:08 > 0:32:11People have had to work and fundraise and everything

0:32:11 > 0:32:12for that money.

0:32:12 > 0:32:16For it just to disappear just like that, it would have been awful.

0:32:16 > 0:32:22And for me to have to tell somebody that I'd lost £175,000...

0:32:23 > 0:32:27Andy Metcalfe is concerned that someone was so easily able to fake

0:32:27 > 0:32:30his company's identity and use it to try and steal money

0:32:30 > 0:32:32from one of his clients.

0:32:32 > 0:32:35It makes you intensely angry that somebody could come...

0:32:36 > 0:32:39..and purport to be Speller Metcalfe.

0:32:39 > 0:32:44That could look to come and take money away from hard-working people.

0:32:45 > 0:32:48What Andy and Sharron experienced was a type of fakery

0:32:48 > 0:32:50known as bank mandate fraud.

0:32:50 > 0:32:55Will Richardson is a forensic accountant for auditors PwC.

0:32:55 > 0:32:57It's something he sees regularly.

0:32:57 > 0:32:59If we look at the last 12 months alone,

0:32:59 > 0:33:02I've probably investigated about ten cases of mandate fraud.

0:33:02 > 0:33:05The sums that have come across my desk of mandate fraud

0:33:05 > 0:33:08are typically £500,000 plus.

0:33:08 > 0:33:11Sometimes into the seven figures, into the millions as well.

0:33:13 > 0:33:17And it's not just charities like the YMCA that are being targeted.

0:33:17 > 0:33:21The fakers are after large payments from all sorts of organisations -

0:33:21 > 0:33:26from private companies to schools, NHS trusts and local councils.

0:33:26 > 0:33:29Like Conwy County Borough Council, in North Wales,

0:33:29 > 0:33:33which recently embarked on a major redevelopment project at Colwyn Bay.

0:33:35 > 0:33:39Mike Halstead is the council's head of audit.

0:33:39 > 0:33:42In 2012, after a succession of storms,

0:33:42 > 0:33:45the sea defence along this promenade was left severely damaged.

0:33:45 > 0:33:49The project itself consisted of two major elements.

0:33:49 > 0:33:54One was the sea defences and one was the building where we are now.

0:33:54 > 0:33:55The whole scheme, when it's finished,

0:33:55 > 0:34:00is expected to cost around about £25 million.

0:34:00 > 0:34:01As the project progressed,

0:34:01 > 0:34:05Conwy Council made regular payments to the building contractor.

0:34:05 > 0:34:09The next sum due was £2.6 million.

0:34:09 > 0:34:11Then, something unusual happened.

0:34:11 > 0:34:16We were phoned by an individual who informed us that the

0:34:16 > 0:34:20main contractor's bank details were changing.

0:34:20 > 0:34:25This was slightly unusual, so we requested the submission of a letter

0:34:25 > 0:34:27to confirm the new bank details.

0:34:29 > 0:34:33But when the letter arrived, staff quickly spotted that it was a fake.

0:34:33 > 0:34:35If the attempt had not been caught in time,

0:34:35 > 0:34:40Conwy Council would have deposited a massive £2.6 million

0:34:40 > 0:34:43of taxpayers' money into the faker's pockets.

0:34:43 > 0:34:46The council would have had to recoup this money in some way,

0:34:46 > 0:34:48which could have impacted on services.

0:34:48 > 0:34:52For example, libraries could have been at risk.

0:34:52 > 0:34:54Leisure centres could have been at risk.

0:34:54 > 0:34:55Jobs could have been at risk.

0:34:57 > 0:34:59And the attempt wasn't a one-off.

0:34:59 > 0:35:02Conwy Council have received several fake bank change letters.

0:35:02 > 0:35:06These letters are all purporting to be from different suppliers

0:35:06 > 0:35:07to the council.

0:35:07 > 0:35:10So, they are people we do do business with.

0:35:10 > 0:35:12But they all have the same layout.

0:35:13 > 0:35:16And interestingly, they all have the same signature,

0:35:16 > 0:35:20which is an immediate warning for us that these are bogus.

0:35:21 > 0:35:25Both the YMCA and Conwy Council were lucky.

0:35:25 > 0:35:28Their eagle-eyed staff members managed to spot the fake letters

0:35:28 > 0:35:30and avert disaster.

0:35:30 > 0:35:32Other organisations haven't been so fortunate.

0:35:34 > 0:35:37Guy's and St Thomas' NHS trust lost £24,000

0:35:37 > 0:35:41after fraudsters sent a fake e-mail asking for a change of bank details.

0:35:43 > 0:35:48The government of Guernsey paid out a massive £2.6 million to fakers

0:35:48 > 0:35:53posing as the contractor working on the revamp of Guernsey Airport.

0:35:53 > 0:35:58And another £2.6 million was lost over a 13-month period

0:35:58 > 0:36:00by the owners of the Port of Felixstowe.

0:36:00 > 0:36:02Again, paid out by mistake to criminals,

0:36:02 > 0:36:05who faked the identity of the Port's fuel supplier.

0:36:06 > 0:36:10And once the money's gone out, it's virtually impossible to get it back.

0:36:10 > 0:36:13As soon as it hits a fraudster's bank account in the UK,

0:36:13 > 0:36:15it's sent out of the UK.

0:36:15 > 0:36:18It's quickly distributed across a number of different accounts

0:36:18 > 0:36:20in different jurisdictions around the world,

0:36:20 > 0:36:22which makes both the tracing of that money

0:36:22 > 0:36:25and the recovery of that money almost impossible.

0:36:25 > 0:36:28But in Felixstowe, they did manage to catch one of the fakers.

0:36:29 > 0:36:3331-year-old Mohammed Fawzul-Rahman of Watford

0:36:33 > 0:36:34was jailed for four years

0:36:34 > 0:36:37after nearly half a million pounds of the Port's money

0:36:37 > 0:36:40was laundered through his bank accounts.

0:36:40 > 0:36:43The Port was able to recover about half the money stolen.

0:36:43 > 0:36:46But around £1 million was never seen again.

0:36:47 > 0:36:51Perhaps unsurprisingly, companies who have fallen victim to mandate fraud

0:36:51 > 0:36:53rarely want to talk about it.

0:36:53 > 0:36:56But it's a huge problem for businesses in the UK.

0:36:56 > 0:36:59One of our large UK banks, it's corporate-client based,

0:36:59 > 0:37:05experienced almost £40 million of attempted mandate fraud in 2014.

0:37:05 > 0:37:10Of which it proactively managed to prevent almost 3/4 of that.

0:37:10 > 0:37:12But what it's still suggesting to us

0:37:12 > 0:37:15is that there is, in any given year,

0:37:15 > 0:37:18hundreds of million pounds of attempted mandate fraud,

0:37:18 > 0:37:22of which tens of million of pounds is getting through.

0:37:22 > 0:37:23And to make it worse,

0:37:23 > 0:37:26the faker's tactics are getting more sophisticated.

0:37:26 > 0:37:31A fraudster will build up a rapport, just by contacting an organisation.

0:37:31 > 0:37:33Introducing themselves as a new employee

0:37:33 > 0:37:34at the supplier organisation,

0:37:34 > 0:37:38develops a relationship, then makes a relatively light-touch request.

0:37:38 > 0:37:39"Can I change a telephone number?"

0:37:39 > 0:37:43So, when the actual request comes through to change bank details,

0:37:43 > 0:37:46the contact details that the organisation has on file

0:37:46 > 0:37:48is actually the fraudster's contact details.

0:37:49 > 0:37:53Luckily, the attempts made on Conwy Council and the YMCA

0:37:53 > 0:37:55were simple ones and by checking with the contractors,

0:37:55 > 0:37:58they managed to avoid paying thousands of pounds

0:37:58 > 0:38:00into a faker's bank account.

0:38:00 > 0:38:03The worst-case scenario would be

0:38:03 > 0:38:05that the building would not have been completed.

0:38:06 > 0:38:10And that would have meant that all the people that we've helped so far

0:38:10 > 0:38:13since opening, we would not have been able to help.

0:38:20 > 0:38:24Earlier in the programme, we saw how Chelsea Temperton from Hull

0:38:24 > 0:38:26accidentally bought fake hair extensions,

0:38:26 > 0:38:29which then melted into her own locks.

0:38:29 > 0:38:30They just stuck to the back of my head

0:38:30 > 0:38:33and he just started to instantly rip them out,

0:38:33 > 0:38:38which, obviously, pulled a lot of my hair out with it.

0:38:38 > 0:38:41But how common are fake extensions?

0:38:41 > 0:38:43Fake Britain went to find out.

0:38:43 > 0:38:46Can you put your arms in there for me. Thank you.

0:38:46 > 0:38:50Olletta Spring runs her own salon in Addingham, West Yorkshire.

0:38:50 > 0:38:53She's been doing extensions for nearly five years

0:38:53 > 0:38:56and has had several encounters with fake hair.

0:38:56 > 0:38:59I had a girl come in with a clip-in set.

0:38:59 > 0:39:01But when I was curling it with my wand, halfway through,

0:39:01 > 0:39:05a section of the clip-in set actually melted to my wand.

0:39:05 > 0:39:07And I had to quickly get it off

0:39:07 > 0:39:10and try and detach it from her head

0:39:10 > 0:39:13before it melted onto her own hair.

0:39:14 > 0:39:17Hair extensions that can be clipped or glued in at home

0:39:17 > 0:39:21are readily available in markets and high-street stores.

0:39:21 > 0:39:25But as we've seen, some extensions that claim to be 100% human hair

0:39:25 > 0:39:30can actually contain plastic-type fibres, like polyester or nylon.

0:39:30 > 0:39:33And these fake extensions can cause real problems

0:39:33 > 0:39:35for the unsuspecting consumer.

0:39:35 > 0:39:37If plastic melts to your own hair,

0:39:37 > 0:39:39there's little chance of getting it out your hair.

0:39:39 > 0:39:43So, you may have to get that section removed and cut out by a hairdresser

0:39:43 > 0:39:46or something, which is not a nice experience.

0:39:48 > 0:39:52To find out how easy it is to buy fake extensions on the high street,

0:39:52 > 0:39:54Olletta went shopping in Leeds.

0:39:56 > 0:39:58After visiting three stores,

0:39:58 > 0:40:01she finally found what she was looking for in the fourth.

0:40:01 > 0:40:06Extensions described as 100% human hair, that she thinks might be fake.

0:40:07 > 0:40:09Olletta took them back to the salon to test them.

0:40:10 > 0:40:13So, this is the hair I bought in Leeds.

0:40:13 > 0:40:16It's advertised as 100% human hair.

0:40:16 > 0:40:19The reason why I think this is fake hair is because

0:40:19 > 0:40:21it's a lot sleeker, a lot shinier.

0:40:21 > 0:40:23It falls and feels differently.

0:40:23 > 0:40:27It actually feels quite plastic in comparison to the human hair,

0:40:27 > 0:40:30which just feels really nice and natural.

0:40:33 > 0:40:35The best way to see whether the hair is real or fake

0:40:35 > 0:40:38is to do what's known as a burn test.

0:40:38 > 0:40:41By carefully lighting small sections of the hair,

0:40:41 > 0:40:45Olletta can see how it burns and what residue it leaves behind.

0:40:45 > 0:40:47OK, so, we're going to burn the human hair first

0:40:47 > 0:40:50just so we know what to...what we should be expecting.

0:40:55 > 0:40:58So, on human hair, the flame starts really quick

0:40:58 > 0:41:01and it leaves an ash at the end that easily crumbles off.

0:41:02 > 0:41:05But will the other pack of hair burn in the same way?

0:41:05 > 0:41:07If it doesn't, it's fake.

0:41:11 > 0:41:14So, as you can tell...with this one,

0:41:14 > 0:41:18the burn at the bottom is... Well, it's actually melted plastic.

0:41:18 > 0:41:20I can still mould it now it's hot.

0:41:20 > 0:41:24It's... At the bottom, I can't run my fingers through it. It stops me.

0:41:24 > 0:41:26It's actually rock-hard at the ends.

0:41:28 > 0:41:31But how much fake hair is in the extensions?

0:41:31 > 0:41:34To find out, we took them to fibres expert, Dr Phil Greaves,

0:41:34 > 0:41:36at Microtex, in West Yorkshire.

0:41:38 > 0:41:41By looking at samples under a powerful microscope,

0:41:41 > 0:41:42he can quickly see what they're made of.

0:41:45 > 0:41:48And those are polyester filaments - every one of them.

0:41:48 > 0:41:51No human hair in here at all.

0:41:51 > 0:41:55So, anybody who bought this thinking it was natural human hair...

0:41:56 > 0:42:00..has been very strongly misled.

0:42:00 > 0:42:04The extensions that claim to be 100% human hair

0:42:04 > 0:42:07actually turned out to be 100% polyester instead.

0:42:07 > 0:42:11I'm shocked that, you know, it's all polyester hair.

0:42:11 > 0:42:14You know, from my experience and feeling it in the burn test,

0:42:14 > 0:42:17I felt that it did have some synthetic hair in it,

0:42:17 > 0:42:18some fake hair.

0:42:18 > 0:42:20But I didn't realise that it would all be fake.

0:42:21 > 0:42:24Fake Britain contacted the shop where Olletta bought the extensions

0:42:24 > 0:42:27and they told us they had no knowledge of the fakes.

0:42:27 > 0:42:31The brands Leopard and Top Girl Hair couldn't be found.

0:42:34 > 0:42:36After her hair nightmare,

0:42:36 > 0:42:39Chelsea has vowed never to risk using home extensions again.

0:42:39 > 0:42:44I feel angered at the experience of what happened to me.

0:42:44 > 0:42:46And I wouldn't want it to happen to anybody else.

0:42:46 > 0:42:48It's dangerous and they shouldn't be used.

0:42:48 > 0:42:51They shouldn't even be on the market.

0:42:56 > 0:42:57That's all from Fake Britain.

0:42:57 > 0:42:59Goodbye.