Episode 9 Fake Britain


Episode 9

Similar Content

Browse content similar to Episode 9. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems.

0:00:020:00:06

Welcome to Fake Britain.

0:00:060:00:07

Police!

0:00:090:00:10

-Get down! Get down!

-Down on the floor! Down!

0:00:200:00:22

Put your hands behind your back now.

0:00:220:00:25

Here at the Fake Britain house,

0:00:250:00:26

we'll reveal the fakes that are flooding the market,

0:00:260:00:29

conning people like you and me and making money for the criminals.

0:00:290:00:33

We'll investigate the fraudsters who are selling us something

0:00:330:00:37

that isn't real and could be dangerous.

0:00:370:00:40

And we'll help you avoid falling for a fake.

0:00:400:00:44

Today on Fake Britain,

0:00:440:00:45

the dangerous ladders that could lead to disaster.

0:00:450:00:48

I could have broke my ankle,

0:00:480:00:49

and I am self-employed - that would have been my livelihood.

0:00:490:00:53

The fluffy hot water bottles that could kill your child.

0:00:530:00:56

All that separates the child using this from mains electricity

0:00:560:00:59

is this thin piece of plastic.

0:00:590:01:01

The experts using technology to catch the identity fakers.

0:01:010:01:06

His image has been placed onto this counterfeit visa

0:01:060:01:08

in order for them to gain status.

0:01:080:01:11

And the fake wood-burning stove installers putting lives at risk.

0:01:120:01:17

We expected to have a fully-functioning wood burner

0:01:170:01:19

and instead, our home was filling with smoke.

0:01:190:01:22

It is very useful, but it is also potentially very dangerous.

0:01:280:01:32

Yes, it is a ladder.

0:01:320:01:34

We would all expect that any ladder we buy would be safe.

0:01:340:01:38

Every ladder sold here in the UK has to meet basic safety standards.

0:01:380:01:42

Unfortunately, Fake Britain has found that is not true.

0:01:420:01:46

Knowing that when you're standing up here, not a great feeling.

0:01:460:01:51

It is reckoned there are two million ladders in use across the country.

0:01:540:01:58

You can buy one from a whole range of places,

0:01:590:02:01

from online sellers to major supermarkets.

0:02:010:02:03

But last year, ladders were the cause of over 50,000 visits to A & E.

0:02:060:02:10

Little wonder that they need to meet stringent product standards

0:02:110:02:15

before being sold to the general public.

0:02:150:02:17

All ladders manufactured and supplied within Britain and the EU

0:02:190:02:23

should be manufactured to specific standards and correctly classified.

0:02:230:02:27

But as Keith Dorman from Cambridgeshire discovered,

0:02:300:02:33

not every ladder's safety claims can be trusted.

0:02:330:02:36

Keith had decided to buy a ladder,

0:02:360:02:38

so he went online and quickly found one that he thought could do the job.

0:02:380:02:43

The product clearly stated it could hold 150kg,

0:02:430:02:47

or around 23st.

0:02:470:02:49

The weight stated on the details of the item,

0:02:490:02:53

I automatically thought that would take my weight.

0:02:530:02:57

But the ladder wasn't all that it appeared to be.

0:02:570:03:01

The first time I used it, I took it into the kitchen to hang a curtain

0:03:010:03:05

and as I put my foot on the bottom step,

0:03:050:03:10

put some weight on, the step folded around my foot.

0:03:100:03:14

And I stepped back in shock that it had broke.

0:03:140:03:18

Keith feels as though he had a lucky escape.

0:03:190:03:22

I could have broke my ankle.

0:03:230:03:25

And I am self-employed - that would have been my livelihood.

0:03:250:03:29

So, to me personally, it could have been...

0:03:290:03:33

terrible.

0:03:330:03:34

Fake Britain has discovered that Keith is not the only victim

0:03:340:03:36

of potentially dangerous ladders out there.

0:03:360:03:39

Online, there are dozens of reports of ladders buckling or breaking,

0:03:420:03:45

sometimes on their very first outing.

0:03:450:03:48

And so, the authorities have decided to investigate whether some retailers

0:03:520:03:56

are selling ladders that carry fake claims

0:03:560:03:58

about their strength and safety.

0:03:580:04:00

Acting on a tip-off, Ian Millward from Derbyshire Trading Standards

0:04:020:04:05

decided to test the market for fake ladders.

0:04:050:04:09

We went out looking for examples of these.

0:04:090:04:11

Some of these were only available online,

0:04:110:04:13

some were available through high-street stores.

0:04:130:04:16

All of the ladders that Trading Standards test-purchased

0:04:170:04:20

displayed various safety markings,

0:04:200:04:22

including claims to meet specific ladder safety requirements.

0:04:220:04:26

Ian Millward wanted to see if the safety claims were genuine,

0:04:290:04:32

so he sent the ladders for independent testing.

0:04:320:04:35

The telescopic ladder tested by Trading Standards extends to 3.75m

0:04:360:04:41

and is a type of ladder used by many professional tradesmen.

0:04:410:04:45

And in this case, when it was tested,

0:04:450:04:47

two of the lock-in pins have actually seized in place.

0:04:470:04:52

The safety claims on this ladder were fake

0:04:520:04:54

and this fault could have resulted in fingers being trapped between rungs.

0:04:540:04:58

All four of the retailers that sold these ladders,

0:05:010:05:03

including a supermarket chain, were given a caution by Trading Standards

0:05:030:05:08

and all of these products have been removed from sale.

0:05:080:05:11

Fake Britain decided to investigate if other potentially dangerous

0:05:140:05:17

ladders with fake safety markings might be on sale.

0:05:170:05:20

Following a tip-off from an industry insider,

0:05:210:05:24

we purchased a telescopic ladder from a Cardiff branch

0:05:240:05:28

of cash-and-carry Makro UK, now part of the Booker Group.

0:05:280:05:32

The ladder was of a similar type to the telescopic one

0:05:320:05:35

previously bought and tested by Trading Standards,

0:05:350:05:38

and claimed to have been tested by the safety certification company SGS.

0:05:380:05:42

We sent the ladder to be tested

0:05:440:05:45

at the British Standards Institution, BSI.

0:05:450:05:47

Mark Mayo is BSI's ladder expert.

0:05:490:05:52

We're testing this ladder to the requirements of EN 131,

0:05:520:05:55

because that's what it is claiming compliance with.

0:05:550:05:58

Mark will test the ladder for torsion,

0:06:000:06:03

which is the degree to which it twists when subjected to pressure.

0:06:030:06:06

By law, this ladder should be able to twist no more than 18 degrees,

0:06:070:06:11

meaning it won't topple over if the person on it

0:06:110:06:14

shifts their weight to the left or right.

0:06:140:06:17

Initial reading is 25.9, which is way over the 18 that is allowed,

0:06:260:06:31

and it is rising as the twist continues in the ladder.

0:06:310:06:34

The readings are still going up.

0:06:380:06:40

It is a definite failure to EN 131.

0:06:400:06:43

As we saw from the packaging and the ladder itself,

0:06:430:06:45

they are claiming to meet the requirements of EN 131.

0:06:450:06:49

That is fake.

0:06:490:06:50

It doesn't meet that requirement, has we can quite clearly see,

0:06:500:06:53

and the ladder is not fit for purpose.

0:06:530:06:55

It is a big fail for the ladder.

0:06:550:06:57

It carries fake safety labelling and it could be dangerous.

0:06:570:07:01

We contacted Blackspur, part of Hamble Distribution,

0:07:020:07:05

who supplied Makro with the ladder that we bought.

0:07:050:07:08

Blackspur sent us this SGS certificate and report

0:07:080:07:11

for the ladder, which we sent to SGS for inspection.

0:07:110:07:15

SGS revealed that the certificate and report had been faked,

0:07:150:07:20

telling us some of the results have been altered.

0:07:200:07:23

The test results that had been faked related to torsion.

0:07:320:07:35

Blackspur told us that they had been cheated

0:07:350:07:38

and that the genuine report had been altered without their knowledge.

0:07:380:07:41

We contacted Booker Group plc, who own Makro, and they said...

0:07:410:07:45

A passport is probably the most sophisticated and complex document

0:08:030:08:07

we will ever hold.

0:08:070:08:08

It is made under high security conditions and it is designed

0:08:080:08:11

to protect you, your identity and the security of the country.

0:08:110:08:16

ID documents are the most forged in the world

0:08:160:08:19

and telling the real from the fake can be extremely challenging.

0:08:190:08:23

We followed the work of the National Document Fraud Unit

0:08:230:08:26

as they took on a case of suspicious IDs.

0:08:260:08:29

Around 200 million people enter and leave Britain every year.

0:08:320:08:35

Border Force teams stationed at entry points across the UK

0:08:350:08:39

are responsible for making sure everyone

0:08:390:08:41

coming into or leaving the country is who they claim to be.

0:08:410:08:45

But the use of fake ID documents is on the rise.

0:08:460:08:49

Last year, Home Office enforcement teams arrested

0:08:490:08:52

over 10,000 people attempting to use fake documents at the border.

0:08:520:08:56

When authorities need to detect whether an identification is fake,

0:08:590:09:03

they contact the National Document Fraud Unit.

0:09:030:09:06

The team there are uniquely equipped to uncover identity fakery.

0:09:060:09:10

Henry Bara is in charge of thousands of these genuine ID documents

0:09:150:09:19

from all over the world.

0:09:190:09:21

We have documents, passports, identity cards, driving licences.

0:09:230:09:28

For instance, here - Sierra Leonean passports.

0:09:280:09:32

Somalia. Soviet Union.

0:09:320:09:34

South Sudan.

0:09:340:09:36

Driving licences.

0:09:360:09:38

Kazakhstan. Greece.

0:09:380:09:40

The United States.

0:09:400:09:41

In total, there are nearly 100,000 of these legitimate ID documents

0:09:430:09:46

in the archive.

0:09:460:09:48

Sometimes the best way to spot a fake document

0:09:500:09:53

is by looking at the real thing.

0:09:530:09:55

We use these as comparison documents, so if a document

0:09:560:10:00

is referred to is for an opinion as to their authenticity,

0:10:000:10:02

we will hopefully have a document of that same series.

0:10:020:10:06

When Home Office enforcement officers suspect that they've found a fake,

0:10:070:10:11

they get in touch with the experts.

0:10:110:10:13

And today, these suspected fake documents have just arrived.

0:10:150:10:19

They've been sent by the police and were being used by three men

0:10:190:10:22

who were detained at the Eurostar terminal at King's Cross St Pancras.

0:10:220:10:26

Customs officials thought the documents looked suspicious

0:10:280:10:31

and the police are holding the men while the documents are assessed.

0:10:310:10:34

On initial inspection, Nadia Bremner, an analyst,

0:10:370:10:40

doesn't like the look of these visas.

0:10:400:10:43

I've got some concerns with the visa,

0:10:430:10:45

so I'll have a proper look at it under higher magnification.

0:10:450:10:47

I'm looking at the background print on the visa.

0:10:520:10:54

I'm looking to see if it's been printed correctly

0:10:540:10:57

and looking for fine lines of solid colour.

0:10:570:10:58

Here it kind of breaks down into random coloured dots

0:10:580:11:01

and that's not what you want to see.

0:11:010:11:03

Now I'm going to compare the background print in this visa

0:11:030:11:05

to a genuine document

0:11:050:11:07

and just have a look at the differences between the two.

0:11:070:11:09

You can see that with the genuine document,

0:11:120:11:14

you've got lots of crisp, clear print,

0:11:140:11:17

fine lines of solid colour, nice, legible extra-small print,

0:11:170:11:21

and if you can compare that to the suspect document,

0:11:210:11:24

where you've got lots of dots

0:11:240:11:25

and it is just a really overall poor quality.

0:11:250:11:27

Nadia examines every detail on the visa.

0:11:290:11:32

I'm looking at the background print to see how that interacts

0:11:320:11:35

with the holographic feature, because the background print

0:11:350:11:38

should run over the top of the holographic device.

0:11:380:11:40

This entire visa appears to me to be counterfeit

0:11:420:11:45

and his image has been placed onto this counterfeit visa

0:11:450:11:49

in order for him to gain status in Italy.

0:11:490:11:51

So, the visas are fake.

0:11:520:11:54

What about the UK residency documents two of the men were found with?

0:11:540:11:58

So, this residence permit grants him access to the UK as a student,

0:12:000:12:04

so he can live and remain in the UK as long as he's a student,

0:12:040:12:07

but he can work 20 hours per week maximum.

0:12:070:12:10

On first glance with this one, it doesn't look too brilliant,

0:12:100:12:13

to be honest. There's a white border along the edge here,

0:12:130:12:16

the left and right-hand side edges, which there shouldn't be,

0:12:160:12:19

so I'd like to have a proper look at that under magnification.

0:12:190:12:22

I'm particularly interested in where the colours merge together,

0:12:250:12:28

so where you've got pink that should merge nicely into blue.

0:12:280:12:31

I'm going to have a quick look at that with a genuine document

0:12:310:12:34

and see how that is in a genuine specimen.

0:12:340:12:37

So, this is a genuine specimen that I'm looking at now

0:12:410:12:43

on the left-hand side of the screen.

0:12:430:12:46

And under magnification, as with the visas,

0:12:460:12:49

we're looking for crisp, nice quality print.

0:12:490:12:52

This one's got extra-small print running along under here.

0:12:520:12:55

You can see it is quite legible - GBR and EU.

0:12:550:12:58

Lots of extra-small print, lots of nice quality colours

0:12:580:13:01

and the blue and pink merge together quite nicely.

0:13:010:13:05

Fake IDs are designed to fool the naked eye,

0:13:050:13:07

but not a powerful microscope.

0:13:070:13:10

Again, at this stage, just by looking at it with magnification,

0:13:100:13:13

you can see that the one on the right is a fake residence permit.

0:13:130:13:16

The three men found holding these fake documents pleaded guilty

0:13:180:13:21

and were sentenced to four months in prison for possession

0:13:210:13:24

of controlled identity documents with intent to use.

0:13:240:13:28

They're currently awaiting deportation.

0:13:280:13:30

Henry Bara thinks the problem is getting worse.

0:13:320:13:35

I think a lot of organised criminal gangs seem to be

0:13:360:13:39

diverting into this area

0:13:390:13:41

of producing and distributing false documents

0:13:410:13:45

simply because the penalties for getting caught seem to be a lot less

0:13:450:13:49

than, for instance, more traditional careers such as drugs smuggling.

0:13:490:13:53

And the fakers' ability to produce convincing fakes

0:13:540:13:57

is improving dramatically.

0:13:570:13:59

We have seen some frighteningly, frighteningly high quality

0:13:590:14:04

false documents recently.

0:14:040:14:06

One particular case comes to mind of somebody that

0:14:060:14:09

applied for asylum in 47 different identities.

0:14:090:14:12

That would then mean the benefits to which they would be entitled

0:14:120:14:17

would be granted at each of those identities.

0:14:170:14:20

The unit has examined over 30,000 suspected fake ID documents

0:14:220:14:26

over the past five years,

0:14:260:14:28

providing key evidence in numerous criminal cases.

0:14:280:14:30

We would like to think that we are a thorn in the side of forgers

0:14:320:14:35

and organised criminal gangs. We certainly do our best.

0:14:350:14:39

We won't pretend we are on top of the problem.

0:14:390:14:42

It seems to be a burgeoning industry.

0:14:420:14:44

It's clearly very lucrative.

0:14:440:14:46

The battle goes on.

0:14:460:14:48

We spend more per head on toys than anywhere else in Europe.

0:14:550:14:58

The industry is huge and worth billions.

0:14:580:15:01

What that means is that there's vast choice for mums and dads

0:15:010:15:05

and, of course, children.

0:15:050:15:06

But you wouldn't want to choose any of these because they are all fake.

0:15:060:15:10

We have found that fakes like these are openly on sale throughout

0:15:100:15:13

the UK, and despite every toy in this country being subject to

0:15:130:15:17

strict regulations, some are among the most dangerous objects

0:15:170:15:21

children will ever come into contact with.

0:15:210:15:24

It is early morning in Salford and Caroline Clarke

0:15:260:15:29

and her team from Trading Standards are en route to a toy shop.

0:15:290:15:34

But this is no ordinary toy shop.

0:15:340:15:35

Today, we are looking for counterfeit tots -

0:15:370:15:39

Shaun The Sheep toys, Disney toys, Frozen toys -

0:15:390:15:42

and we are looking to seize them.

0:15:420:15:44

The team have had a tip-off that there are fake toys

0:15:450:15:48

for sale on the high street.

0:15:480:15:50

We're acting on intelligence that we received yesterday

0:15:510:15:53

from a referring Trading Standards department

0:15:530:15:56

who has found these goods in their area.

0:15:560:15:58

Trading Standards aren't quite sure what to expect,

0:15:580:16:01

so they have brought backup.

0:16:010:16:02

-Hi.

-Hiya.

-I'm from Trading Standards at Salford Council.

0:16:070:16:10

Inside, the officers find a sight that would thrill any child.

0:16:110:16:15

These shelves are crammed full with popular toys,

0:16:150:16:18

products sold up and down the country.

0:16:180:16:20

But not everything for sale here is what it appears to be.

0:16:200:16:24

The officers immediately spot some dolls from the Disney film Frozen.

0:16:240:16:28

They don't look quite right, but the shop owner claims they are genuine.

0:16:280:16:32

What we'll do is we'll take them today, leave you a full list

0:16:320:16:34

-of everything we've taken.

-No problem.

0:16:340:16:36

We'll send them off and let you know how it's progressing.

0:16:360:16:40

-If they come back as genuine, you get your stock back.

-Sure.

0:16:400:16:42

If they don't, we'll take it from there. OK.

0:16:420:16:44

But these toys aren't the only suspected fakes here.

0:16:460:16:49

The officers are spotting other toys they think look suspicious.

0:16:490:16:53

Barbie, Spider-Man, Shaun The Sheep, Ben 10.

0:16:530:16:58

They are being sold out of what looks at first sight

0:16:580:17:01

like a respectable store.

0:17:010:17:02

The officers now set about bagging and tagging the items

0:17:040:17:07

they believe to be fake.

0:17:070:17:09

They are in for a long day as there are hundreds of items here

0:17:090:17:12

all claiming to be well-known brands.

0:17:120:17:14

Despicable Me 2. Obviously that is a trademark.

0:17:150:17:18

Piggy banks, or something like that. Light-up piggy banks.

0:17:190:17:22

Caroline has got a well-trained eye for a counterfeit.

0:17:220:17:25

Not got any importer details on there, actually.

0:17:250:17:28

Which they should have.

0:17:280:17:29

Branded items will be sent to the rights holder to confirm

0:17:310:17:34

whether or not they are genuine.

0:17:340:17:36

With the fake toys in the shop front nearly dealt with, it is time

0:17:360:17:39

to find out if there are any other fakes in the building.

0:17:390:17:42

Caroline heads upstairs and finds a lot of boxes.

0:17:440:17:47

So, we are in the store room.

0:17:470:17:49

Not all of the goods in here or downstairs are fake, but we do

0:17:490:17:52

have to sift through and check what items we've got up here as well.

0:17:520:17:56

Also we need to check and make sure he's not just going to

0:17:560:17:58

restock the shelves when we take everything from the shop floor.

0:17:580:18:01

Before long, the team find more suspicious items.

0:18:030:18:06

Lunchbox kits for Hello Kitty. Which...

0:18:070:18:12

I suspect to be counterfeit.

0:18:120:18:14

But other potential fakes are harder for Trading Standards to spot.

0:18:150:18:20

The outer just says "scooter",

0:18:200:18:21

there's no mention of any trademarks on there.

0:18:210:18:24

The consumer boxes just say "scooter"

0:18:240:18:27

with a picture of a pink scooter.

0:18:270:18:30

No mention of trademarks. But when you open it up,

0:18:300:18:33

there's a badly applied Disney Princess sticker on the base,

0:18:330:18:38

at the front of the scooter and on the handle.

0:18:380:18:41

So to me, they are definitely fake.

0:18:410:18:43

The team eventually fill two large vans with fake toys.

0:18:450:18:48

Back at the evidence store room,

0:18:500:18:52

Caroline identifies more of the fakers' tricks.

0:18:520:18:54

This toy displays the CE mark, which implies that the toy

0:18:550:18:59

has been tested to the toy safety standard and passed the test,

0:18:590:19:02

but we're quite certain that this product

0:19:020:19:04

wouldn't pass toy safety standards

0:19:040:19:06

because of how easily the suction cap is detached from the stick.

0:19:060:19:10

Likelihood with the suction cap is that a child's going to lick it

0:19:100:19:13

to make it stick and they could ingest it. Um...

0:19:130:19:17

And obviously, it's a choking hazard. So it's a fake CE mark.

0:19:170:19:20

All of the toys have since been confirmed as counterfeit.

0:19:230:19:27

And the knight's bow and arrow set was confirmed as a choking hazard

0:19:270:19:30

by an independent safety expert.

0:19:300:19:33

An investigation is underway,

0:19:330:19:35

which could result in the toy shop owner being prosecuted.

0:19:350:19:38

Coming up, we will take a look at some of the most dangerous fake items

0:19:410:19:45

ever marketed to British children.

0:19:450:19:47

The child would be covered with boiling water

0:19:470:19:50

and then exposed to live electricity.

0:19:500:19:52

Wood-burning stoves have never been more popular

0:19:580:20:01

as lots of people try to make their homes cosy

0:20:010:20:04

and full of character.

0:20:040:20:06

But installing one isn't straightforward.

0:20:060:20:09

There are building regs there to protect us,

0:20:090:20:11

so you can't just have a go.

0:20:110:20:14

Like any heating appliance, they can be extremely dangerous

0:20:140:20:18

if not fitted properly. Many people choose a trained professional.

0:20:180:20:23

But what happens when your trained professional turns out to be...

0:20:230:20:27

a fake?

0:20:270:20:28

Over a million Brits now have a wood-burning stove in their home,

0:20:300:20:34

with around 200,000 people a year having one installed.

0:20:340:20:39

These stoves are relatively complex to put in

0:20:390:20:42

and safety experts recommend hiring a professional.

0:20:420:20:45

Most professional installers belong to

0:20:460:20:48

Heating Equipment Testing And Approval Scheme, known as HETAS.

0:20:480:20:52

It is a trade body that provides training and accreditation.

0:20:520:20:55

Bruce Allen is the MD at HETAS

0:20:570:20:59

and he has seen demand for the stoves soar.

0:20:590:21:02

The past ten years saw an unprecedented growth in stove use,

0:21:020:21:05

where stoves have come forward in design greatly.

0:21:050:21:08

To become a registered HETAS installer,

0:21:100:21:12

you need to undertake several days of training and then

0:21:120:21:15

demonstrate to a HETAS inspector that you can safely install a stove.

0:21:150:21:19

These checks will cost £500-£800, but recently, HETAS have had reports

0:21:200:21:25

of a number of installers faking their credentials.

0:21:250:21:28

One of the problems we find is that these guys

0:21:280:21:30

really don't want to put the time, the effort and the money

0:21:300:21:33

into doing the job properly, so they're not doing the real courses,

0:21:330:21:37

they're faking their knowledge and they're trying to sort of

0:21:370:21:40

circumvent the costs of trading and the cost of joining a scheme.

0:21:400:21:45

What's happening is they really operate in the black market,

0:21:450:21:48

so it is about avoiding all of the rules and regulations for them,

0:21:480:21:51

it's about reducing their costs and maximising their income

0:21:510:21:55

without actually doing the job properly.

0:21:550:21:57

Basically, it's a way of ripping off customers.

0:21:570:21:59

CHILD CHATTERS

0:21:590:22:02

In Caerphilly, Wales, Lisa Watkins was looking for a registered

0:22:020:22:05

installer to fit a wood-burning stove.

0:22:050:22:09

But fake HETAS installers are operating across the country,

0:22:090:22:12

as she was about to find out.

0:22:120:22:14

We were trying to create a family home.

0:22:140:22:17

We'd had our daughter, she was around 18 months old.

0:22:170:22:21

We decided that we would like to put a second wood burner in the house

0:22:210:22:24

and we were looking around for recommendations

0:22:240:22:27

and Luke was recommended to us.

0:22:270:22:30

The installer, Luke Hathaway, arrived and offered Lisa a quote.

0:22:300:22:35

He told her he was both HETAS registered and trained.

0:22:350:22:38

While it was true that Hathaway had started a HETAS training course,

0:22:380:22:42

he had failed to complete it.

0:22:420:22:44

The job took longer than Luke had promised,

0:22:440:22:47

but eventually Lisa's stove was ready to light.

0:22:470:22:49

He left us with a small bunch of kindling and told us that

0:22:490:22:53

it was ready to light within a sort of hour after he'd left,

0:22:530:22:56

just to make sure that all the fire cement had dried.

0:22:560:23:00

After about two minutes, the room just filled with smoke.

0:23:000:23:03

Smoke was coming out of all of the vents of the wood burner

0:23:030:23:06

and I had to pick my 18-month-old daughter and run out of the house.

0:23:060:23:09

Lisa was understandably terrified.

0:23:110:23:13

I was just really, really frightened at the time.

0:23:130:23:16

I didn't really know what was going on.

0:23:160:23:18

We expected to have a fully-functioning wood burner

0:23:180:23:21

and instead our home was filling with smoke.

0:23:210:23:25

I think there were flames coming out of the back at one point.

0:23:250:23:28

I mean, I didn't know if the house was going to catch fire.

0:23:280:23:30

I was just really frightened for my daughter and my partner.

0:23:300:23:34

Fortunately, Lisa's partner reacted quickly, putting the fire out.

0:23:350:23:39

But the situation could have been much worse.

0:23:390:23:41

Luckily, it was only a small amount of kindling.

0:23:410:23:45

If we'd have, you know, shut the door, put a log on it

0:23:450:23:48

and left it, then the whole house could have caught.

0:23:480:23:51

Lisa contacted HETAS, but they were powerless to act.

0:23:520:23:55

At this point, we couldn't remove Luke from a register

0:23:560:23:59

that he wasn't already on,

0:23:590:24:00

so we advised the consumers, along with ourselves,

0:24:000:24:03

to pursue the matter through Trading Standards.

0:24:030:24:06

Tim Keohane heads up the Caerphilly Trading Standards team

0:24:080:24:11

and over the next few months, he discovered Hathaway had installed

0:24:110:24:14

a total of five stoves all around the Caerphilly area.

0:24:140:24:17

Investigations revealed that Hathaway was actually

0:24:190:24:23

not only fitting the stoves poorly, but they weren't safe.

0:24:230:24:27

And also, he was holding himself up to be HETAS accredited.

0:24:270:24:31

And in fact, using fake documentation to prove that fact.

0:24:320:24:35

Tim Keohane's team spoke with other customers and discovered Hathaway

0:24:370:24:40

had been issuing invoices which stated he was HETAS registered.

0:24:400:24:44

He had even got hold of an actual HETAS certificate,

0:24:440:24:48

which prove your stove has been fitted by a genuine HETAS installer.

0:24:480:24:52

The installer takes a copy, one is sent to HETAS

0:24:520:24:55

and one is held by the customer.

0:24:550:24:56

Faking these is a criminal offence.

0:24:560:24:59

What we have here are three copies of the fake HETAS certificates

0:24:590:25:04

issued by Hathaway.

0:25:040:25:06

But of course, all the details about him are fake.

0:25:060:25:09

Eventually, Trading Standards had enough evidence

0:25:100:25:12

against Hathaway to stop him in his tracks.

0:25:120:25:15

We eventually got Hathaway to court.

0:25:150:25:18

He pleaded guilty to 12 offences

0:25:180:25:20

under the Consumer Protection From Unfair Trading Regulations.

0:25:200:25:24

I think the evidence was so strong because of the witnesses

0:25:240:25:27

who were involved, along with the fact we managed to get an expert

0:25:270:25:32

to examine one of the installations and state that it was dangerous.

0:25:320:25:36

The HETAS inspection was carried out at Lisa's property

0:25:380:25:42

and the stove Hathaway installed was classed as immediately dangerous.

0:25:420:25:45

While Lisa and her family are safe,

0:25:470:25:48

the cost of Hathaway's fakery has been substantial.

0:25:480:25:52

This image is of the chimney liner,

0:25:520:25:55

which should come all the way down the chimney,

0:25:550:25:58

but in actual fact, because it was too short,

0:25:580:26:01

Luke actually used 12 separate connectors

0:26:010:26:07

to connect the chimney liner to the actual wood-burning stove.

0:26:070:26:11

They were just held together with fire cement.

0:26:110:26:15

The damage to the house as a whole ran to around £2,000.

0:26:150:26:20

There was damage to wallpaper, there was damage to my carpets.

0:26:200:26:24

Our living room resembled a building site.

0:26:240:26:27

We were left with lots of rubble.

0:26:270:26:28

Our living room was just completely ruined.

0:26:280:26:30

Hathaway also failed to install a carbon monoxide detector

0:26:320:26:36

at any of the homes Trading Standards investigated.

0:26:360:26:39

Installing these devices is essential

0:26:390:26:41

if the stove is to pass British building regulations.

0:26:410:26:45

I think he was really, really irresponsible and dangerous.

0:26:450:26:48

I mean, something as simple as a carbon monoxide detector

0:26:480:26:51

could have saved our life.

0:26:510:26:53

I mean, it just dreads to me to think what would have happened

0:26:530:26:56

had we lit it and gone to bed.

0:26:560:26:58

Unfortunately, cases like this aren't isolated incidents.

0:26:580:27:03

HETAS have had reports of nearly a dozen fake installers

0:27:030:27:06

operating across the country and they have started to track them down.

0:27:060:27:09

Mike and Alan are part of HETAS's inspection team.

0:27:110:27:15

They've had a tip-off from a builder

0:27:150:27:17

of a potentially dangerous stove installation.

0:27:170:27:19

What we know at this point is that somebody has gone in,

0:27:200:27:24

they've carried out the installation and there are

0:27:240:27:26

a lot of things relating to the installation that have

0:27:260:27:30

raised concerns of the third party that is working in the property.

0:27:300:27:34

Mike has checked the installer's name against HETAS's database

0:27:350:27:38

and it is not registered. To make matters worse,

0:27:380:27:41

this unregistered installer has been presenting fake documentation.

0:27:410:27:45

OK, so it is clearly evident that the HETAS logo has been

0:27:470:27:50

faked onto this document in a clear attempt to, basically,

0:27:500:27:56

lead the consumer to believe that the installation has been

0:27:560:28:00

carried out by a HETAS registered installer.

0:28:000:28:02

The installer's documentation might be fake,

0:28:040:28:07

but is the stove he has installed dangerous?

0:28:070:28:10

The couple living here, who don't wish to be identified,

0:28:100:28:12

paid several hundred pounds for a professionally-installed stove.

0:28:120:28:16

The team will be using this specialist miniature camera

0:28:180:28:21

to take a look inside the flue,

0:28:210:28:22

the piping which runs all the way up to the chimney.

0:28:220:28:25

Right, what Alan is doing now

0:28:260:28:28

is feeding the camera up through the flue.

0:28:280:28:30

The camera gradually makes its way up the flue.

0:28:360:28:38

At the point where the flue's been attached to

0:28:400:28:42

the house's existing chimney,

0:28:420:28:43

the camera reveals a serious cause for concern.

0:28:430:28:46

That there is your expanding foam,

0:28:490:28:51

this is your flexible flue liner

0:28:510:28:53

and this is the system chimney that has been used to join the two

0:28:530:28:57

to terminate the building.

0:28:570:28:59

And this is what's been used as a sealant between the two,

0:28:590:29:02

which is totally against regulations and is a fire hazard.

0:29:020:29:06

This material should never be used in this way.

0:29:080:29:11

But the HETAS team also want to inspect the work

0:29:110:29:14

carried out in the attic.

0:29:140:29:16

The workmanship around the sealing of the flu here, the sealing of

0:29:160:29:19

the chimney stack, the distance to combustibles.

0:29:190:29:24

As this system chimney goes through the fabric of the building,

0:29:240:29:28

it is up against the felt.

0:29:280:29:29

This is deemed as combustible material.

0:29:290:29:31

But you've also got a wooden baton that should have been trimmed back

0:29:310:29:35

a minimum of 50mm, and it's only just 40mm.

0:29:350:29:40

This fake installer's botched job could have had tragic consequences

0:29:410:29:45

for the couple living here.

0:29:450:29:47

The ultimate scenario would be that there could have been a fire

0:29:480:29:52

within the chimney or it could have, you know,

0:29:520:29:55

caused combustion here, up against the wood here.

0:29:550:29:58

It really is an accident waiting to happen, to be honest.

0:29:580:30:02

Mike explains the situation to the couple

0:30:020:30:05

and recommends some approved installers in their area.

0:30:050:30:08

He also advises them to contact Trading Standards.

0:30:080:30:12

An investigation has been launched into this fake installer

0:30:120:30:15

and is ongoing.

0:30:150:30:16

Earlier, we saw Trading Standards searching this toy shop

0:30:240:30:27

and discovering fake after fake.

0:30:270:30:29

But these are not the only dangerous products out there aimed at children.

0:30:310:30:35

The vast majority of fake toys coming into the UK arrive through our ports.

0:30:360:30:41

Border Force officers recently discovered a haul of products

0:30:410:30:45

aimed at children that looked fluffy enough on the outside,

0:30:450:30:48

but were in fact hiding a dark secret.

0:30:480:30:50

They called on Mark Rolfe from Kent Trading Standards.

0:30:520:30:55

They're a fairly simple device.

0:30:550:30:57

Cuddly toy on top, underneath there is a hot water bottle,

0:30:570:31:01

which is separate from the cuddly dog.

0:31:010:31:04

You fill it up with water through here

0:31:040:31:06

and then you plug it into the mains.

0:31:060:31:09

The idea, obviously, is that it heats the water

0:31:090:31:11

and you've got yourself a toy hot water bottle.

0:31:110:31:13

The problem with these products is when you get inside to the

0:31:130:31:16

electrics. I mean, it doesn't make sense, if you think about it,

0:31:160:31:19

to plug a hot water bottle into the mains.

0:31:190:31:21

But if I cut this one open...

0:31:210:31:23

..what we have inside is a thin plastic water tank.

0:31:290:31:34

It has in it a tablet here which dissolves in the water

0:31:340:31:37

and it makes the water conduct electricity.

0:31:370:31:39

And then you have the electrics, which is this part here.

0:31:400:31:43

These two screws are just electrodes and the way this heats the water up

0:31:430:31:48

is to pass mains electricity through the water,

0:31:480:31:51

which has got this dissolved in it to make it conduct the electricity.

0:31:510:31:55

So actually, all that separates you as a user, or the child using this,

0:31:550:31:58

from mains electricity is this thin piece of plastic.

0:31:580:32:02

Mark was understandably concerned by the children's hot water bottle,

0:32:020:32:07

so he sent it for testing.

0:32:070:32:08

The findings would scare any parent.

0:32:080:32:11

One of the safety issues we have identified with this is that

0:32:130:32:15

the means of it cutting out if the water gets too hot is unreliable.

0:32:150:32:19

What that means is that the water could boil in the bag

0:32:190:32:21

and boiling water, obviously, turns to steam,

0:32:210:32:23

steam expands remarkably quickly, leading to the bag bursting.

0:32:230:32:27

And a child would be covered with boiling water

0:32:270:32:29

and then exposed to live electricity.

0:32:290:32:31

Really, from a child protection point of view, it couldn't be worse.

0:32:310:32:34

Despite the dangers inside,

0:32:340:32:36

this product is covered in safety markings, all of which are fake.

0:32:360:32:40

The people who've manufactured this potential deathtrap

0:32:400:32:42

have really gone to town to try and make sure that consumers

0:32:420:32:45

think it is a safe item.

0:32:450:32:46

They've put the CE mark everywhere.

0:32:460:32:48

It is there on the actual toy itself and they've actually applied it

0:32:480:32:53

to the packaging of the box here as well with all the other symbols

0:32:530:32:56

that you would expect to find on a quality item.

0:32:560:32:59

For Mark Rolfe, seeing a CE mark being faked

0:32:590:33:02

on such a potentially dangerous product

0:33:020:33:04

is particularly frustrating as it undermines a standard we all trust.

0:33:040:33:09

The reason for that is we tell people to rely on it,

0:33:090:33:12

we tell parents to rely on it when buying toys for their children,

0:33:120:33:15

and if people are faking it, actually that puts children at risk

0:33:150:33:18

with parents being as responsible as they can be.

0:33:180:33:21

An investigation into these dangerous soft toys is now underway

0:33:210:33:26

and Mark Rolfe has no doubts about the kind of criminal

0:33:260:33:29

pushing this product out to unsuspecting parents.

0:33:290:33:33

This is organised criminal gangs duping responsible parents

0:33:330:33:36

into believing their products are safe,

0:33:360:33:38

when they are, in fact, incredibly dangerous.

0:33:380:33:41

We all know about the perils of buying a second-hand car.

0:33:480:33:52

That's why it's wise to see all those important service documents

0:33:520:33:56

and to check things like the mileage.

0:33:560:33:58

They have a crucial effect on what it a car is worth

0:33:580:34:01

and on how it is going to perform.

0:34:010:34:03

But, of course, the fakers know that too and some of them

0:34:030:34:05

will go to extraordinary lengths to deceive an unwary buyer.

0:34:050:34:09

If a faker can buy a completely blank service history booklet,

0:34:090:34:12

like this, on the internet and fill it in himself, well,

0:34:120:34:16

who's to know what sort of second-hand car you might be buying?

0:34:160:34:20

The second-hand car market is now worth 40 billion a year

0:34:220:34:27

and there are more used cars on the road than ever before.

0:34:270:34:30

But the fakers know there's money to be made

0:34:310:34:33

and they are finding new ways to play old tricks.

0:34:330:34:36

Come on.

0:34:360:34:37

Tim Moss from the Midlands was about to discover the length

0:34:370:34:40

the fakers will go to to dupe unsuspecting targets.

0:34:400:34:45

I decided to invest a lot of my savings into a new car

0:34:450:34:49

purely and simply because I wanted a vehicle

0:34:490:34:51

that would keep me going when I retired.

0:34:510:34:53

Low mileage was one of my top priorities because I wanted a car

0:34:540:34:58

that was going to last me, that I

0:34:580:35:00

wouldn't have to do any major repairs to.

0:35:000:35:02

Tim eventually found what he thought was the perfect car

0:35:040:35:07

at a decent price. He arranged to meet the seller

0:35:070:35:10

and took the car for a test drive.

0:35:100:35:11

The seller wanted £3,600 in cash.

0:35:130:35:17

Tim, happy with both the price and the car's performance,

0:35:170:35:19

asked to look at the paperwork.

0:35:190:35:21

The document Tim was shown included detailed service histories

0:35:230:35:26

and invoices for repair work the car had undergone.

0:35:260:35:30

But unfortunately for Tim, the car he'd spent his savings on

0:35:300:35:33

wasn't the reliable, low-mileage vehicle he believed he'd purchased.

0:35:330:35:38

The mileage had been clocked and over 100,000 miles taken of the odometer.

0:35:380:35:43

After I'd found it had done a large mileage, then you start

0:35:450:35:49

seeing the problems, like the corrosion along the front

0:35:490:35:53

and the tops of the springs

0:35:530:35:54

and along the front, especially, of the engine.

0:35:540:35:57

And before long, the car was needing replacement parts,

0:36:000:36:03

including a new cam belt and all of the internal electronics.

0:36:030:36:08

All the replacement parts and the costs that I've had to pay for

0:36:080:36:13

have amounted to around £1,200.

0:36:130:36:16

But what Tim didn't know was that there were other buyers

0:36:170:36:20

across the Midlands who' also been conned by the seller, Steve Meacham.

0:36:200:36:24

Derby Trading Standards were alerted to Meacham's activities

0:36:250:36:28

when one of the distressed buyers contacted them.

0:36:280:36:31

Doug Walkman heads up the team.

0:36:320:36:34

His officers started by examining the documents from the other buyers.

0:36:340:36:39

This is a genuine service history log.

0:36:390:36:42

As you can see here, in red are

0:36:420:36:44

the genuine service history dealer stamps

0:36:440:36:47

and the ones in black are the ones that are fake.

0:36:470:36:50

What is interesting in this one

0:36:500:36:52

is that the previous keeper had this serviced up to about 11,000 miles

0:36:520:36:56

and then took it elsewhere for its servicing.

0:36:560:36:59

As you can see, the last stamp has got 46,000 on it,

0:36:590:37:02

which is the altered mileage.

0:37:020:37:04

In fact, this vehicle had done in excess of 150,000 miles.

0:37:040:37:09

So, they have taken the best part of 100,000 miles off the clock.

0:37:090:37:12

We knew then that we were doing with something a lot more complex

0:37:120:37:15

than just a normal car clocking case,

0:37:150:37:19

which led my officers to investigate further, and then we started

0:37:190:37:25

looking at other vehicles that this person had sold and discovered

0:37:250:37:29

there were more links to fake service history and documentation.

0:37:290:37:32

Meacham was also creating fake invoices to convince buyers

0:37:320:37:36

the cars had been recently serviced.

0:37:360:37:38

These are fake invoices.

0:37:380:37:41

If you look at them closely, the dates are almost a year apart

0:37:410:37:45

but the invoice number is actually identical.

0:37:450:37:48

So, this was another key part of our investigation,

0:37:480:37:51

knowing that this documentation was actually fake.

0:37:510:37:54

The garage itself does exist and does produce documentation,

0:37:540:37:58

but not on letterheads like we have in front of you here.

0:37:580:38:01

The Trading Standards team soon had enough evidence to arrest Meacham,

0:38:020:38:06

and checks on his eBay records found he'd purchased

0:38:060:38:09

an item to make his fakery more convincing.

0:38:090:38:13

We discovered, through looking at the fraudster's eBay accounts,

0:38:130:38:17

that three days before he sold his first vehicle,

0:38:170:38:20

that he'd actually purchased a stamp kit,

0:38:200:38:23

which we believe has been used to create the service histories.

0:38:230:38:27

Meacham had also purchased service history booklets.

0:38:270:38:30

Items like these for all of the leading car brands are sold online.

0:38:300:38:35

But Meacham used them to add authenticity

0:38:350:38:38

to the fake documents he showed buyers.

0:38:380:38:40

In total, Trading Standards investigators took statements from

0:38:420:38:45

nearly 30 buyers claiming to have been sold clocked cars by Meacham.

0:38:450:38:49

We have seen above 1.2 million miles wiped off the histories

0:38:490:38:55

of these vehicles.

0:38:550:38:57

So, it is a significant fraud

0:38:570:38:59

and we're glad that we've actually managed to bring it to conclusion.

0:38:590:39:04

Meacham eventually pleaded guilty.

0:39:040:39:06

He was sentenced to 30 months in prison on multiple counts

0:39:060:39:09

of selling clocked cars and falsifying documentation,

0:39:090:39:13

including MOTs and services histories.

0:39:130:39:16

But his many buyers have had to accept huge losses

0:39:160:39:19

on the vehicles they were sold.

0:39:190:39:21

I am still out of pocket, as are other victims,

0:39:220:39:25

and I feel that he should be made to pay back some of that money.

0:39:250:39:29

And this is another children's product that's being faked.

0:39:350:39:38

If you have ever seen a kid skating down the street on what

0:39:380:39:41

appears to be a pair of trainers,

0:39:410:39:43

then you have probably just seen them using a pair of Heelys.

0:39:430:39:46

They are trainers with built-in wheels.

0:39:460:39:49

I really liked Heelys because I would just whiz about on them

0:39:490:39:53

in my street, in the shops, wherever.

0:39:530:39:55

It was just really fun to have some.

0:39:550:39:57

They cost around £40 and are sold online

0:39:570:40:00

and at specialist retailers across the UK.

0:40:000:40:03

Since they hit the shelves, over 50,000 pairs have been sold.

0:40:030:40:07

But the fakers also wants to be rolling in profits.

0:40:070:40:10

Charlie Shiner's company has been selling Heelys here in the UK

0:40:130:40:16

since 2004, and of late he has seen an unprecedented number of fakes.

0:40:160:40:21

A recent seizure netted 200 pairs of counterfeit Heelys.

0:40:220:40:26

This particular batch, we identified being sold in the UK online.

0:40:270:40:32

We made a test purchase and made Trading Standards aware of it.

0:40:320:40:36

In this case, Trading Standards ordered the seller

0:40:360:40:39

to surrender the merchandise, but he is one of dozens of online traders

0:40:390:40:43

selling fake versions of the product.

0:40:430:40:46

So, what is the difference between a real Heelys shoe and a fake?

0:40:460:40:50

So, this shoe is an original Heelys,

0:40:500:40:53

this shoe is a fake where the Heelys is spelt wrong.

0:40:530:40:58

So, this model obviously has H-E-A-L-Y-S,

0:40:580:41:02

so they have changed the E to an A.

0:41:020:41:05

The fakers misspell the Heelys name in the hope of evading prosecution,

0:41:050:41:09

but clearly they are attempting to fool consumers

0:41:090:41:12

by ripping off the brand.

0:41:120:41:13

They are trying to use very, very similar logo that we have,

0:41:140:41:18

but not quite the same. It is a good copy.

0:41:180:41:21

With this copy in particular,

0:41:210:41:23

they are trying to get around trademark law.

0:41:230:41:26

But how dangerous are these fakes?

0:41:260:41:29

The wheels of the fakes are made of inferior materials.

0:41:290:41:32

The harder the wheel,

0:41:320:41:33

the more bumpy and less controlled the ride will be.

0:41:330:41:37

The fake wheel is harder because it's made of PVC,

0:41:370:41:40

which means it can't handle rough surfaces in the way

0:41:400:41:43

a real Heelys wheel can, making an accident far more likely.

0:41:430:41:47

But as customers are becoming more aware of the fake Heelys,

0:41:490:41:52

the counterfeiters have started producing

0:41:520:41:55

even more sophisticated fakes.

0:41:550:41:57

I've seen a range of fakes and this is the most convincing I've seen.

0:41:570:42:01

All the Heelys branding all over it.

0:42:010:42:03

And even inside the shoe, there's a label identical to ours.

0:42:060:42:10

That is the level of the fakery.

0:42:100:42:12

They even have the hang tag attached, branded with Heelys.

0:42:130:42:17

And they have gone down to faking the plastic bag

0:42:190:42:22

that the tool comes in and the tool even has Heelys branding on.

0:42:220:42:27

So, they're unbelievably good fakes.

0:42:270:42:30

You can only spot them with a trained eye.

0:42:300:42:32

So, would these fakes have fooled our young Heelys fans?

0:42:320:42:37

They're pretty convincing!

0:42:370:42:39

Yeah. I thought they were real.

0:42:390:42:41

Yeah, they are really convincing fakes.

0:42:410:42:43

I wouldn't tell the difference.

0:42:430:42:44

I thought they were, like, real Heelys, to be fair.

0:42:440:42:48

That's surprising how realistic they look.

0:42:480:42:51

And they're quite well made for a fake,

0:42:510:42:53

so I am surprised at that. Definitely, yeah.

0:42:530:42:55

None of these fakes will make it onto the feet of unsuspecting children.

0:42:560:43:00

They are going to be destroyed and safely disposed of.

0:43:000:43:03

That is all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.

0:43:110:43:14

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS