0:00:02 > 0:00:05Welcome to a world where nothing is as it seems.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21- Get down! Get down! - Get on the floor now.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23Put your hands behind your back now.
0:00:25 > 0:00:26Here, at the Fake Britain house,
0:00:26 > 0:00:30we'll reveal the fakes that are flooding the market,
0:00:30 > 0:00:34conning people like you and me, and making money for the criminals.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36We'll investigate the fraudsters who are selling us something
0:00:36 > 0:00:39that isn't real and could be dangerous,
0:00:39 > 0:00:42and we'll help you avoid falling for a fake.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46Today, on Fake Britain,
0:00:46 > 0:00:50the fake hoverboards catching fire in people's homes...
0:00:50 > 0:00:54There was, like, a bang and the flame shot up above my head.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56..Trading Standards find the unexpected
0:00:56 > 0:01:00whilst searching for fake cigarettes...
0:01:00 > 0:01:02That's poppy bulbs, isn't it?
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Poppies are the unrefined part of heroin.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08..and the jewellery that could be worthless.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12I'm really sorry to say that this is a fake.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22You may have seen someone whizzing past you on one of these.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24It's a self-balancing scooter,
0:01:24 > 0:01:27but it's usually called a hoverboard or Swegway -
0:01:27 > 0:01:30one of those latest must-haves.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Of course, the fakers, they know an opportunity when they see one.
0:01:33 > 0:01:34Fashions ebb and flow,
0:01:34 > 0:01:37and they're always quick to follow, so they've been churning out
0:01:37 > 0:01:40thousands of fake boards to make money
0:01:40 > 0:01:42while these are still popular.
0:01:42 > 0:01:43But people don't realise -
0:01:43 > 0:01:46these fakes are potentially dangerous.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52The hoverboard is a futuristic means of travel
0:01:52 > 0:01:55that has captured the public imagination,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59but when Trading Standards tested 38,000 of the boards,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02they found nearly 85% of them were unsafe
0:02:02 > 0:02:05and many had fake safety markings.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08As a result, major retailers across the UK
0:02:08 > 0:02:12stopped selling hoverboards and issued recalls
0:02:12 > 0:02:14because of those safety concerns,
0:02:14 > 0:02:16but hoverboards can still be bought online,
0:02:16 > 0:02:20and that means they could be coming to a seaside town near you.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Not far from the Cornish coast,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26Anthony Goodman and his children were about to experience
0:02:26 > 0:02:28the full force of the fake.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33I'd come over to look after the kids that night.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37My son is doing a photography course at school
0:02:37 > 0:02:39and the idea was to take some photos.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44Anthony's son Jordan and his friend Lewis
0:02:44 > 0:02:47were using a hoverboard for the project.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50We basically went out and the first, like,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53five minutes of going out, it just turned off,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56wouldn't turn back on.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Thinking that the board might need more of a charge,
0:02:59 > 0:03:01they brought it home and took it upstairs to plug it in.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Anthony's otherwise peaceful day was about to be interrupted
0:03:07 > 0:03:10when his daughter, Amber, started shouting.
0:03:10 > 0:03:11Dad!
0:03:11 > 0:03:13There was panic in her voice
0:03:13 > 0:03:15so I ran upstairs as fast as I could.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19There was smoke pouring out the side of the Swegway.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23Within seconds, there was a bang and the flame shot up above my head.
0:03:23 > 0:03:24Um...
0:03:25 > 0:03:28I shouted to Amber, "Get me some towels," you know, wet towels.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31That's all I could think of doing.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35Anthony hoped his quick thinking would help to contain the situation.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37Then there was another explosion.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41They were going off like fireworks, like rockets, and each time,
0:03:41 > 0:03:43the flames were up in the air
0:03:43 > 0:03:46and bits of metal were flying all over the room.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49Within the lithium batteries that power these boards
0:03:49 > 0:03:53are around 20 individual cells the size of AA batteries.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Anthony was seeing the individual cells
0:03:56 > 0:03:58exploding one by one in his direction.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00One of the batteries actually bounced off
0:04:00 > 0:04:04the door and then started a fire just behind me.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06The flames were coming everywhere.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09It was really quite frightening.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13The faulty board had set the bedroom carpet on fire.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15Dad was yelling, "Get water! Get water!"
0:04:15 > 0:04:19All I could see was smoke. It smelled like fire and smoke.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22About the fourth or fifth jug,
0:04:22 > 0:04:26the explosions stopped and it was just sizzling.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Lots of smoke.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31With it smouldering, I just instinctively grabbed it,
0:04:31 > 0:04:34wrapped it in the towels and ran downstairs
0:04:34 > 0:04:36and threw out in the garden.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Anthony had done exactly the right thing.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43Whilst water should never be used to extinguish an electrical fire,
0:04:43 > 0:04:45it does work effectively to neutralise
0:04:45 > 0:04:49a lithium-ion battery fire by cooling down the cells.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52The thought of what it could have done to my family,
0:04:52 > 0:04:55especially if it had been left in charging overnight...
0:04:55 > 0:04:58I don't know what would've happened.
0:04:58 > 0:04:59It was frightening.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01I've never, ever gone through anything like that.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05Anthony immediately contacted Sherry Carter
0:05:05 > 0:05:08from Cornwall Trading Standards about his ordeal.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11It's her job to investigate dangerous products
0:05:11 > 0:05:14that have been unwittingly purchased by members of the public,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17but in this case, there wasn't much left to look at.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20The metal and the plastic have just congealed together
0:05:20 > 0:05:21and there are still batteries
0:05:21 > 0:05:24actually with the plastic melted around them.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27We also have a lot more batteries that came out of this.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33You can see that the debris and the melted coating
0:05:33 > 0:05:34to the plastic that was left.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36This family is extremely lucky.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40A product this dangerous shouldn't carry safety markings.
0:05:40 > 0:05:45If people see CE markings, Kitemarks on products,
0:05:45 > 0:05:49they generally have the right to believe that those are safe,
0:05:49 > 0:05:51or in this particular case, as you can see,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54that's more than likely a counterfeit mark.
0:05:54 > 0:05:59Sherry is concerned about how many other dangerous hoverboards
0:05:59 > 0:06:01could be coming into the country.
0:06:01 > 0:06:06When a toy like this has such high profile,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08then organised crime and organised criminals, for example,
0:06:08 > 0:06:10will make money.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13So, what happens is they get imported into the UK
0:06:13 > 0:06:15and bought as genuine presents.
0:06:15 > 0:06:16But they are really dangerous.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20Many of the fakes arrive here by ship at the port of Felixstowe,
0:06:20 > 0:06:23the busiest container port in the country.
0:06:23 > 0:06:28And today, Carol Garrett and her team from Suffolk Trading Standards
0:06:28 > 0:06:32have intercepted a container with a suspicious load -
0:06:32 > 0:06:35thousands of unmarked boxes, thought to contain hoverboards.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40I can tell you instantly that the external packaging of this
0:06:40 > 0:06:44particular product is identical to the packaging of other ones
0:06:44 > 0:06:47that have been assessed as unsafe.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49Carol has seen these hoverboards before.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51They appear to be the same type as fakes
0:06:51 > 0:06:55that have exploded in unsuspecting consumers' homes,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58but they can be dangerous in other ways.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00A compliant safe plug,
0:07:00 > 0:07:03you should not be able to see any red around the plug.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06We have a fake test laboratory mark on it
0:07:06 > 0:07:08for a test laboratory that doesn't exist.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11The power charger is identical to a power charger
0:07:11 > 0:07:16that we've already sampled and had tested, and that charger was assessed as unsafe.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19All the indications to date are this is a false CE mark.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22Overall, the CE marking for this as a product
0:07:22 > 0:07:25in its entirety is false.
0:07:25 > 0:07:30As demand for hoverboards continues, Carol Garrett and her team
0:07:30 > 0:07:33at Felixstowe Port are fighting an ongoing battle against the fakers.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37They've seized over 20,000 unsafe hoverboards so far.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39Consumers are at great risk.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42We have seen explosions and major house fires
0:07:42 > 0:07:44as a result of these types of products.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48But might what cause these fake hoverboards to explode?
0:07:48 > 0:07:50- BEEPING - No, it's failed.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54You're effectively carrying around several hundred small bombs.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57Coming up, we find out just what makes them so dangerous.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07Trading Standards and the police
0:08:07 > 0:08:09are constantly fighting back against the fakers.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11They're trying to track down this kind of fake.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15We recently followed Wolverhampton Trading Standards teams
0:08:15 > 0:08:18on a major operation as they crack down on fake cigarettes,
0:08:18 > 0:08:22but as we found out in the world of fakery,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25there are often some very surprising discoveries.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30It's daybreak in Wolverhampton and teams from Trading Standards
0:08:30 > 0:08:33and the police are gathering for a major operation.
0:08:33 > 0:08:38They're about to launch a crackdown on fake and illegal cigarettes,
0:08:38 > 0:08:42but on a day like this, they have no idea what else they might find.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45What we'll be looking for is counterfeit or fake, illegal,
0:08:45 > 0:08:47non-duty paid tobacco.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51There are over 50 officers here from several different departments,
0:08:51 > 0:08:53including the police, Trading Standards and Immigration,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55because where there's fakery,
0:08:55 > 0:08:59other types of criminal activity may not be far away.
0:08:59 > 0:09:00Come on, guys. Let's go.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03The officers have been split into teams.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05One team is headed up
0:09:05 > 0:09:09by senior Trading Standards officer Stefan Polatajko.
0:09:09 > 0:09:10The other is led by head
0:09:10 > 0:09:14of Wolverhampton Trading Standards Paul Dosanjh.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17We're on our way now to the area of Wolverhampton.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21We've got intelligence generally around the area of fake cigarettes.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24We're particularly on the lookout for specially-made brands
0:09:24 > 0:09:28with a fake market which have been linked with the fact
0:09:28 > 0:09:31that they don't extinguish and they actually raise fire hazards.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33People fall asleep smoking these things
0:09:33 > 0:09:35and they wake up in a blazing inferno.
0:09:36 > 0:09:37But in the search for fakes,
0:09:37 > 0:09:41the teams also have to be prepared to find anything and everything.
0:09:41 > 0:09:42It's a large operation
0:09:42 > 0:09:45because we're looking at those issues of general criminality -
0:09:45 > 0:09:48drugs, general Trading Standards issues and immigration -
0:09:48 > 0:09:50so it's the broad sweep here.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53Today, the teams will be targeting a range of shops
0:09:53 > 0:09:55looking in all the secret places
0:09:55 > 0:09:57where fakers might hide illegal goods.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01The team are using a special camera
0:10:01 > 0:10:06that allows them to see behind units and into small spaces.
0:10:06 > 0:10:07It's basically a camera on a wire,
0:10:07 > 0:10:11so if there's something like a little alcove that...
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Well, rather than pulling all the shelving out,
0:10:13 > 0:10:17we can just pop it in and see if there's anything there.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20And Buster the tobacco dog is on hand
0:10:20 > 0:10:22to sniff out any illegality.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26The dog showed some interest in these two top shelves...
0:10:28 > 0:10:29..so we'll go through them again.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34So far, the hunt for fake cigarettes hasn't turned up any results,
0:10:34 > 0:10:38but it has uncovered something completely unexpected
0:10:38 > 0:10:40and very suspicious.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44So, what are in these bags then?
0:10:44 > 0:10:46- That's poppy bulbs, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51Finding poppy bulbs and a blender in this storeroom is very unusual.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54It's difficult to know what's going on.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Poppies are a source of opium,
0:10:56 > 0:11:01which is the unrefined part of heroin.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04- This is quite a large quantity, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08Cos that's actually the poppy itself.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12It's not clear if these husks are from opium poppies.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15In the UK, it's illegal to possess dried seed pods
0:11:15 > 0:11:20and other parts of opium poppies and to extract the opium from them.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22Poppy husks can be used to make poppy tea -
0:11:22 > 0:11:25a drink which is also illegal.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Drinking it can be lethal.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30In fact, since 2003, it's been linked to the deaths
0:11:30 > 0:11:32of at least eight people.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36- 50, 60 bags of this. - Yeah.- Maybe more.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38It's a highly unusual discovery
0:11:38 > 0:11:41for a team which set out to find illegal and fake tobacco.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Investigations are ongoing.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48The way it's been kept at the back in a storeroom that isn't lit
0:11:48 > 0:11:52and the fact that it's quite difficult to get into it
0:11:52 > 0:11:55just makes us slightly concerned about it.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59In another shop, Trading Standards officer Stefan Polatajko
0:11:59 > 0:12:02is still searching for fake and illegal cigarettes.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04Hiya. Good morning.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06And it's not long before they find
0:12:06 > 0:12:09the dangerous fake Jin Ling cigarettes
0:12:09 > 0:12:11that they set out to look for.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14In addition to the hazards of smoking,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17this cigarette will not self-extinguish either,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20so it can result in it being left burning,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22which has happened in somebody's house
0:12:22 > 0:12:24when the house has burned down.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27This fake brand of cigarettes has been linked to the death
0:12:27 > 0:12:30of a woman in Lincolnshire whose house caught fire
0:12:30 > 0:12:33after she fell asleep while smoking.
0:12:33 > 0:12:34And behind the counter,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37the team have found more illegal tobacco products.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39- This is tobacco blunt. It's a roll. - Oh, yeah.- Yeah.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42It's like pre-rolled and then you put your loose tobacco inside.
0:12:42 > 0:12:43..something like this.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Because these blunt wraps contain tobacco,
0:12:46 > 0:12:48they must meet strict regulations,
0:12:48 > 0:12:53but these ones don't have the safety warnings required by law.
0:12:53 > 0:12:58They were written in German so they can't be sold in this country.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02While the search for fake and illegal tobacco progresses nearby,
0:13:02 > 0:13:04another team have found a locked door
0:13:04 > 0:13:07and are wondering what's behind it.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09The heavy padlock on this door makes them think
0:13:09 > 0:13:12it could be hiding something they need to see,
0:13:12 > 0:13:15and there's only one way to find out.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20PC Jonathan Peters makes short work of getting in.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28It seems this boarded-up room
0:13:28 > 0:13:32is being lived in and the occupier has left the fire on.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Even worse, there's a paper bag right next to it
0:13:34 > 0:13:37which could easily have caught fire.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40This flat is clearly not fit for human habitation.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44If you look outside, all the doors and windows were boarded up.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47It doesn't look like a dwelling. Look at the kitchen.
0:13:47 > 0:13:48The window has been boarded up.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52In fact, there's no glass on the other side of that thing.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57The conditions here are at best unhealthy
0:13:57 > 0:13:59and at worst downright dangerous.
0:13:59 > 0:14:00There's no fire exit.
0:14:00 > 0:14:01There's just the one door.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03If there was a fire here, how would somebody get out?
0:14:03 > 0:14:06Sergeant Jake Flanigan can't help but wonder
0:14:06 > 0:14:09who would choose to live in a place like this.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12In our experience, we say that this has been used by people
0:14:12 > 0:14:15potentially being exploited, not got a work visa,
0:14:15 > 0:14:19being kept in fairly shoddy conditions, illegally.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22They're exploited by unscrupulous landlords.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26And it just goes to show doing this licence enforcement activity
0:14:26 > 0:14:28you uncover places like this.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Back downstairs, Stefan Polatajko and his team
0:14:32 > 0:14:36have found more evidence of fake and illegal tobacco.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40- There's 20 times more than that out there in the bin, right?- Right.
0:14:40 > 0:14:45And they're all "Cigarettes," "Tar," "Dioxide," "Monoxide."
0:14:45 > 0:14:47They've found shredded cigarette cartons -
0:14:47 > 0:14:51the outer packaging that usually contains individual packets
0:14:51 > 0:14:52of cigarettes.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56- Cardboard out of 200.- Mm.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59They've just gotten rid of the evidence by shredding it.
0:14:59 > 0:15:04The shredding seemed to be from packets of fake Mayfair cigarettes.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07Even with English warnings, they could be counterfeit.
0:15:07 > 0:15:12Mayfair is a brand that's commonly counterfeited.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16And Buster the tobacco dog is keen to get his nose into the find, too.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19What he's smelling is the shredded packets
0:15:19 > 0:15:20there of the illicit tobacco.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22So, he's just showing interest on there
0:15:22 > 0:15:24cos that will still hold the smell.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27The shreddings will be seized as evidence.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30We have got an indication that the fake cigarettes
0:15:30 > 0:15:33have sort of gone through this premises at some point
0:15:33 > 0:15:37because they're looking like they're sort of very carefully destroying
0:15:37 > 0:15:39potential evidence.
0:15:39 > 0:15:40At the end of a busy day,
0:15:40 > 0:15:44there have been a few successes and a few surprises.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46While the police are still dealing with the mysteries
0:15:46 > 0:15:48of the poppy heads and the illegal dwelling,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51other teams have found more fake and illegal tobacco,
0:15:51 > 0:15:55including a few more unusual products.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57We think it's been quite a good day's work.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00That's just a small sample of our haul today.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02As well as fake cigarettes,
0:16:02 > 0:16:04they found other dangerous substances.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07So, what we've got here is effectively sucking tobacco.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10What you do is you have it in the cavity of your mouth
0:16:10 > 0:16:11between your cheek and your gum.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14There's an outright ban on that because there's a concern
0:16:14 > 0:16:16that prolonged exposure to that tobacco
0:16:16 > 0:16:19in that sensitive part of your mouth will give you oral cancer.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22The shredded packaging found earlier hints at further attempts
0:16:22 > 0:16:26to conceal the sale of fake cigarettes.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28They have been split up, all that packaging around them,
0:16:28 > 0:16:32and someone has tried to do this so that there's no trace.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36As yet, no charges have been brought in relation to the poppy heads
0:16:36 > 0:16:38discovered in the back of the first shop.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Trading Standards are still investigating.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43The landlord of the padlocked flat
0:16:43 > 0:16:46was advised that he must make the property safe.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50When the housing team visited later, it was no longer being rented out.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59Earlier, we saw how a fake hoverboard
0:16:59 > 0:17:01put one family's life at risk...
0:17:01 > 0:17:03Every time, there was another explosion.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06They were going off like fireworks, like rockets. It was frightening.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09..and how thousands of fakes are being seized
0:17:09 > 0:17:12by Trading Standards at British ports.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15We have seen examples of products of this type exploding,
0:17:15 > 0:17:17so consumers are at great risk.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19We wanted to find out more about
0:17:19 > 0:17:22what could make a hoverboard so dangerous,
0:17:22 > 0:17:26so we took one to electrical expert Ray Jeffries
0:17:26 > 0:17:28at testing lab Intertek.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31First, Ray takes a look inside the hoverboard
0:17:31 > 0:17:35and specifically the lithium battery that powers it.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41All in all, this looks like a fairly well-made battery pack.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43Does look to be quite well manufactured.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47The battery might look OK, but lithium batteries can explode
0:17:47 > 0:17:52if they're overcharged and that could be caused by a faulty charger.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55So, Ray will carry out an electric strength test
0:17:55 > 0:17:58on the charger that comes with this board.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01The charger or power supply should have insulation
0:18:01 > 0:18:04from the mains supply that would prevent the user
0:18:04 > 0:18:07from getting an electric shock.
0:18:07 > 0:18:08For the charger to pass,
0:18:08 > 0:18:12Ray should be able to send up to 3,000 volts through it
0:18:12 > 0:18:15while the end that plugs into the hoverboard remains safe.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18If it fails, the machine will trip,
0:18:18 > 0:18:22and it means that there is insufficient isolation
0:18:22 > 0:18:25between the mains and the pins here,
0:18:25 > 0:18:29which means that you could get mains on these pins
0:18:29 > 0:18:34with the consequence of possible electric shock or serious fire.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38Time to crank up the voltage.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46- BEEPING - Hello. Failed.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49But all of a sudden, it's game over.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52That failed at around 1,700 volts,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55which is approximately half of what it should be...
0:18:55 > 0:19:00which means it's possible you could get a serious electric shock.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04Further, if you plug this into the actual product itself
0:19:04 > 0:19:06and the breakdown occurred,
0:19:06 > 0:19:08it's possible it could also cause a serious fire
0:19:08 > 0:19:10and a lot of other damage as well.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14And that could mean bad news for the hoverboard battery.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17No matter how good the battery pack is,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20the serious danger here is the charger.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23We saw the breakdown, which could put high-voltage
0:19:23 > 0:19:25onto the terminals of the battery pack
0:19:25 > 0:19:27leading to a serious fire.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29I very much suspect that this product has never had
0:19:29 > 0:19:33the batteries tested to the relevant standards.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35Therefore you're effectively carrying around
0:19:35 > 0:19:37several hundred small bombs inside a container.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40We went to see Geoff Leach
0:19:40 > 0:19:43at the International Fire Training Centre
0:19:43 > 0:19:44in County Durham.
0:19:44 > 0:19:49He's an expert in the transportation of dangerous goods.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51Lithium batteries have become the batteries of choice
0:19:51 > 0:19:54to power our laptops and mobile phones and e-readers,
0:19:54 > 0:19:57and when they're manufactured by reputable companies
0:19:57 > 0:20:00to very high standards, the safety records are outstanding.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Unfortunately, there are a number of batteries out there
0:20:03 > 0:20:06that are poor quality, maybe counterfeit,
0:20:06 > 0:20:07that pose a real danger to us.
0:20:07 > 0:20:13Fake or damaged lithium batteries can become unstable and explode.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Geoff will run a test that mimics what could happen
0:20:16 > 0:20:19if a lithium battery stored in ship or plane cargo
0:20:19 > 0:20:22develops a catastrophic fault.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24So, in our test today we're going to attempt
0:20:24 > 0:20:29to get it to demonstrate the energy that's contained in these devices.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50If you're thinking of buying a hoverboard,
0:20:50 > 0:20:55the Charted Trading Standards Institute advises extreme caution.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Remain vigilant at all times
0:20:57 > 0:21:00and never leave the device unattended whilst charging.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02There's a few more cells to go.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19The results today were really quite dramatic.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23The energy released was quite significant.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26We saw a number of cells rocketing from the hoverboard,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28and one can only imagine that if this were to happen
0:21:28 > 0:21:31in perhaps a shipping container with other hoverboards,
0:21:31 > 0:21:33other battery-powered devices,
0:21:33 > 0:21:35or even in the hold of an aircraft,
0:21:35 > 0:21:39clearly that could potentially lead to a catastrophic situation.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48Take a look at this intricate and beautifully handcrafted bead.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51It's also known as a Trollbead,
0:21:51 > 0:21:55and they come in many different shapes and colours and designs.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57It can be worn on a bracelet or necklace.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01Trollbeads can cost well over £200 and lots of people collect them.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04Of course, the fakers know that too.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07So, you would waste your money collecting this one
0:22:07 > 0:22:08because it's a fake.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10As we're about to find out,
0:22:10 > 0:22:14lifelong collectors can still be fooled by the fakes.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17These are Trollbeads.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20They're intricate beads that have soared in popularity
0:22:20 > 0:22:23and now sell in their thousands from leading department stores
0:22:23 > 0:22:25and jewellers across the country.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29Made of glass or precious metals like sterling silver,
0:22:29 > 0:22:34they can be mixed and matched to create their own individual pieces.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36Sophie Lilith from Glasgow
0:22:36 > 0:22:38and Sandra Pickthall from West Sussex
0:22:38 > 0:22:41are both fans of Trollbeads.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43This is my collection of Trollbeads.
0:22:43 > 0:22:48Treated myself to this box for Christmas cos I had so many.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52I've been collecting for about four years now, roughly,
0:22:52 > 0:22:56and as for how many, I've never actually counted them.
0:22:56 > 0:22:57Over 100, certainly.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00Amongst the most popular bead designs are the animals
0:23:00 > 0:23:05which come in pairs - head and tail - like this fish.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Sandra already has the cat set,
0:23:07 > 0:23:11but she recently bought another that she found online.
0:23:11 > 0:23:16However, when it arrived, something wasn't quite right.
0:23:16 > 0:23:21These are what came in the post, and it's completely wrong.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24I don't even know whether it's silver or not.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27Sandra has doubts about the cat beads, clearly,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30and they're leading her to question some of the other beads
0:23:30 > 0:23:33she's bought from the same online seller.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Unfortunately, I bought three other beads.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40I have no way of telling whether these are fake or genuine.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46Sophie has also become concerned about two of her Trollbeads
0:23:46 > 0:23:48which are shaped like trees.
0:23:48 > 0:23:53They've got seams in the silver where it's been cast,
0:23:53 > 0:23:55which Trollbeads don't have.
0:23:55 > 0:24:03And worst of all, the chain...does not even fit through this one.
0:24:03 > 0:24:09The first Trollbead was designed in 1976 by a Danish silversmith.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11It was decorated with troll faces,
0:24:11 > 0:24:16and as the collection grew, the name stuck.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18Today, there are hundreds of different designs
0:24:18 > 0:24:23costing from around 30 to over £1,000 each.
0:24:23 > 0:24:29But like any successful brand, they have a huge problem with fakes.
0:24:29 > 0:24:35Pam Aujla is the managing director of Trollbeads in the UK.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38The danger is that you get something that's substandard,
0:24:38 > 0:24:43it's not made to the same quality, it's not using genuine materials.
0:24:43 > 0:24:49It could be using base metals as opposed to sterling solid silver.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53It's not guaranteed, obviously, to last.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56The only way Sandra and Sophie can find out the truth
0:24:56 > 0:25:01about their Trollbeads is to have them verified by an expert,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04so today they've come to the Trollbeads store here in York
0:25:04 > 0:25:05to show them to Pam.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08- Hi.- Hi. Very nice to meet you. - Pleased to meet you.
0:25:08 > 0:25:13First, Pam examines Sandra's beads, starting with the cat.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16- This one definitely doesn't look right.- No.
0:25:16 > 0:25:17To be completely sure,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Pam compares the weight of Sandra's beads
0:25:20 > 0:25:21with one from the store.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23You can see that's 8.7.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26Cat from the store.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28So, that's 10.9.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31I'm really sorry to say that this is a fake.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Really?
0:25:34 > 0:25:37And Pam has her doubts about what the second bead is made of.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41If it's not silver, it could contain potentially harmful metals.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43If you don't get solid silver,
0:25:43 > 0:25:47that can also cause people issues with skin irritations.
0:25:48 > 0:25:53Pam has got bad news for Sandra about all her beads.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56All of these pieces are fake.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00I don't even know if they're worth anything as scrap metal.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03Sophie is hoping for better news with her beads.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07So, this is the one that you bought.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09This one is 6.6.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13The one from the store on, it's 9.7.
0:26:13 > 0:26:14- So, a huge difference.- Mm.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17I'm really sorry, Sophie, but these are both fakes.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22It's a frustrating result for all concerned.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25It's always really difficult
0:26:25 > 0:26:27when you have to break news like that to customers
0:26:27 > 0:26:31who love the brand and just want to get the genuine product.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35Sandra and Sophie's beads are definitely fake,
0:26:35 > 0:26:37but what are they actually made of?
0:26:39 > 0:26:40To find out, we took them to
0:26:40 > 0:26:42The Goldsmith's Company Assay Office,
0:26:42 > 0:26:46which has been hallmarking and testing precious metals
0:26:46 > 0:26:47for over 700 years.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53The tests will be carried out by head of training Dave Merry,
0:26:53 > 0:26:56and he's already spotted signs the beads may not be
0:26:56 > 0:26:58the sterling silver they claim to be.
0:27:00 > 0:27:01It's quite yellowy.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Sometimes they use quite hazardous materials,
0:27:04 > 0:27:09and in the past we have seen things like silver-plated lead products,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12and obviously lead is very poisonous.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16To find out if these beads do contain any harmful metals,
0:27:16 > 0:27:21Dave uses a special X-ray machine to analyse each one.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Each of these peaks represents a different metal.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28If these Trollbeads are genuine, they'll be made of sterling silver,
0:27:28 > 0:27:31but Dave's tests quickly show that they aren't.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33They're fakes.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36The yellowy ones are actually brass.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39They have just a little trace element of nickel in them as well.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43Not sterling silver in any shape or form. Completely fake.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48I'm cross with myself as much as anything. I'm angry.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51I honestly thought that what I bought was genuine.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55It's not a nice feeling thinking there are people out there
0:27:55 > 0:27:58exploiting other people's good nature.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.