0:00:02 > 0:00:05Welcome to a world where nothing is as it seems.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22- Get him!- Get him. - Get on the floor now!
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Put your hands behind your back now!
0:00:24 > 0:00:27Here at the Fake Britain house,
0:00:27 > 0:00:29we'll review the fakes that are flooding the market,
0:00:29 > 0:00:33conning people like you and me and making money for the criminals.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36We'll investigate the fraudsters who are selling us 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.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45Today on Fake Britain...
0:00:45 > 0:00:49The teeth whitening fakers that ruined this woman's teeth.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52I started noticing something chipping away.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56- And it was part of my tooth. - Open the door, please.
0:00:56 > 0:01:01Head-phonies - the fake headphones that could give you an earful.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04This serrated metal piece fell off.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06That piece would have gone in my ear.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11The fake halogen heaters that are too hot to handle.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15I panicked. There was a flame coming off of it. It had caught fire.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18And the fake beauty gadgets that are shockingly bad.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20We're talking loss of life here.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Creating a whiter than white celebrity smile
0:01:28 > 0:01:30has become an industry worth millions.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34Many of us are prepared to spend a lot of money on a sparkly smile,
0:01:34 > 0:01:37and teeth whitening treatments can cost hundreds of pounds.
0:01:37 > 0:01:42But fakers selling illegal products, or posing as licensed technicians,
0:01:42 > 0:01:45are only too happy to relieve people of that money.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50Check out these dazzling Hollywood grins.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55With more and more celebrities showing their sparkling rows of pearly whites,
0:01:55 > 0:02:00it's no surprise that demand for teeth whitening products and services is shooting up.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06We now spend more than £100 million a year
0:02:06 > 0:02:08on whitening toothpastes alone.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Three in ten of us don't like the look of our teeth.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18Like Ruth Clements from Dorset, who thought hers were a bit too yellow.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21I do drink a lot of black coffee and the occasional glass of red wine.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23It does stain your teeth.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27So, yeah, I wanted a nice smile.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31One day, Ruth was at an agricultural fair, the Royal Welsh Show,
0:02:31 > 0:02:35when she spotted a stall selling home teeth whitening kits.
0:02:35 > 0:02:40There were huge placards that were advertising the product,
0:02:40 > 0:02:43very attractive women with very white teeth.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45And there was a lot of people around the stand.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48And I think that's what drew me.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51The advertising for the teeth whitening product made specific,
0:02:51 > 0:02:55reassuring claims that it was recommended by leading dentists,
0:02:55 > 0:02:59whitening teeth in just one day, was suitable for people of all ages,
0:02:59 > 0:03:01and was safe to use.
0:03:01 > 0:03:06So Ruth bought the kit for £30 and took it home to give it a try.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10I was to apply the solution onto a guard
0:03:10 > 0:03:12and place that over my teeth,
0:03:12 > 0:03:16and go to sleep with this product on.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19And the plan was, in the morning, - hey presto, you've got white teeth.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22So that's what Ruth did.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25But she wasn't prepared for what happened next.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29My gums started to burn after a very short time.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32And a tingling sensation. Most uncomfortable.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34And it very soon became painful.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36My gums were actually on fire.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Ruth immediately removed the mouthguard
0:03:40 > 0:03:42and rinsed her mouth with cold water.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45But the next morning, she was still in pain.
0:03:45 > 0:03:51I had ulcers on my top set of gums and my lips were very sore.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55And these ulcers lasted for five to six days.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58The salesman had told Ruth there was a money back guarantee,
0:03:58 > 0:04:00so she packaged up the product
0:04:00 > 0:04:04and sent it back to the company for a refund.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06But that didn't go as planned.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08I got the package back unopened.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11The Post Office wrote across it, "gone away".
0:04:11 > 0:04:13The company had vanished.
0:04:13 > 0:04:14And Ruth was starting to realise
0:04:14 > 0:04:18that these safety claims made on the teeth whitening kit were fake.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23And she wasn't the only one.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26Clive Jones from Powys Trading Standards
0:04:26 > 0:04:28also had his eye on the company.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32We were suspicious about who was trading at these stalls.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36We were concerned about the products that they were selling
0:04:36 > 0:04:38and the claims that they were making.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Officers bought some of the products and sent them off for testing.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46They were shocked at the results.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51High levels of hydrogen peroxide, 11%,
0:04:51 > 0:04:55which is 110 times the actual legal limit.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59The safety claims on these teeth whitening kits were fake.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02They weren't safe to use, due to high levels of hydrogen peroxide,
0:05:02 > 0:05:06which is the bleaching agent used for whitening teeth.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10In the UK, products sold on the high street can legally only contain
0:05:10 > 0:05:12a tiny amount of the active ingredient -
0:05:12 > 0:05:14just 0.1%.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18That's the amount found in whitening toothpastes.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22Anything stronger than that, up to the legal limit of 6%,
0:05:22 > 0:05:24must be administered by a qualified dentist,
0:05:24 > 0:05:29a dental hygienist or therapist working to a dentist's prescription.
0:05:29 > 0:05:34We spoke to Dr Uchenna Okoye from the British Dental Association.
0:05:34 > 0:05:39Even as a dentist, I can only use up to 6% hydrogen peroxide.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42So it's actually quite alarming to find
0:05:42 > 0:05:44that people can get hold of higher percentages.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48Teeth whitening is a serious procedure.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50I would consider it a medical procedure,
0:05:50 > 0:05:55because the product actually gets into the pores of your teeth.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57So if it's done incorrectly,
0:05:57 > 0:06:01it can cause irreparable damage and there's no going back.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05But if you buy a fake teeth whitening kit,
0:06:05 > 0:06:08there's no knowing what it might contain
0:06:08 > 0:06:11or what damage you might do to your health.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13When you buy the fake products,
0:06:13 > 0:06:17there have been examples where the chemicals are so strong that
0:06:17 > 0:06:20they are actually the same chemicals used to clean swimming pools.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24Some of them have a chemical in them called sodium perborate,
0:06:24 > 0:06:26which is actually carcinogenic.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Others have got so much acid in them
0:06:29 > 0:06:31that they dissolve the enamel of your teeth.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36Tests on the product seized at the show reveal they contain
0:06:36 > 0:06:40between 6% and 11% hydrogen peroxide.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44That's well over the safe legal limit and potentially dangerous.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48Trading Standards needed to prevent any more customers from being hurt,
0:06:48 > 0:06:50so they immediately raided the store.
0:06:51 > 0:06:56What we've got here is items seized from the Royal Welsh Show.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02All unsafe teeth whitening products were removed,
0:07:02 > 0:07:06and one potential defendant was arrested.
0:07:07 > 0:07:12In total, the team confiscated over 250 bottles of dangerous and fake
0:07:12 > 0:07:14teeth whitening product.
0:07:14 > 0:07:21We've also got banners, again, evidence of the claims.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24"Ideal for age groups 16 or over,
0:07:24 > 0:07:26"used by leading dentists throughout Europe."
0:07:28 > 0:07:30All these claims were fake.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32The teeth whitening products were not used by dentists,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35and were not suitable for anyone.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39If this product was actually purchased by a consumer,
0:07:39 > 0:07:40it could cause real damage.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Trading Standards needed to find out more about the company.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48They quickly discovered that the case wasn't just a local one.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51Customers right across the UK had been affected.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56One of them was Kathleen Haig from Manchester,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59who bought a home teeth whitening kit in her local shopping centre.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04That evening, I put it on me teeth,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07and within seconds, my mouth were burning.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13It were horrific pain. Nothing could shift it.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16I kept putting my mouth under the tap
0:08:16 > 0:08:21and it worked for a few minutes and then it'd start again.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Kathleen rinsed her mouth throughout the night, trying to stop the pain.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29But in the morning, her lips were so swollen that she had no choice
0:08:29 > 0:08:32but to go and get checked out by her dentist.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36He just took one look at it and said, "You need to go to A&E."
0:08:36 > 0:08:39In A&E, they gave Kathleen something for the pain,
0:08:39 > 0:08:41but there was nothing they could do
0:08:41 > 0:08:45about the serious injuries caused to her mouth.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49Couldn't eat or drink for a fortnight without a straw.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53Altogether, the discomfort lasted about three month.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58In fact, it's still not healed. I still can't have hot drinks.
0:08:58 > 0:09:03With people like Kathleen suffering long lasting damage from fake teeth whitening kits,
0:09:03 > 0:09:08Powys Trading Standards knew it was vital to stop the company in its tracks.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11It soon became the team's largest ever investigation.
0:09:11 > 0:09:16We've pulled together ten local authorities
0:09:16 > 0:09:21and the investigation soon became a nationwide investigation,
0:09:21 > 0:09:24covering criminality valued at over £3 million.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29The team soon realised that the fakers were hiding
0:09:29 > 0:09:31behind a vast network of fake companies
0:09:31 > 0:09:34that made them hard to trace.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37The companies consistently dissolved.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40Kind of, one company, set up another, dissolved,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43and then carried on that practice
0:09:43 > 0:09:46over what we think is something like ten years.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49But they couldn't hide forever.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53Investigators eventually traced all the fake companies back
0:09:53 > 0:09:56to just three members of the same family from Manchester.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00They were arrested and subsequently charged with fraud.
0:10:02 > 0:10:07Two pleaded guilty to serious fraud offences with fakery.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11A third member of the family has actually pleaded guilty
0:10:11 > 0:10:14to serious trading standards offences.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18The operation has been a huge success for Trading Standards.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23But other fake teeth whitening companies could still be out there.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26And for customers like Kathleen, who is now scarred for life,
0:10:26 > 0:10:28that's a serious concern.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32I'd like to say to all teeth whitening fakers,
0:10:32 > 0:10:36you are ruining people's lives. My life has been ruined.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40I'll never be able to eat hot food again.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43It's terrible. It's terrible what you do.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48Coming up, it's not just teeth whitening kits that are being faked.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51What about the experts who do it for you?
0:10:51 > 0:10:54We meet someone who is injured by a fake dentist.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58She is illegally whitening teeth. She's fake.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08They've become one of the must-have accessories.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12High quality in-ear headphones. And they don't come cheap.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14These would cost around £80 if they were real.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18But of course, we are at the Fake Britain house, so they're not.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21But buying a fake pair could cost you more than just cash.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29Whether it's for our smartphones, MP3 players,
0:11:29 > 0:11:34watching films on our laptops or TVs, headphones are big business.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39The global headphone market is now worth an estimated £6 billion.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43But sellers of fake headphones are also cashing in.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47And Fake Britain has been given access
0:11:47 > 0:11:49to a raid on a suspected faker.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54It's early morning, and Trading Standards officer John Ashby
0:11:54 > 0:11:57and his team are on their way to an address somewhere in London.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01Just on our way to execute a warrant linked to the online sale
0:12:01 > 0:12:05of high-end, counterfeit audio headphones.
0:12:05 > 0:12:10The headphones range from anywhere from £80 up to £500-600 each.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15Trading Standards already know of several consumers
0:12:15 > 0:12:18who have been duped by convincing fake versions
0:12:18 > 0:12:20of three of the biggest brands -
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Bose, Sennheiser and Beats.
0:12:23 > 0:12:29We had a consumer who had been and bought a pair of Bose headphones,
0:12:29 > 0:12:31they were somewhere in the region of £200,
0:12:31 > 0:12:35when they arrived he was bitterly disappointed to discover
0:12:35 > 0:12:37that they were counterfeit.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39They've left feeling pretty ripped off, pretty fed up
0:12:39 > 0:12:42and attempting to try and get their money back.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44Supported by police officers, OK? 253.
0:12:44 > 0:12:49The officers arrive at the suspected faker's address.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51And it's time to wake him up. KNOCK ON DOOR
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Can you open the door, please?
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Hello. My name is John Ashby.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00We've got an entry warrant, and that's in relation to the sale of goods.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Myself and a few officers are going to come in and we are going to search the house.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06Folks, do you want to go into the living room?
0:13:06 > 0:13:09In terms of goods and stuff, are they here?
0:13:10 > 0:13:12There are already signs of the evidence they are looking for
0:13:12 > 0:13:16inside the house, but they'll need to search the property thoroughly.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19Let's find something that's counterfeit.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23He's indicated that there is some watches in the safe, password protected, but there's no cash.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Try and find some Sennheisers.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29So far, so good. Our main suspect is here.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34He very briefly indicated that there are some goods within his home.
0:13:34 > 0:13:3799% of everything that has been bought so far has been counterfeit.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40I'm very confident that we're going to find some counterfeit goods.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43Once we've confirmed that, we'll start seizing stuff.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Officers search the boot of the suspect's car.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51John's leading the search inside the house.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54And it's not long before the team finds what it's looking for.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57We found Sennheiser and Beats headphones -
0:13:57 > 0:14:01exactly the ones that are being sold through the website.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04The brand experts have now come in
0:14:04 > 0:14:06and confirmed that they're fake items.
0:14:06 > 0:14:11The Sennheiser and Beats headphones have been confirmed as fakes.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15But the team have also found the Bose headphones that triggered the investigation.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18These headphones are the same ones that have been purchased
0:14:18 > 0:14:20by our two consumer complainants...
0:14:21 > 0:14:23..and were discovered to be counterfeit.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26They're also the same ones that we ourselves test purchased.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29It's good to find these in the house,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32along with the suspect, so great evidence.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37Once I've had it confirmed that all of these Bose headphones
0:14:37 > 0:14:39are counterfeit, they'll go in evidence bags,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42along with all the other branded bits we've got up there.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46- PHONE RINGS - So this will be Paris now from Bose.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48Pascal.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51We've executed the warrant. I just want to confirm that some of
0:14:51 > 0:14:54the Bose merchandise we've got are counterfeit.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57I'll tell you what I'll do, I'll take some photographs
0:14:57 > 0:14:59and I'll send them to you.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Whilst John waits for confirmation
0:15:02 > 0:15:05from the Bose brand holder in France,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08officers have discovered something else interesting inside the house.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Within the property, there's boxes of stuff,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16packaging, parcelling tape, postal stickers.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20There's also a very smartly set up, in one corner of the room
0:15:20 > 0:15:22quite a professional looking photo booth,
0:15:22 > 0:15:24so it's got lots of professional lighting,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27and then there's probably about a 2ft cubed white box
0:15:27 > 0:15:34that he takes images of the goods in when advertising them.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40A few minutes later, it's Paris calling.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43'Within five minutes of me sending a photograph of'
0:15:43 > 0:15:45various bits of the headphones,
0:15:45 > 0:15:48they were able to report back quite categorically that these
0:15:48 > 0:15:51particular ones are counterfeit.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54At first, the fakes look like the real thing.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58It's a fairly good copy of the original packaging,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01including all the mechanics inside.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Warranties and instructions and the like.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06And it's all there just to dupe the poor unsuspecting
0:16:06 > 0:16:09member of the public into buying this high-end expensive item.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Now, it's time to start bringing out the substantial seizure
0:16:16 > 0:16:19of fake Bose, Sennheiser and Beats headphones.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24These headphones are typical of the ones we've seized today.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26They're certainly counterfeit.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29You could see with a close inspection that they're not really
0:16:29 > 0:16:32quite as good as the real, legitimate thing.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35And just when you hold them in your hands, they feel fairly substantial,
0:16:35 > 0:16:37but unfortunately, when you plug them in...
0:16:39 > 0:16:41..they don't sound very good.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44They're no better than you'd pay a couple of pound for.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46The sound quality's terrible.
0:16:46 > 0:16:51John and his team have learned a little about how the suspected faker's business model works.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55We found in the property that he's got the headphones alone and in
0:16:55 > 0:16:59the cupboard we've got just the box with the sleeve that it goes in as well.
0:16:59 > 0:17:04So he's definitely been boxing and packaging them up at home,
0:17:04 > 0:17:06so quite a cottage industry.
0:17:06 > 0:17:11Today, Trading Standards have seized a van load of fake headphones,
0:17:11 > 0:17:13but there are more out there.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19Michael from north-east London is a fan of Beats headphones.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21I really like my gadgets.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23I like Beats headphones.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26I remember when I got my first pair when I was at university.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29I was sold by all of the advertising. It was great.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33And I bought that lovely box and I opened it up and you get
0:17:33 > 0:17:35the lovely feel of the headphones.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38And that stayed with me for a really long time.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41They're good quality. I've had many over the years.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45Michael had his heart set on some in-ear headphones
0:17:45 > 0:17:48which usually retail for around £80.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51So, he was excited when he saw a pair advertised for less online.
0:17:53 > 0:17:59So, I went online. They were selling headphones for £30, I think it was,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01and I thought I'd buy them.
0:18:01 > 0:18:06A great price like that for a great product, I thought, why not?
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Michael went ahead and ordered the headphones via the website.
0:18:11 > 0:18:17I saw this deal and thought I'd have that feeling of opening that box to have these headphones.
0:18:17 > 0:18:23I ran to the letterbox every day, just to see if they'd arrived.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28After two weeks of waiting, I saw a small envelope.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32And I just assumed, that can't be it because it's not big enough,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35not what I was expecting, because Beats headphones like this come in a box.
0:18:37 > 0:18:42There is no box. I looked inside and what I'd got
0:18:42 > 0:18:47was a little bag with some headphones in.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49And a pouch.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52It didn't look right.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55Technology addict Michael also noted something else
0:18:55 > 0:18:58that was strange about the headphones.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Immediately, after taking them out of the bag,
0:19:01 > 0:19:03I could see the font was wrong on this little pouch,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05the headphones are the wrong colour,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08they don't feel the same as the other pair I had.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Michael suspected that he'd bought fake headphones.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13But it was only when he tried to put them in his ears
0:19:13 > 0:19:15that his suspicions were confirmed.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19The metal grille on the top of the headphone fell off.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23I was completely shocked.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Obviously, that's not meant to happen at all.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27That piece would have gone in my ear.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31Anyone could have this problem and lodged into anyone's ear.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35This is absolutely disgusting, to be honest.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Fake Britain showed Michael's headphones
0:19:37 > 0:19:40to an experienced industry investigator,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42familiar with Beats products.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44They confirmed them as fake.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47We wanted to find out more about the dangers of fake headphones,
0:19:47 > 0:19:49like the ones that Michael bought.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54So, we went to see ear, nose and throat consultant Gerald Brookes.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56A big part of his job is helping patients
0:19:56 > 0:20:00who've managed to get something stuck in their ear.
0:20:00 > 0:20:05There's a whole range of items that can get into the ear,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08which are not supposed to be there.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12We might see young children who get little beads stuck in the ear.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Occasionally it's possible, if the skin is abraded or a foreign body
0:20:15 > 0:20:18material is introduced, it can become infected.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22Sometimes small objects or particles that drop into the ear
0:20:22 > 0:20:25don't come out again very easily
0:20:25 > 0:20:27and they have to be retrieved professionally.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32We showed Gerald the fake headphones that Michael bought.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34He had some real concerns.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38These particular headphones have a small mesh that seems to fix into
0:20:38 > 0:20:41the end, or certainly it's in the end of one of them
0:20:41 > 0:20:43and one of them is missing here.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45Potentially, if this was loose,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48that could cause a problem because they could put it in the ear,
0:20:48 > 0:20:52it can fall off, roll down the ear canal and get stuck in there.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56If they then attempted to get the thing out themselves,
0:20:56 > 0:20:59they might actually cause some damage.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02I think you'd have to go to an ENT specialist,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04who would retrieve it for them.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08It's not just poor build quality that could pose a threat
0:21:08 > 0:21:10to the unwitting wearers of fake headphones.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14There could be some concerns that some of these fake phones
0:21:14 > 0:21:18may generate excessive sound levels, which could damage the ear.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22Loud noise has a cumulative adverse effect on the ear,
0:21:22 > 0:21:27in other words, the damage builds up and will cause hearing loss.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34For Michael, it's a lesson learned.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36He won't be making the same mistake again.
0:21:38 > 0:21:39In future, I'll go somewhere
0:21:39 > 0:21:41that I know I can get a genuine product from,
0:21:41 > 0:21:43from the high street, where I can see the product,
0:21:43 > 0:21:46or online with official merchandisers.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51There's people out there that want to dupe consumers.
0:21:59 > 0:22:00Earlier on Fake Britain,
0:22:00 > 0:22:04we saw how consumers were injured by fake home teeth whitening products
0:22:04 > 0:22:09containing levels of bleaching agent over 100 times the legal safe amount.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14My gums started to burn after a very short time.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16My gums were actually on fire.
0:22:16 > 0:22:21But it's not just home teeth whitening kits that are being faked.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24What if you wanted to pay someone to whiten your teeth for you?
0:22:24 > 0:22:26Really, really white.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30Teeth whitening isn't just a cosmetic procedure, it's dentistry,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33and should only be carried out by regulated dental professionals
0:22:33 > 0:22:37who have registered with the GDC, the General Dental Council.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41But how do you know if they are?
0:22:41 > 0:22:44Natasha Crane from Norwich had decided to get her teeth whitened
0:22:44 > 0:22:47by someone she thought was a professional.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50I've always wanted a nice, white smile.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52It's always been a big thing for me.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56I had braces and ever since I've had my braces removed,
0:22:56 > 0:22:59I've thought my teeth were quite yellow.
0:22:59 > 0:23:04Natasha had been told that teeth whitening could cost over £500.
0:23:04 > 0:23:10So when she saw someone advertising fast laser teeth whitening online for less, she was interested.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Her advert looked really good.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17I went on to her Facebook page that she was using for her business...
0:23:18 > 0:23:20..which had loads of great reviews,
0:23:20 > 0:23:23loads of pictures of people's really,
0:23:23 > 0:23:25really white teeth that she'd done.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29So I messaged her and she said, "For £30,
0:23:29 > 0:23:33"at a reduced rate from £99, I can book you in next week."
0:23:34 > 0:23:38The following week, Natasha went to the woman's house, as arranged.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40I had a few doubts.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Everything was set up,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45but because there was a few certificates on her wall,
0:23:45 > 0:23:48and another lady had her teeth whitened, that kind of reassured me a bit.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51When it was Natasha's turn,
0:23:51 > 0:23:56the woman painted bleach on her teeth and then left her under a laser for 45 minutes.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59After a second application, it was time to see the results.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04And it was then when she removed the retainer from my mouth,
0:24:04 > 0:24:07I felt like my mouth was, like, punched about 100 times.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13It was indescribable. I could hardly open my jaw.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15And she said, "Yeah, that's normal."
0:24:16 > 0:24:18And I said, "Oh, OK."
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Still in pain, Natasha went home.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24But the next day, things got even worse.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28After about 24 hours, I...
0:24:29 > 0:24:31..started noticing something chipping away.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35I had a look and it was part of my tooth.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38One of Natasha's teeth had started to crumble away in her mouth.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42Really devastating. I went there to get my teeth whitened
0:24:42 > 0:24:46and I've come out and I've lost about 60% of that tooth.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49I was crying loads. I thought to myself -
0:24:49 > 0:24:51why did I go and get my teeth whitened?
0:24:51 > 0:24:54I should have just left them,
0:24:54 > 0:24:56saved up the money to go to a dentist.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59As well as having a ruined tooth,
0:24:59 > 0:25:03Natasha now suffers from painfully sensitive teeth.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Enjoying cold foods and drinks is a thing of the past.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12Gives me a lot of pain round there.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17Desperate for help, Natasha contacted UK dentist regulator,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20the General Dental Council.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22They gave her some disturbing news.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27They then said, "She's not registered on our register.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29"She's fake.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32"She's illegally whitening teeth...
0:25:33 > 0:25:35"..and she's advertising...
0:25:36 > 0:25:41"..as a teeth whitening dentist, but she's not."
0:25:42 > 0:25:46Natasha had had her teeth whitening bodged by somebody posing as
0:25:46 > 0:25:49a regulated dental professional.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52She thought she was getting power or laser bleaching,
0:25:52 > 0:25:54which should take place in the dentist's chair,
0:25:54 > 0:25:58using a laser to speed up the process.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Dr Okoye told us more about the strict laws
0:26:00 > 0:26:05governing the powerful and potentially harmful chemicals involved in these treatments.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09By law, the only people that can actually carry out teeth whitening
0:26:09 > 0:26:12are dental professionals, so for example, as a dentist,
0:26:12 > 0:26:17this involves five years of training and that means that I can actually
0:26:17 > 0:26:21assess your mouth properly and be able to carry out the treatment
0:26:21 > 0:26:23effectively and safely.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26Anyone offering teeth whitening without a licence
0:26:26 > 0:26:29is a fake teeth whitening practitioner
0:26:29 > 0:26:31and could cause serious harm to patients.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36It is really dangerous for somebody who's not qualified
0:26:36 > 0:26:38to be carrying out teeth whitening.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42They could cause permanent damage to teeth and gums.
0:26:42 > 0:26:47Dr Wyman Chan is one of the world's leading tooth whitening experts
0:26:47 > 0:26:49and dentist to the stars.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53This is what we call Hollywood.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56They like your teeth to look like that, Hollywood white.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59We should be able to achieve that.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03He's concerned about the problem of fakers in the teeth whitening industry.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08Fake dentists, big, massive problem,
0:27:08 > 0:27:12and we dentists are not happy about it.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15There's so many of them. If you just type "teeth whitening" on the internet,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18there are thousands and thousands of them.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Teeth whitening carried out by a qualified dentist
0:27:22 > 0:27:27can cost from £200 up to £800 for a full course of treatment,
0:27:27 > 0:27:32but Dr Chan is regularly asked for help by people who've been duped.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Many haven't just lost their money,
0:27:34 > 0:27:37they've also lost their dental health.
0:27:37 > 0:27:42I've seen lots of these patients who have been to see these fake dentists
0:27:42 > 0:27:46who charged them, like, £50, £70, for treatment.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50And usually, they complain about sensitivity.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53It's like a really bad toothache, it's so painful.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Some fake teeth whitening practitioners
0:27:55 > 0:27:58don't just operate illegally without a licence.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01To trick patients into trusting them,
0:28:01 > 0:28:04they're actually posing as legitimate dentists,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07registered with the General Dental Council.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11A lot of these fake dentists, they are using fake number
0:28:11 > 0:28:15and they pass themselves out as registered dentists.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19In a recent case, a fake dentist made nearly £1,000 a day
0:28:19 > 0:28:22from his illegal teeth whitening business,
0:28:22 > 0:28:26run from premises on London's bustling Oxford Street.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28He even used a fake GDC number
0:28:28 > 0:28:30to make himself look like a real dentist.
0:28:30 > 0:28:35Fadi Hatab's operation was shut down and he was fined £10,000.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41A fake GDC number wouldn't show up on the GDC's register of dentists,
0:28:41 > 0:28:43but a real number will.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47My advice is, number one,
0:28:47 > 0:28:51make sure that they're registered with the General Dental Council.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54That's quite easy to do from the website.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56And also, I'd say it's about trust.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58Go with your gut. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01And if you don't trust them, go somewhere else.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06Dr Chan is concerned that unqualified,
0:29:06 > 0:29:08unregistered practitioners are still out there,
0:29:08 > 0:29:10putting patients' health at risk.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15I feel angry about this.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18These fake dentists, they can be anyone.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22I heard some story in the daytime they are bricklayers,
0:29:22 > 0:29:25in the evening, they take their bags and go to someone's house
0:29:25 > 0:29:27and become a tooth whitener.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30For Natasha, only time will tell
0:29:30 > 0:29:32whether she'll be able to move past her experience
0:29:32 > 0:29:34with the teeth whitening faker.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37I feel really stupid for not doing my research.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40I'm left with sensitivity...
0:29:41 > 0:29:43..for life, probably.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46And I think I'm going to lose most of my tooth.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53This is a halogen heater.
0:29:53 > 0:29:57Many people buy them because they give out heat very quickly
0:29:57 > 0:30:00and are usually quite compact.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02Like any electrical appliance, you'd expect it to be safe,
0:30:02 > 0:30:05but we've discovered fake halogen heaters
0:30:05 > 0:30:07out there, in people's homes,
0:30:07 > 0:30:11that are anything but safe and they're not even halogen.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16Linda McFarland from Northamptonshire
0:30:16 > 0:30:18is an award winning dog shower.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20During a recent chilly spell,
0:30:20 > 0:30:23she decided her home was too cold for her prize pets,
0:30:23 > 0:30:28so she needed an extra heater to give them more warmth.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30We've only got one small heater in the property
0:30:30 > 0:30:33and it costs quite a lot of money to run it,
0:30:33 > 0:30:36so I thought I'd go to an alternative version,
0:30:36 > 0:30:39which were the halogen heaters that I've had in the past,
0:30:39 > 0:30:41that were cheaper to run.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45Linda went to her local store and bought two small halogen heaters.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48When she got them home,
0:30:48 > 0:30:50she plugged in one in her living room
0:30:50 > 0:30:52and started warming the room up.
0:30:52 > 0:30:56Everything was fine until a few days later when Linda was settled down
0:30:56 > 0:30:59in front of the TV with the heater on beside her.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02I saw a little flicker coming from the top of it...
0:31:03 > 0:31:07..and there was a flame coming off of it and it had caught fire.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12With the heater on fire, Linda had to act fast.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14I panicked and I got up,
0:31:14 > 0:31:18immediately unplugged it and I was able to get it out quick,
0:31:18 > 0:31:21but it could have caused a problem.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23Linda returned the heater to the store,
0:31:23 > 0:31:26where it was exchanged for a new one.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29She then took the replacement heater home and put it in her living room,
0:31:29 > 0:31:33alongside the second of the pair she'd originally bought.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36That night, as it was particularly cold,
0:31:36 > 0:31:39she sat down to watch TV with both heaters on.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43The next thing I know, there was smoke coming from one of them.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46I panicked, pulled the plugs out again.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48And with that, I noticed both the heaters,
0:31:48 > 0:31:50one was melting from the top...
0:31:51 > 0:31:56..and the other had black marks all down the vents on the back of it.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00With not one but three heaters having dangerously malfunctioned,
0:32:00 > 0:32:04Linda felt she'd had a lucky escape.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07It just scared me, the fact if I'd fallen asleep in front of the TV,
0:32:07 > 0:32:09it would have gone up in flames.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15Linda decided to report her experience to Northamptonshire Trading Standards
0:32:15 > 0:32:18before anyone else could get hurt.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21Officer Ian Smith immediately picked up the case.
0:32:22 > 0:32:27Knowing that there might be an item out on sale that could pose
0:32:27 > 0:32:31a potential risk is something that would be a grave concern to us.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35So clearly, we went straight out and purchased some samples ourselves
0:32:35 > 0:32:37so that we could examine it more closely.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41OK, this is the item in question,
0:32:41 > 0:32:43which is the Kingfisher halogen heater.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46If you look down here, it gives you the CE mark,
0:32:46 > 0:32:51which tells you it should be meeting the essential safety requirements.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55Trading Standards wanted to find out more about the Kingfisher branded
0:32:55 > 0:33:00heaters, not to be confused with the home improvement retailer Kingfisher,
0:33:00 > 0:33:04to find out if it had really passed the safety tests or whether
0:33:04 > 0:33:06the CE mark was in fact fake.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10Trading Standards examined the test certificates for the heater,
0:33:10 > 0:33:14but on closer inspection, something wasn't quite right.
0:33:14 > 0:33:20The paperwork did contain test certificates to show that they were safe,
0:33:20 > 0:33:24but when we looked more closely at them they seemed to have differences
0:33:24 > 0:33:30between the item that we had to those illustrated in the test certificates.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33The paperwork was in fact nothing to do with the heaters
0:33:33 > 0:33:35that Trading Standards were testing.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38There was no valid paperwork in sight.
0:33:39 > 0:33:44The test certificates that we were shown related to a different item, essentially.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48Something that was similar, but not the same as.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51There was only one way to find out if the heaters were safe.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55Trading Standards would need to send them to be tested.
0:33:55 > 0:33:59And the test report uncovered something completely unexpected.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02These weren't halogen heaters at all.
0:34:02 > 0:34:07The elements included in the heater were ordinary coils.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10The bulbs in them, in fact, they weren't bulbs at all.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12In a genuine halogen heater,
0:34:12 > 0:34:16the heat is created by the tungsten filament, which is sealed into
0:34:16 > 0:34:20an airtight bulb and surrounded by halogen gas.
0:34:20 > 0:34:24But the bulbs on the fake heater contained no halogen at all.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27The heater was completely fake.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30This is one of these so-called halogen bulbs
0:34:30 > 0:34:35and you can see that it is simply, as the test house has reported,
0:34:35 > 0:34:39a tube with a heating element fed through.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42Anyone paying for halogen was unwittingly buying
0:34:42 > 0:34:46a cheaper and less efficient heating element and it soon became clear,
0:34:46 > 0:34:49these fake heaters would not pass any safety tests.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53The fact that it did indicate that it was electrically unsafe posed
0:34:53 > 0:34:57a serious risk that somebody could be electrocuted when using it.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00And obviously, risk of electrocution
0:35:00 > 0:35:05or indeed catching fire and potentially burning somebody's house down,
0:35:05 > 0:35:08you know, the results could be fatal.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11With the heaters confirmed as double fakes,
0:35:11 > 0:35:16with fake halogen and CE claims, and also confirmed as dangerous,
0:35:16 > 0:35:19Trading Standards immediately issued a product recall.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21The importer, Bonnington Plastics,
0:35:21 > 0:35:27was prosecuted and ordered to pay fines and costs of almost £7,000.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29Linda, who bought three fake heaters,
0:35:29 > 0:35:32is relieved that she spotted the problem in time
0:35:32 > 0:35:34before serious harm was done.
0:35:34 > 0:35:40If it caught fire while I was out, it would have cost me my property, my dogs, everything.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42Everything would have been gone.
0:35:47 > 0:35:52The makers of this gadget say it will gently exfoliate and cleanse your face,
0:35:52 > 0:35:56leaving you with a brighter, smoother and healthier complexion.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58Here's another one. Looks identical, doesn't it?
0:35:58 > 0:36:03But you might not want to put this one anywhere near your face, because it's a fake.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05Could you tell the difference?
0:36:05 > 0:36:08Well, as we're about to discover, you would if you used this one.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11The fakers are cashing in on the booming beauty business.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15Yes, the beauty industry is booming,
0:36:15 > 0:36:21with each adult on average spending upwards of £150 each month on beauty products and clothes.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24And there are now a range of electronic devices on the market
0:36:24 > 0:36:28claiming to cleanse our faces more effectively.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30One of them is the Clarisonic Mia 2,
0:36:30 > 0:36:35which uses patented sonic technology to vibrate hundreds of times
0:36:35 > 0:36:37a second when you're cleaning your face.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41Adriana Venti wanted to buy one.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44They sell for around £125 on the high street.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47She wanted to see if she could get a better deal online.
0:36:48 > 0:36:54I found the seller that was selling the brush for about £60
0:36:54 > 0:36:58and he had great reviews. I think he had over 3,000 sales.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04He wrote that he his product is 100% genuine and I thought,
0:37:04 > 0:37:06"Yeah, I got a great deal."
0:37:06 > 0:37:09Adriana went ahead and ordered the new beauty gadget,
0:37:09 > 0:37:12but when it arrived, it didn't look right.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18The Clarisonic box was looking a little bit worse for wear.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22It was a little bit grubby. The charger was a little bit yellowy,
0:37:22 > 0:37:24so I thought, "That's a little bit weird."
0:37:25 > 0:37:30Suspicious of her new purchase, Adriana started to dig a little deeper.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34I started looking at the genuine Clarisonic brushes
0:37:34 > 0:37:37and I've noticed that there are two pieces of the charger
0:37:37 > 0:37:40and it was always connected in the box. Mine was disconnected.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43I started also looking for other clues,
0:37:43 > 0:37:48like for example, the writing is not aligned, it's not symmetric.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51Adriana realised she must have bought a fake sonic brush.
0:37:53 > 0:37:57It had all the logos, it had all the accessories.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00I was shocked how well it was done.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03Adriana has issues with sensitive skin,
0:38:03 > 0:38:07so there was no way she was going to put this fake anywhere near her face.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12I didn't know if the fake brush is going to be as gentle on the face
0:38:12 > 0:38:15as the genuine brush, so it could have given me a rash,
0:38:15 > 0:38:17it could have irritated my skin.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22She was also concerned about the electrics in her fake product.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26The charger was the weakest part of the whole set.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28It looked the most fake.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32And when I charged it, it could have caught on fire, you never know.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36We wanted to find out more about fake sonic brushes, so we went
0:38:36 > 0:38:39to see Lawrence Newman, CEO of CurrentBody,
0:38:39 > 0:38:42a UK authorised retailer of Clarisonic.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45Within the last 18 months,
0:38:45 > 0:38:48there has been more fakes been seen on the market and we've had more
0:38:48 > 0:38:50reports from consumers,
0:38:50 > 0:38:55mainly from people experiencing their devices failing within a very short period of time.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00The genuine product is handmade in America and sold through approved retailers.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04The same can't be said of the fakes.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06Typically, the fakes that we see
0:39:06 > 0:39:08are Chinese copies, which will fall apart
0:39:08 > 0:39:13very quickly, so if you do see one for 50, £60,
0:39:13 > 0:39:15the chances are that is a fake Clarisonic.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18They can't be made for that sort of price.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21The company regularly takes fakes off the market
0:39:21 > 0:39:26and Lawrence has seen so many, he knows exactly how to spot one.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28So here I have a genuine Clarisonic Mia 2.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31This is a fake. As you can see, first of all,
0:39:31 > 0:39:36the box is different and there is a series of spelling mistakes within the packaging.
0:39:36 > 0:39:42Here, the fakers have had trouble spelling the words "collagen" and "specifically".
0:39:42 > 0:39:46And the differences aren't just limited to the packaging.
0:39:46 > 0:39:52The spacing between the Mia and the 2 is much further apart on the fake device than the real one.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55Secondly, just by feeling them, you can tell the difference
0:39:55 > 0:39:57in quality and build by the weight of the device.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59The real device is far heavier.
0:39:59 > 0:40:04When we switch the device on, the fake device has a very,
0:40:04 > 0:40:10very low dull tone and the real device has a high-pitched tone.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12When it comes to the fakes, beauty is only skin deep,
0:40:12 > 0:40:16as Lawrence finds when he removes the brush head.
0:40:16 > 0:40:20You will see it exposes metal pins inside the device.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24One of the biggest issues with fake devices is that very quickly,
0:40:24 > 0:40:29the seals break on the device and the metal pins rust and the device fails.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33Fake Britain was concerned about the safety of these fake devices.
0:40:33 > 0:40:37So we showed one very similar to the one Adriana bought to Martin Allen,
0:40:37 > 0:40:39from Electrical Safety First.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43He began by examining the charger and the adapter.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47Something that's bundled with the fakes, but not the genuine item.
0:40:47 > 0:40:52We have the charging unit that has already got an American-style connection unit.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55The counterfeiter has thrown in an adapter.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59But the adapter is... I can tell immediately, it's really poor quality.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01It's certainly undersized.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04And it's the smaller size that makes it potentially dangerous.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08Connecting that into the unit leaves loads of exposed metalwork
0:41:08 > 0:41:11that you could touch quite easily and get a shock.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13We're talking loss of life here.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16Both the fake and the real plug might look good from the outside,
0:41:16 > 0:41:19but there's a clue in the weight.
0:41:19 > 0:41:24I can feel that the genuine unit is much heavier than the fake one.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29Both plugs are sealed and so there's only one way to see what's inside.
0:41:29 > 0:41:33- First, Mark takes a look at the fake plug.- Not looking great at all.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36When you look inside, there's very few components.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40The size of the cables, very, very small indeed.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43I've got concerns about the transformer.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46You know, this is plugged into the mains, so if the transformer breaks down,
0:41:46 > 0:41:49you could get a serious risk of electric shock.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51And even, there's what look like blobs of glue
0:41:51 > 0:41:54just holding the circuit board in place.
0:41:54 > 0:41:59Nothing inside the fake plug is anywhere near the quality it should be.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03Well, what would you expect from a fake, really?
0:42:03 > 0:42:08A quick look inside the real plug shows how these devices should look when they're made safely.
0:42:08 > 0:42:12I can immediately see that it's a much better construction.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14The genuine one, much more components.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16From the outside, they look similar, but internally,
0:42:16 > 0:42:19which is the important part, they are very, very different.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22The fake - shoddy, the genuine - much better quality.
0:42:23 > 0:42:28Overall, Mark is left aghast at the risks posed by the fake.
0:42:28 > 0:42:33I can't stress enough, it's really important that people don't buy fake units because of
0:42:33 > 0:42:36the safety that it presents to themselves, their family and their loved ones.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39Having wasted her money on a fake,
0:42:39 > 0:42:45Adriana finally got her hands on the genuine item, but she still feels like she had a lucky escape.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48I was shocked.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51This is a tool that people quite often with sensitive skin
0:42:51 > 0:42:55use on their face and it can really end badly.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58The brush could have been potentially dangerous.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.