0:00:03 > 0:00:06Welcome to a world where nothing is as it seems.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:09 > 0:00:10DOOR SPLINTERS
0:00:10 > 0:00:12POLICE SHOUT
0:00:15 > 0:00:17FIRE CRACKLES
0:00:19 > 0:00:20CRASHING
0:00:21 > 0:00:23Get down! Get down! Get him on the floor now!
0:00:23 > 0:00:25Put your hands behind your back now.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28Here at the Fake Britain house,
0:00:28 > 0:00:31we'll reveal the fakes that are flooding the market,
0:00:31 > 0:00:35conning people like you and me and making money for the criminals.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37We'll investigate the fraudsters who are selling us something
0:00:37 > 0:00:40that isn't real and could be dangerous.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43And we'll help you avoid falling for a fake.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46Today on Fake Britain...
0:00:47 > 0:00:51..Trading Standards investigate fake energy-saving schemes.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54They are targeting elderly and vulnerable people and taking
0:00:54 > 0:00:55large sums of money from them.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59The fake concert tickets that ruined one couple's wedding plans.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01It was just so soul-destroying.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05My plans to propose were collapsing around my ears.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08The fake remote controls that will really push your buttons.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13There's over ?30,000 of stock that we are going to seize.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17And a fake illuminated balloon that could be dangerous.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22Balloons with rapidly-flashing lights might trigger seizures.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Most of us want a home that is warm
0:01:29 > 0:01:32and uses as little energy as possible,
0:01:32 > 0:01:34not least because it saves us money,
0:01:34 > 0:01:38and we all know there are grants for all sorts of things these days.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41One for saving energy sounds pretty good, doesn't it?
0:01:41 > 0:01:43How about homes that are green?
0:01:43 > 0:01:44Attractive to a lot of people,
0:01:44 > 0:01:48but what if the grants and the greenery
0:01:48 > 0:01:50aren't what they appear to be?
0:01:50 > 0:01:52Fake Britain has been investigating.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56In the North of England, teams from Trading Standards
0:01:56 > 0:01:59and the police are on their way to an address.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03They suspect that a company is conning customers by making
0:02:03 > 0:02:07fake claims about access to government energy-saving grants.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09We're five minutes away.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Senior Trading Standards officer Sophie Davies
0:02:12 > 0:02:16has heard about people being duped by fake energy assessments.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21Typically, consumers get a cold call from an individual
0:02:21 > 0:02:23saying that they represent the government and they can come out
0:02:23 > 0:02:29and do free energy assessments, and that if the consumer requires work,
0:02:29 > 0:02:31they have access to government subsidies.
0:02:31 > 0:02:36They then send out a sales rep who doesn't really carry out an energy assessment.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39It's thought they tell the customer they need expensive building work
0:02:39 > 0:02:42to make their home more energy-efficient.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45The target is then pressurised into signing up to pay thousands
0:02:45 > 0:02:49of pounds for work that isn't needed and might not even be carried out.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53The reality is they are targeting elderly and vulnerable people,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56making false claims and taking large sums of money from them.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00The teams have separated and will raid four homes
0:03:00 > 0:03:04and two business addresses thought to relate to the company.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Sophie's team arrives at the first house.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12KNOCKS AT DOOR
0:03:12 > 0:03:14MORE ANIMATED KNOCKING
0:03:16 > 0:03:20There's no answer, but they're sure someone's at home.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Both windows are open.
0:03:23 > 0:03:24KNOCKING CONTINUES
0:03:24 > 0:03:26There's somebody coming.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29Finally, someone answers.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31Good morning, sir.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33Can I just pop in and have a quick word with you?
0:03:33 > 0:03:35The suspect is at home and is quickly arrested.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44He'll be taken to the police station for questioning.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Now he's been arrested, we are going to be carrying out
0:03:48 > 0:03:50a search of the premises, so we're looking for documentation.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53We're looking for any computer, peripheral equipment and anything
0:03:53 > 0:03:56that we think may have been used in the commission of this fraud.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59It doesn't take them long to find evidence,
0:03:59 > 0:04:03including brochures, invoices and a cheque for over ?1,000.
0:04:06 > 0:04:07But there's more.
0:04:09 > 0:04:10Officers were searching under the bed
0:04:10 > 0:04:13and found large amounts of money.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15Between ?10,000 and ?20,000.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21Outside, they find what could be evidence of the vast profits
0:04:21 > 0:04:23being made by this company -
0:04:23 > 0:04:24some very expensive cars.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28We've got the key date, it's quite an expensive model,
0:04:28 > 0:04:30and we've got another expensive car
0:04:30 > 0:04:33and if they're part of the actual investigation, then there's
0:04:33 > 0:04:35a possibility they'll be seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40The officers search the cars and discover more evidence
0:04:40 > 0:04:43thought to link the suspect to the fake energy grants company.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Along with the evidence from the house, it's bagged,
0:04:46 > 0:04:47tagged and taken away.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52This is the paperwork we've seized and the computer equipment.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54This is what we can take back to sift through and have
0:04:54 > 0:04:56forensically examined.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01With the search in the suspect's house completed,
0:05:01 > 0:05:03it's on to one of the company's offices.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07But when they get there, there's no-one in.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12So, they ask next door.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Right, we're going to force entry to the wooden door at the end,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18so do you know any way that we could enter that before we force entry?
0:05:18 > 0:05:21Thank you. Thanks very much.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23The neighbours show them a back entrance that will get them
0:05:23 > 0:05:24into the building.
0:05:24 > 0:05:25We're in. We're in.
0:05:27 > 0:05:28I look after these premises.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33One of the men they come across isn't happy about the visitors.
0:05:33 > 0:05:34You're acting like I'm BLEEP some kind of...
0:05:34 > 0:05:36He's also a bit camera-shy.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38Why are you BLEEP filming me?
0:05:38 > 0:05:41What's the BLEEP camera for? Turn that BLEEP off.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45Whoa, whoa, whoa. What the BLEEP is this all about?
0:05:45 > 0:05:47What's this all about? What are you doing?
0:05:47 > 0:05:49I didn't know what to do, so I rang my sister...
0:05:49 > 0:05:51While the man is dealt with,
0:05:51 > 0:05:53the rest of the team still need to get into the company's office.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57But the door's locked, so there's only one way in.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00We're going to have to force entry into there, aren't we?
0:06:02 > 0:06:05This door won't keep them out for long.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08LOUD THUDS
0:06:11 > 0:06:12ALARM SOUNDS
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Finally they're in, but not without setting off the burglar alarm.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19ALARM BLARES
0:06:19 > 0:06:21The place is deserted.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23As you can see, the occupants of this office have left in
0:06:23 > 0:06:25a little bit of a hurry.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29They've taken most of the computers, and on the desk here,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32you can see a script for cold-calling customers.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35ALARM BLARES
0:06:35 > 0:06:39This could be more evidence pointing to the huge sums of money
0:06:39 > 0:06:41the fakers are making and the lengths they go to
0:06:41 > 0:06:44to target vulnerable customers.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47These clearly relate to some kind of questions they've asked,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49which is the age of the person, whether they're retired,
0:06:49 > 0:06:51whether they have a pension.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53It looks like they're targeting a particular demographic.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55I mean, if somebody needs windows,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57why would these questions be relevant?
0:06:59 > 0:07:03All the evidence is bagged and taken away for further examination.
0:07:05 > 0:07:06It's been a good day's work.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10Six premises raided and four suspects arrested.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13By taking action against these kind of individuals,
0:07:13 > 0:07:16who operate companies making false claims,
0:07:16 > 0:07:18it sends out a message that we will go after them,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21they will be arrested and action will be taken
0:07:21 > 0:07:23and hopefully they'll get a custodial sentence.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Despite this operation,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29other energy-saving grant fakers are still out there.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Many claim to offer access to government grants for things
0:07:34 > 0:07:37like a new boiler or double glazing
0:07:37 > 0:07:40but these are fake versions of genuine schemes that offer
0:07:40 > 0:07:43financial help to make your home more energy-efficient.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48As Walter Dinn from North West Trading Standards has discovered,
0:07:48 > 0:07:52it's all too easy for fakers to pose as legitimate companies
0:07:52 > 0:07:54and con people out of thousands.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57It's often difficult for a consumer to tell the difference between
0:07:57 > 0:08:00a genuine government grant being available and a fake one.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04Because conmen generally are articulate, engaging and friendly,
0:08:04 > 0:08:05they can appear to be genuine
0:08:05 > 0:08:07when in fact they're there to steal your money.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09With the promise of a grant,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12customers are duped into thinking they'll get a big discount
0:08:12 > 0:08:14on building work that will make their homes more
0:08:14 > 0:08:16comfortable and cheaper to run.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20But the work is often unnecessary and overpriced,
0:08:20 > 0:08:23and in most cases is never even carried out.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Victims have lost thousands of pounds, sometimes their
0:08:25 > 0:08:30entire nest egg, their life savings, completely wiped out.
0:08:30 > 0:08:31Erm...
0:08:31 > 0:08:34It's not just the financial loss, it's the mental anguish
0:08:34 > 0:08:37and the fact that they've been deceived in their own home.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Walter has some tips on how to avoid being duped by an
0:08:40 > 0:08:42energy-saving grant faker.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46If somebody cold-calls you and purports to offer you
0:08:46 > 0:08:51a government grant, my advice, in the first instance, would be not
0:08:51 > 0:08:54to part company with any money on the day.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57If it sounds like something you might be interested in,
0:08:57 > 0:09:01any reputable company would be very happy to let you take your time,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03think about it and get back to them.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05But it's not just fake energy-saving grants
0:09:05 > 0:09:07that we need to watch out for.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09Coming up, we meet the man who bought
0:09:09 > 0:09:11a fake energy-efficient house.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15I have a house, but I have to accept,
0:09:15 > 0:09:17"You've bought a fake and you're stuck with it."
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Well, I've got my tickets for the big game -
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Liverpool at home to Tottenham.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Not cheap, but worth every penny if, like me, you're a fan.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33If I had bought these, though, I wouldn't get to see the game
0:09:33 > 0:09:35because they're fake.
0:09:35 > 0:09:36And as we've discovered,
0:09:36 > 0:09:40the fake ticket business is booming for all kinds of events.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43CHEERING
0:09:43 > 0:09:44When it comes to entertainment,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47we love to splash out on a good day or night out.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51Last year, we spent over ?1 billion going to concerts,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54and over ?2 billion on sports tickets.
0:09:54 > 0:09:55Woohoo!
0:09:55 > 0:09:58But fans willing to spend hundreds to see their favourite team
0:09:58 > 0:10:02or band are a lucrative target for ticket fakers.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Ken and Paula Sheridan are both huge fans of
0:10:06 > 0:10:07the British band Mumford and Sons.
0:10:09 > 0:10:14I decided it would be good to get some tickets to see them on tour
0:10:14 > 0:10:17so, without telling Paula anything about it at the time,
0:10:17 > 0:10:21I went ahead and tried to get hold of some tickets.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Now, all the shows were sold out.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28Luckily, Ken managed to find some tickets at around ?80 each
0:10:28 > 0:10:31on a fan-to-fan reselling site.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33He booked a hotel and planned a special evening
0:10:33 > 0:10:35as a treat for Paula.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38And Ken had another surprise up his sleeve.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42I got this great idea for combining
0:10:42 > 0:10:47this big event with, sort of, a long overdue marriage proposal,
0:10:47 > 0:10:49and I thought, "That's going to be the plan.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51"We'll go in, have a great concert
0:10:51 > 0:10:54"and at the right moment, I'll propose."
0:10:55 > 0:10:58On the day of the concert, Ken and Paula travelled from their
0:10:58 > 0:11:01home in Andover to Portsmouth for the gig.
0:11:03 > 0:11:08But when they arrived at the venue, things didn't go according to plan.
0:11:08 > 0:11:13When we presented our tickets to the security people on the door,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16we were told that they were fake and that we couldn't come in.
0:11:18 > 0:11:19It was a bombshell.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23It was an absolute shock to be hauled out as soon as I presented
0:11:23 > 0:11:28my ticket and told, "I'm sorry, these are fake tickets."
0:11:28 > 0:11:30You just couldn't believe that this was happening to us.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33You've heard about this before and now suddenly,
0:11:33 > 0:11:35here we are and it's happening to us.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Paula was upset, but, of course, she had no idea yet
0:11:38 > 0:11:40why Ken was so crushed.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44My plans to propose during the concert were suddenly
0:11:44 > 0:11:47collapsing around my ears, you know, in fairly quick order.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52The security guard told Ken and Paula they'd need to go round
0:11:52 > 0:11:54to the box office for advice.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57We went around to the front of the Guildhall to the office and,
0:11:57 > 0:12:01lo and behold, we were two people in about 200.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05There was quite a large fake thing going on here
0:12:05 > 0:12:08and everyone was distraught, lots of crying, lots of emotion,
0:12:08 > 0:12:13lots of shouting, lots of anger and disappointment.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Instead of enjoying an evening in front of their favourite band,
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Ken and Paula found themselves being told to go and report themselves
0:12:19 > 0:12:22as victims of crime to the police.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24It was just so soul-destroying.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27We had all these hopes and plans, and here we are walking back
0:12:27 > 0:12:31to our hotel, so, you know, it was just like a hole in your stomach.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Ken's elaborate preparations were now in tatters.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38Look at all the trouble we've gone through here,
0:12:38 > 0:12:41planning to stay overnight, planning to propose marriage,
0:12:41 > 0:12:44quite a distance to get down there, a lot of money being committed -
0:12:44 > 0:12:46all of this is going to waste.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51But it's not just music lovers that are being conned.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54The fakers are also targeting football fans,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57of which there are plenty in the city of Liverpool.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03So, when DC Rob Viney at Merseyside Police started
0:13:03 > 0:13:07getting complaints about fake Liverpool FC matchday tickets,
0:13:07 > 0:13:09he knew it could be the start of something big.
0:13:10 > 0:13:15We became aware of an issue whereby individuals were entering
0:13:15 > 0:13:18into transactions to purchase football tickets online.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21They were placing monies into a particular bank account,
0:13:21 > 0:13:24and the tickets would never arrive.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Football fans were paying up to ?250 a time
0:13:27 > 0:13:29for tickets that didn't exist.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34Police tried to track the fakers through their online accounts,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37but they were foiled by a network of fake IDs
0:13:37 > 0:13:39and usernames that led nowhere.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42Finally, though, they got a breakthrough.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47A chap from America had entered into a transaction to purchase tickets,
0:13:47 > 0:13:52but he had arranged to meet the suspects in Liverpool City Centre.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55He would hand over the cash and they would hand over the tickets.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00Of course, when he went to the ground, he found that he wasn't
0:14:00 > 0:14:03able to get in because the tickets were identified as being fake.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08The police realised this was the first time the fakers had
0:14:08 > 0:14:10slipped up by appearing in public.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12They now had a solid lead.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17This time, they'd met with a real person in the city centre
0:14:17 > 0:14:19and an actual exchange had taken place.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21Of course, that excites you,
0:14:21 > 0:14:24because you can look at when that transaction took place.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26If there's closed-circuit television in the area,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29that may give you the identity of an individual that's doing this.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36The police set about monitoring the fake ticket seller's online posts
0:14:36 > 0:14:39to identify which other matches he was selling fake tickets for.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45We were able to have officers waiting at Anfield.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48Anyone who couldn't get in, we could then identify.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Obviously then, from that, we could get descriptions.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54From witness descriptions and CCTV,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57officers were soon able to identify the ticket fakers
0:14:57 > 0:15:01as Craig O'Donoghue and Paul Murgatroyd, both from Anfield.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05They'd been conning football fans on their own doorstep.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07But the police still had to catch them in the act,
0:15:07 > 0:15:09selling fake tickets at another big game.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13What happened next was captured on CCTV.
0:15:13 > 0:15:18We have our victim here, who's waiting for the suspect to arrive.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23If I move it on, you'll now see the transaction take place.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25This is our suspect.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29He has the tickets and the victim will give him the money.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Police waited as O'Donoghue met up with yet another customer
0:15:34 > 0:15:36to hand over more fake tickets.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40This is another prearranged meet.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44The guy, again, they've exchanged.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46A little bit of conversation, bit of a thumbs-up,
0:15:46 > 0:15:48"you'll have a great day," and he's away.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51With their latest crime caught on camera,
0:15:51 > 0:15:54it was time to move in on O'Donoghue and Murgatroyd.
0:15:55 > 0:16:00We'd seen them go into a bookmakers in the city centre,
0:16:00 > 0:16:02and we had officers waiting.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06And as you can see now, the two are just about to be pounced upon,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09separated and searched.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12They both had fake tickets for the game the following day,
0:16:12 > 0:16:14and they also had cash on them as well.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18And when police searched the suspects' homes,
0:16:18 > 0:16:20they found dozens more fake tickets.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22It has the watermark,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25it has the Liver Bird, it has the typing on it.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28To all intents and purposes, it looks like a genuine ticket.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30The only way they're going to find out, of course, that it isn't,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33is when they try to go through the turnstile with it.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37The tickets looked almost as good as the real thing because the
0:16:37 > 0:16:40fakers had managed to get hold of real blank tickets from the
0:16:40 > 0:16:43previous season, which should have been destroyed.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46They then printed the details of upcoming games
0:16:46 > 0:16:48onto the blank tickets using home printers.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51What we have here is the three printers.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54These were taken from one of the addresses
0:16:54 > 0:16:56belonging to our defendants.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59And officers found more evidence of fakery when they went through
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Craig O'Donoghue's phone and e-mail records.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06Someone's made an enquiry about purchasing a ticket,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09and they've obviously expressed a little bit of concern about going
0:17:09 > 0:17:13ahead with the transaction, but our suspect has replied, "Yes, mate.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15"Can pay half now, half when you receive them,
0:17:15 > 0:17:17"as there is more trust on both sides.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19"I would not con you for half of the funds, mate,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22"as you have all my details and, to be honest, wouldn't be so low."
0:17:22 > 0:17:24But O'Donoghue was so low,
0:17:24 > 0:17:28because the contact details he'd provided to the customer were fake.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32The lies were earning O'Donoghue and his partner-in-crime a fortune.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36It was certainly over ?100,000 in total.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39Whilst I've been with the economic crime team, this is certainly
0:17:39 > 0:17:43one of the biggest of its nature that we've investigated.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47Craig O'Donoghue and Paul Murgatroyd were found guilty of fraud
0:17:47 > 0:17:49and given prison sentences of four
0:17:49 > 0:17:52and three and a half years respectively.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54Nine accomplices who helped them
0:17:54 > 0:17:57to sell fake tickets were also convicted.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00For DC Viney, the reward is getting justice for innocent people
0:18:00 > 0:18:04who spent huge amounts of money on their greatest passion -
0:18:04 > 0:18:05the team they love.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07It's not just about buying a ticket.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11People build their whole weekends around coming to this city
0:18:11 > 0:18:14and to watch a football club, so you're talking about flights,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16you're talking about hotels or trains or petrol.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20It's so much more than just the cost of a ticket.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26Ken and Paula, who are holidaying in Spain, did have a happy ending.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31The company they bought the tickets from gave them replacements
0:18:31 > 0:18:33for another Mumford and Sons gig
0:18:33 > 0:18:35and Ken finally got to propose.
0:18:36 > 0:18:41Gave it my best shot, and asked, "Paula, will you marry me?"
0:18:41 > 0:18:45She said yes and, you know, we hugged and kissed.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47But although things have turned out well
0:18:47 > 0:18:50for the new Mr and Mrs Sheridan,
0:18:50 > 0:18:52many other fans haven't been so lucky.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55A huge amount of people there on that evening were not able to
0:18:55 > 0:18:58get their money back and this is just wrong to do this.
0:18:58 > 0:19:04It's wrong to sell fake tickets and disappoint so many people.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13There are hundreds of thousands of these
0:19:13 > 0:19:15in homes up and down the country -
0:19:15 > 0:19:18the remote control for a Sky satellite box.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21They cost around ?20 and you can even get them in the colours
0:19:21 > 0:19:23of your favourite football team.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Use this one, though, and the big match could be elusive.
0:19:26 > 0:19:27It's a fake
0:19:27 > 0:19:30and fake Sky remotes are big business.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35It's the early hours of the morning.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39Trading Standards investigator Chris Jones is leading an operation
0:19:39 > 0:19:42to investigate a multi-million-pound business
0:19:42 > 0:19:43thought to be making huge profits
0:19:43 > 0:19:46from the sale of fake Sky remote controls.
0:19:46 > 0:19:51There are substandard fakes made in China that either don't work
0:19:51 > 0:19:55or they work only a short distance from the television
0:19:55 > 0:19:58and invariably pack up very early on.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01It's thought the sellers of the fakes have based their
0:20:01 > 0:20:03operation on a farm.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07Fingers crossed, when we get there, we're going to go straight into
0:20:07 > 0:20:11the unit and basically if they're not there, we'll force an entry.
0:20:11 > 0:20:16When the team arrives, Chris is straight in to identify himself.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19Are you employed here or is it your unit?
0:20:19 > 0:20:21We have a warrant to search the premises -
0:20:21 > 0:20:23we're from Trading Standards and the police, OK?
0:20:23 > 0:20:26Where's the owner? Is he about? Not yet, no.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29But then Chris spots one of the company bosses driving up.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31Here comes the boss now.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33He's done a runner. Let's go, boys. Let's go.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36It looks as though the boss has also spotted the officers.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39That's his car - that's your car.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41The suspect car came in, saw us,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44at speed, he turned off down the lane
0:20:44 > 0:20:46and has gone out of sight.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49So police are going in pursuit of the vehicle to try and stop him now.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51Whilst the police give chase,
0:20:51 > 0:20:53another suspect has arrived back at the address.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57We've got a search warrant for your premises -
0:20:57 > 0:20:59would you like to come and see what we're going to do?
0:20:59 > 0:21:02We are looking for Sky products on your premises.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06The police are here with us - we're going to search your premises now
0:21:06 > 0:21:10and any items that Sky say shouldn't be there,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13they're counterfeit or fake, we will seize those items.
0:21:13 > 0:21:14OK. OK.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17Chris heads inside to look for fakes.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20Meanwhile, the police have managed to catch up
0:21:20 > 0:21:21with the suspect's getaway car.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24The car's parked down there in a ditch
0:21:24 > 0:21:25and basically he's run off.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27We've got a description of him but he's gone off
0:21:27 > 0:21:29and he can go a number of ways.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34The suspect is nowhere in sight and officers are keen
0:21:34 > 0:21:36to have a look inside his car.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38He hasn't had much time to actually store anything
0:21:38 > 0:21:40but we need to make sure.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42We've seized plenty of cash
0:21:42 > 0:21:46and sat nav which might be related to the offences.
0:21:46 > 0:21:51We've done a search, section 1 of PACE, cos he's made off from us.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53Back inside the storage facility,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Chris has found the fake Sky remotes they're looking for...
0:21:56 > 0:21:58and there's a lot of them.
0:21:58 > 0:21:59It's much larger than we thought.
0:21:59 > 0:22:04In each bin, there's a different type of remote control.
0:22:04 > 0:22:09They're ready to go, they've even got the tracker on them.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11All those boxes are full of them.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14The boxes at the top are full of them,
0:22:14 > 0:22:16the boxes behind you and down.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19Under this one roof, there are hundreds of boxes
0:22:19 > 0:22:22containing thousands of fake Sky remote controls.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28We found a substantial amount of fake Sky remote controls.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31They look exactly like Sky,
0:22:31 > 0:22:36even down to the Sky logo on them and the Sky manual or leaflet
0:22:36 > 0:22:38on how to programme them in to your Sky box.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43It's a significant find today.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45They might not be much to look at,
0:22:45 > 0:22:50but these fake remote controls are making the suspects huge profits.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53It's got a massive turnover - over ?500,000.
0:22:53 > 0:22:58There's over ?30,000 worth of stock that we are going to seize.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01But it's not just fake remote controls that Trading Standards
0:23:01 > 0:23:03and the police have discovered.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06What they're concerned about - they think that the products in
0:23:06 > 0:23:10the boxes, the little things that go on the satellites - they're fake.
0:23:10 > 0:23:15This is an LNB - it's the receiving device on a satellite dish.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19You can't watch satellite TV without one of these.
0:23:19 > 0:23:24You open it up - that has the Sky and the barcode on it as well.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28The Sky investigators today say they have not seen this product,
0:23:28 > 0:23:31so it's a case of finding where it's come from.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35Is it something that's manufactured as a fake?
0:23:35 > 0:23:38It's a huge job for the team to seize all of the fake products
0:23:38 > 0:23:40they've found here today.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42I think we're going to be hours and hours.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45We've hardly made a dent in it, you know.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51It's just as well they've brought a big truck.
0:23:51 > 0:23:52That's the van - it's full.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55That's the van we had to hire and I bet we fill that...
0:23:55 > 0:23:57and another one.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02And there's more good news about the young suspect who ran away.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05The boy that ran away earlier has handed himself in
0:24:05 > 0:24:06and apologised to the police.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09He just panicked, he said, because he saw us standing there
0:24:09 > 0:24:12and suspected something was going on, so the police have
0:24:12 > 0:24:15taken his word and warned him of his future conduct.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23It's a good day's work for Trading Standards
0:24:23 > 0:24:28with a vast quantity of fake remote controls now off the market.
0:24:29 > 0:24:30We cleaned it out -
0:24:30 > 0:24:36a substantial amount of fake remote controls have been recovered,
0:24:36 > 0:24:41potentially fake receiver parts of the satellite television system,
0:24:41 > 0:24:44at least ?30,000 worth of stock has gone.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47They're making substantial money from this sort of trade.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49The consumer, I can guarantee,
0:24:49 > 0:24:53won't be buying fake products in the future from this particular source.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56No, these fake Sky remotes won't be pushing anyone's buttons,
0:24:56 > 0:24:59but there are others out there,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02and they can cause you more problems than you might think.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06James McAvoy from Milton Keynes
0:25:06 > 0:25:11specialises in satellite television installations and repairs.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13He comes across many remote controls that work,
0:25:13 > 0:25:15and quite a few that don't.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18I've been coming across Sky remote controls, fake ones anyway,
0:25:18 > 0:25:20for quite a long time now, a good few years.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24The first ones that were coming out, they were quite obvious to see,
0:25:24 > 0:25:29the buttons were not as fluid in their usability,
0:25:29 > 0:25:31and they were quite obvious when you spotted them,
0:25:31 > 0:25:32but now they are getting better.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36Modern fakes might look better on the outside,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39but they usually don't work as well as the real thing.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42And that can be very upsetting for the elderly customers
0:25:42 > 0:25:45that James carries out many installations for.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49Fake remote controls can have a big impact on people's lives,
0:25:49 > 0:25:51especially if TV is their social life.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54I've had customers crying because they've had a fake remote control
0:25:54 > 0:25:57and it hasn't done what they've wanted them to do.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00They're using it to control their telly and turn it off and on,
0:26:00 > 0:26:02to navigate through all their programmes,
0:26:02 > 0:26:06and if they can't actually do that then, all of a sudden, their whole
0:26:06 > 0:26:07window to the outside world,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10which is their TV, has become very closed.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13So it can be quite detrimental to people's wellbeing,
0:26:13 > 0:26:15even though it's only a remote control.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19And the fake remotes aren't just bad for vulnerable customers,
0:26:19 > 0:26:21they can be bad for business too.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26Some people may have bought a secondary remote control
0:26:26 > 0:26:28after having an installation done
0:26:28 > 0:26:30and they don't believe that the remote control's at fault.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33If you're blaming someone that's installed the equipment,
0:26:33 > 0:26:36it can have a massive impact on people's reputation.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39James was so concerned about the impact of fake remote controls
0:26:39 > 0:26:42on his elderly customers, and his own reputation,
0:26:42 > 0:26:46that he started a blog to help customers spot the difference.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52This is a genuine Sky remote control and it works fine.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54This one is a fake one
0:26:54 > 0:26:56and it doesn't work at all.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00Things to look for on a genuine Sky remote control is the writing
0:27:00 > 0:27:05underneath that clear infrared end of the Sky remote,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08and the two little dimples on here
0:27:08 > 0:27:10are quite large compared to the fake.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12And when you open it up, Sky have always got
0:27:12 > 0:27:16a little emblem with some writing inside to tell you what model it is,
0:27:16 > 0:27:20and a little sticker box for your TV code when you tune it in,
0:27:20 > 0:27:22and if you look really deep inside,
0:27:22 > 0:27:25you've got a little square cut-out here and inside, there's lots
0:27:25 > 0:27:27of little holes with a little bit of writing at the back.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31On the fake one, you don't have all those things.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34You don't have the writing underneath the infrared bit
0:27:34 > 0:27:37for a start, the two little grooves on the bottom are a lot smaller,
0:27:37 > 0:27:40and in the little square, there's no little dimples
0:27:40 > 0:27:42and there's no writing or anything like that.
0:27:42 > 0:27:43And then on the back,
0:27:43 > 0:27:45there's nothing to tell you what revision it is.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47It does have the codes, so this is a really good one,
0:27:47 > 0:27:50I'm quite impressed with this apart from it not working.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53But other than that, it is quite a good one.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56And then also the writing as well and the colours of the buttons...
0:27:56 > 0:28:00On the fake one, the yellow button is a completely different yellow,
0:28:00 > 0:28:02so that is always something to look out for.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04Another good thing to check is whether it's got the CE mark,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07the fake one hasn't got anything on it.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09So don't know if they're child-friendly, dog-friendly,
0:28:09 > 0:28:11if the buttons are going to come off -
0:28:11 > 0:28:14you really don't know what they're made out of at all.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18Modern remote controls are highly advanced and used for far more
0:28:18 > 0:28:20than just changing the channel,
0:28:20 > 0:28:24so James has some good old-fashioned advice.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27When you buy it cheap, you pay twice, unfortunately.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29You might have to fork out for another remote control,
0:28:29 > 0:28:33even for someone to come out and visit you to see what the fault is.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Earlier on Fake Britain, we saw how Trading Standards are cracking down
0:28:44 > 0:28:48on companies offering fake government grants to people
0:28:48 > 0:28:52who want to make their homes more energy-efficient.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55It looks like they're targeting a particular demographic -
0:28:55 > 0:28:58if somebody needs windows, why would the age of the person be relevant?
0:28:58 > 0:29:02But it's not just fake energy-saving grants that are the problem -
0:29:02 > 0:29:06fakers have found other ways to dupe people who are prepared to pay extra
0:29:06 > 0:29:10in order to be energy-efficient and friendlier to the environment.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14They're even selling entire energy-efficient homes that are fake.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19Richard Mulholland found that out the hard way
0:29:19 > 0:29:23when he decided to buy a new home on the south coast of England.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27I wanted a new-build house to take advantage of the new
0:29:27 > 0:29:33building regulations that had been brought in in the last ten years
0:29:33 > 0:29:36that covered things like energy efficiency -
0:29:36 > 0:29:37that was important to me.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41Richard had his heart set on a new housing development
0:29:41 > 0:29:43on the Isle of Portland in Dorset.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46The houses were advertised as meeting
0:29:46 > 0:29:49an energy performance standard known as Passivhaus.
0:29:49 > 0:29:54The hoarding outside the development said, "Passivhaus standards".
0:29:54 > 0:29:59I rang the agents who sent me a copy of the sales brochure
0:29:59 > 0:30:03for the development and yet again, it reiterated the phrase,
0:30:03 > 0:30:05"Built to Passivhaus standards",
0:30:05 > 0:30:09so it seemed like you were actually buying something that had
0:30:09 > 0:30:12been built to the standards that I was looking for
0:30:12 > 0:30:15in terms of energy efficiency and greenness.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19The Passivhaus energy performance standard was developed in Germany -
0:30:19 > 0:30:21a building that meets the standard
0:30:21 > 0:30:25is very efficient at heating and cooling the air inside -
0:30:25 > 0:30:27this means lower heating bills for the owner.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30The houses are tested for their energy efficiency
0:30:30 > 0:30:33after they're built, and if they meet Passivhaus standards,
0:30:33 > 0:30:35they get a certificate.
0:30:35 > 0:30:40In the UK, the system is guided by the non-profit Passivhaus Trust,
0:30:40 > 0:30:42and John Bootland is the Chief Executive.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45The main principles of a Passivhaus
0:30:45 > 0:30:48are this super-insulation layer all the way round.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51We also have triple-glazed windows,
0:30:51 > 0:30:53we have a mechanical ventilation system
0:30:53 > 0:30:56which provides fresh air into the house
0:30:56 > 0:31:00and then recovers the heat from the air going back out.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02We try and make the best use of the sun as it comes in
0:31:02 > 0:31:05during the winter, and then in the summer, we have shading
0:31:05 > 0:31:08to make sure that the buildings don't overheat.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12Of course, all this hi-tech energy efficiency comes at a price.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16A Passivhaus may cost you a little bit more in its initial costs,
0:31:16 > 0:31:18so maybe 5 or 10%,
0:31:18 > 0:31:21but you should recoup those costs over time, because the
0:31:21 > 0:31:25running costs should be so much lower than your standard home.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28So when Richard met the developers, Lomand Homes,
0:31:28 > 0:31:32and heard all about the benefits of owning an energy-efficient home,
0:31:32 > 0:31:37he was happy to commit to buying the house off-plan before it was built,
0:31:37 > 0:31:39knowing his new-build would save him money
0:31:39 > 0:31:42and be better for the environment.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46I went away reassured at that point in time
0:31:46 > 0:31:49that it was a quality product.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53I visited the site several times but the house that I was buying
0:31:53 > 0:31:59was not actually finished until two days before I actually moved in.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01At least he thought it was finished.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04An important piece of documentation and one of the main reasons
0:32:04 > 0:32:06for buying the house was still missing.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12Much more importantly, there was no Passivhaus test certificate,
0:32:12 > 0:32:16which, of course, you would expect to be forthcoming in the bits
0:32:16 > 0:32:20and pieces that the developer gives you when you move into a house.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23Richard repeatedly contacted Lomand Homes to ask them about the
0:32:23 > 0:32:27certificate proving the house had met its energy efficiency standards.
0:32:27 > 0:32:32Every time I contacted the developer, it was always,
0:32:32 > 0:32:35"We'll get round to it, we'll be doing it soon but we'll be
0:32:35 > 0:32:37"getting back to you before next week, we promise."
0:32:37 > 0:32:40And, of course, they never did.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43Richard began to worry that his new house might not be
0:32:43 > 0:32:46a certified Passivhaus house at all.
0:32:46 > 0:32:51I actually engaged a surveyor at my own expense after I'd bought
0:32:51 > 0:32:56the house to survey the entire thing and he was quite adamant
0:32:56 > 0:33:01that the house hadn't been built to Passivhaus standards.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06Now concerned that the claims of energy efficiency could be fake,
0:33:06 > 0:33:09Richard contacted Dorset Trading Standards
0:33:09 > 0:33:13where officer Richard Herringshaw started to investigate.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16The first thing he needed to find out was whether this was
0:33:16 > 0:33:20a case of deliberate fakery or whether the company just didn't know
0:33:20 > 0:33:23that its houses weren't meeting the energy efficiency standard.
0:33:23 > 0:33:29We found that although the company had started at the very beginning
0:33:29 > 0:33:33of the development to try to meet the Passivhaus standard,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36at some stage through that, it became obvious that the houses
0:33:36 > 0:33:38weren't going to meet that standard.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44The tests that had been done on the houses while they were being built
0:33:44 > 0:33:48showed that they didn't meet the required levels of insulation
0:33:48 > 0:33:52and ventilation to meet the strict energy efficiency standard,
0:33:52 > 0:33:54and the developers had been told about that.
0:33:54 > 0:34:02But the company continued to market the development as being certified
0:34:02 > 0:34:06Passivhaus, and indeed they used a brochure which I have here.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09One of the pages, you can see, it says, "Pennsylvania Heights
0:34:09 > 0:34:13"is a pioneering energy-efficient development that has been built
0:34:13 > 0:34:15"to certified Passivhaus standards."
0:34:16 > 0:34:20By now, it was clear that the energy efficiency claims
0:34:20 > 0:34:23that had persuaded Richard to buy his house were fake,
0:34:23 > 0:34:27and fixing the problem would be very expensive.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31To make them meet the Passivhaus standard would cost someone
0:34:31 > 0:34:34in the region of ?26,000,
0:34:34 > 0:34:38because they would have to have major building work carried out
0:34:38 > 0:34:42inside the property and then it all made good again.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44So that's a significant loss.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48John Bootland from the Passivhaus Trust is concerned
0:34:48 > 0:34:52that fakers are taking advantage of the brand's reputation.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55If people have bought what they thought was a Passivhaus
0:34:55 > 0:34:57and that's fake, then that's just terrible.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00You're expecting to get a high-quality home, you're expecting
0:35:00 > 0:35:03to have a very high-quality internal environment
0:35:03 > 0:35:05and very low running bills,
0:35:05 > 0:35:10and if you're not getting that then it's incredibly frustrating.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14Lomand Homes pleaded guilty to unfair trading offences
0:35:14 > 0:35:18and were ordered to pay over ?15,000 in fines and costs.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22But Richard, who bought a fake energy-efficient house,
0:35:22 > 0:35:25remains devastated at paying over the odds for a property
0:35:25 > 0:35:28that hasn't got all of the features that it should have.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32The end result of this, for me, is that I now have
0:35:32 > 0:35:37a house that I have to accept is not going to be Passivhaus-certified.
0:35:37 > 0:35:42It seems very strange to me that you've bought a fake
0:35:42 > 0:35:43and you're stuck with it.
0:35:49 > 0:35:50Check this out.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54It's an iLLoom, or illuminated balloon and if you've got kids
0:35:54 > 0:35:58then you may well have come across these at events and parties.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01It's one of the latest success stories from British inventors.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04This, on the other hand, is not an iLLoom.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07It looks the same but it's a fake and you certainly don't want
0:36:07 > 0:36:10to take this one to the party.
0:36:10 > 0:36:15We love balloons - they're fun, they're great for celebrations
0:36:15 > 0:36:18and they bring out the kid in all of us.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22So how about a balloon fitted with a light-emitting diode or LED light
0:36:22 > 0:36:25which then makes the balloon light up?
0:36:25 > 0:36:27That's exactly what inventor James Halliburton
0:36:27 > 0:36:30of Seatriever came up with.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33I was in my garden shed and effectively had lots
0:36:33 > 0:36:37of different trials of balloons and I just happened to have lots
0:36:37 > 0:36:41of spare LEDs and lots of different colours, so I used those.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44My next-door neighbours were a couple of kids that I knew,
0:36:44 > 0:36:48five and six, who came round and loved the light-up balloons
0:36:48 > 0:36:52so I thought there was a great idea for a product in there.
0:36:52 > 0:36:57From humble beginnings in a garden shed, iLLooms have taken off.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00Now we're for sale all across the world,
0:37:00 > 0:37:02we're in the world's largest retailers...
0:37:02 > 0:37:05We've sold roughly 250 million balloons to date.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08But when a small company comes up with a big idea,
0:37:08 > 0:37:10the fakers aren't far behind.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14They started flooding the market with fake iLLooms that breached
0:37:14 > 0:37:18the 300 international patents that protect the original.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23Recently, a warehouse in South Korea was raided and over 60,000
0:37:23 > 0:37:27fake iLLooms worth hundreds of thousands of pounds were seized.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31When we first found counterfeiters,
0:37:31 > 0:37:34it was shock-horror that someone could do this.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38Everybody knows that products get counterfeited but when it actually
0:37:38 > 0:37:41gets done to your own products, it's a very different matter.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44It's a personal hit at you.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47It's not just the copyright infringement and loss of business
0:37:47 > 0:37:49that worry James and his team -
0:37:49 > 0:37:53tests have revealed that fake iLLooms can be dangerous.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55An iLLoom is not just a balloon,
0:37:55 > 0:37:59it contains small electrical parts, so it's crucial that they meet
0:37:59 > 0:38:02strict safety standards since they're aimed at children.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04The team has to make sure the genuine product
0:38:04 > 0:38:06passes all the required tests.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08We've spent an awful lot of money,
0:38:08 > 0:38:10we've spent in R making sure we got the products right,
0:38:10 > 0:38:12because at the end of the day,
0:38:12 > 0:38:16kids are going to be playing with these things so it has to be right.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22Their number-one priority was to make sure the part that lights up,
0:38:22 > 0:38:26the LED unit, is firmly attached so it won't fall off and become
0:38:26 > 0:38:29a choking hazard when you blow up the balloon.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33Our light unit here, as you can see, extremely securely attached -
0:38:33 > 0:38:36I can do that as much as I want and that won't come off.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40The iLLoom is also fitted with a patented parachute device
0:38:40 > 0:38:42that not only makes it impossible to swallow,
0:38:42 > 0:38:47but also prevents injury if the balloon pops and parts fly off.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50This is all part of safety precautions and as you can see from
0:38:50 > 0:38:53an engineering side of things, this is quite a complex bit of kit.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00The team test-purchased a selection of fakes from different sellers
0:39:00 > 0:39:03and quickly found they had none of the safety features found
0:39:03 > 0:39:06in the genuine product.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09This is only held on with a little bit of string
0:39:09 > 0:39:12so I'm guessing that if I pull that, it will all fall to pieces.
0:39:12 > 0:39:17On this fake, the LED unit is not securely attached to the balloon.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20So I've just taken the string off and now if I...
0:39:20 > 0:39:21Exactly that.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23That is a full light unit -
0:39:23 > 0:39:25that could easily fall in your mouth.
0:39:25 > 0:39:29The loose LED unit and other small parts in the fakes could be
0:39:29 > 0:39:32a choking hazard for a child trying to blow up the balloon.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34One, you could swallow that.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37Two, you've got batteries that are easily accessible,
0:39:37 > 0:39:40so you don't want those anywhere near your mouth.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43You've got an LED here that is exposed.
0:39:43 > 0:39:47If I give it a small twist, you can see that just comes out -
0:39:47 > 0:39:50a very, very sharp bit of metal.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55But fake iLLooms can be dangerous in other ways,
0:39:55 > 0:39:59and that's to do with the way the LED lights inside flash.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02Lights that flash or flicker at a certain frequency
0:40:02 > 0:40:05can trigger seizures in some epilepsy sufferers,
0:40:05 > 0:40:08so the flashing of genuine iLLooms is carefully controlled.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12As you can see, this is one of our lights flashing and this is
0:40:12 > 0:40:16flashing at roughly 1.5 flashes per second.
0:40:16 > 0:40:21The law states there should be no more than three flashes per second,
0:40:21 > 0:40:23so at just one and a half flashes a second,
0:40:23 > 0:40:26these genuine iLLooms are well within the safe zone.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29The same can't be said of all fake iLLooms -
0:40:29 > 0:40:30if they flash too fast,
0:40:30 > 0:40:34they could trigger seizures in some epilepsy sufferers.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38Professor Hannah Cock is a consultant neurologist
0:40:38 > 0:40:40who specialises in epilepsy.
0:40:40 > 0:40:46Seizure is due to an abnormal burst of synchronised brain cells
0:40:46 > 0:40:48all firing together.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52There are a number of things that can make that more likely to happen.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54One of those is photosensitivity,
0:40:54 > 0:40:57so if you're looking at a flashing or triggering light,
0:40:57 > 0:41:02it's recurrently stimulating a group of cells which can then
0:41:02 > 0:41:05trigger off the seizure in a susceptible brain.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09The risk of seizure rises when the light is flashing
0:41:09 > 0:41:11or changing colour quickly.
0:41:11 > 0:41:17Any device that has a flickering or flashing pattern of lights
0:41:17 > 0:41:21at the sort of rate, three per second, 30 per second, would be
0:41:21 > 0:41:26at risk of triggering seizures in a susceptible individual, particularly
0:41:26 > 0:41:29if they weren't perhaps aware that they were photosensitive,
0:41:29 > 0:41:33and that would apply in particular to the younger age groups.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37So there's a risk to young children playing with fake iLLooms,
0:41:37 > 0:41:39especially if they are epileptic.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42The concern with a device like a balloon would be
0:41:42 > 0:41:44that's very much aimed at a younger age group,
0:41:44 > 0:41:48so I think there would be a concern about balloons
0:41:48 > 0:41:51with rapidly-flashing lights, that that might trigger seizures.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55We wanted to put the fake iLLooms to the test to see just
0:41:55 > 0:41:57how dangerous they might be.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59Because of the risk of flashing lights like these,
0:41:59 > 0:42:03we've treated the pictures to make them safe to view for any member
0:42:03 > 0:42:06of our audience with photosensitive epilepsy.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09Look at the rapid colour transition on that.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12When compared with the safe flashing of the genuine iLLoom,
0:42:12 > 0:42:15the dangers of the fake are clear.
0:42:15 > 0:42:16Their flashing...
0:42:16 > 0:42:18Our flashing.
0:42:18 > 0:42:19Their flashing...
0:42:19 > 0:42:22Our flashing.
0:42:22 > 0:42:23You cannot use these.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26The fake balloon is flashing at eight times a second -
0:42:26 > 0:42:30that's almost three times the safe limit.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33The flashing speed of that...
0:42:33 > 0:42:34Well, it hurts your eyes
0:42:34 > 0:42:36just looking at it.
0:42:37 > 0:42:38These are all dangerous
0:42:38 > 0:42:40and should not be out on sale.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44A product that James designed for children's fun
0:42:44 > 0:42:49has been stolen by the fakers and turned into something dangerous.
0:42:49 > 0:42:53You've got an enormous number of dangers with fake
0:42:53 > 0:42:57and counterfeit products and it's just not worth the risk.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.
0:43:36 > 0:43:38The case against you is too strong.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41It's not a question of whether you'll be found guilty, but when.
0:43:42 > 0:43:44I am a gentleman.
0:43:44 > 0:43:45I am a gentleman's wife.
0:43:45 > 0:43:46Soon to be a gentleman's widow.
0:43:46 > 0:43:48In truth, I would do the same again.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51Guilty...or not guilty.