0:00:02 > 0:00:04We asked you to tell us what's left you feeling ripped off
0:00:04 > 0:00:07and you've contacted us in your thousands.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10You've told us about the companies that you think get it wrong
0:00:10 > 0:00:14and the customer service that simply is not up to scratch.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17People should expect more when they pay for something these days.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Everything you buy, I just think we are getting ripped off.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23You've asked us to track down the scammers who stole your money
0:00:23 > 0:00:27and investigate the extra charges you say are unfair.
0:00:27 > 0:00:32You have to rely on them giving you a fair price for something, you can't always rely on that.
0:00:32 > 0:00:33You don't want more hassle.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36You want them to honour their agreement with you.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39And when you have lost out but no-one else is to blame,
0:00:39 > 0:00:42you've come to us to stop others falling into the same trap.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45That is disgusting!
0:00:45 > 0:00:48So whether it's a blatant rip-off or a genuine mistake...
0:00:48 > 0:00:53..we're here to find out why you are out of pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58Your stories, your money, this is Rip-Off Britain.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Hello, and welcome to Rip-Off Britain - the programme
0:01:03 > 0:01:06that's here to arm you with all the information
0:01:06 > 0:01:08you need to keep your hard-earned money SAFE.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11So that when you spend it, it's going exactly where you think it is,
0:01:11 > 0:01:14rather than straight into the pockets of a person or
0:01:14 > 0:01:16company that ISN'T what they seem.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19But I'm afraid we'll be hearing plenty of examples of how
0:01:19 > 0:01:23your money has gone astray, just simply disappeared -
0:01:23 > 0:01:26because today we're looking into some of the latest scams
0:01:26 > 0:01:28you've been telling us about.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30And they're scams that are all very, very different
0:01:30 > 0:01:33but with one thing in common - whoever was behind them had gone
0:01:33 > 0:01:38to great lengths to come up with all too plausible scenarios that may
0:01:38 > 0:01:42have sounded convincing, but in fact, were an absolute tissue of lies.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45And, sadly, that's only come to light too late.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Because the scammers really do make sure that the stuff they
0:01:48 > 0:01:52come out with - either in person, or online - seems to be genuine.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55Which is why the people who've ended up losing money didn't always
0:01:55 > 0:01:57question what they were being told.
0:01:57 > 0:02:02But the situations that they've found themselves in could very easily happen to you.
0:02:02 > 0:02:08So, do listen out for everything that you're going to need to know about how to avoid being taken in!
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Coming up - stolen identities and broken hearts.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17We track down the men conning women like this out of a fortune.
0:02:17 > 0:02:22You are part of a scam and you are now trying to extort another £550 from her.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25What do you say to that, US Army man in Malaysia?
0:02:26 > 0:02:29And one of the most brazen scams you'll ever hear -
0:02:29 > 0:02:33the delivery men who look the part, but steal your stuff.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37In the line of work that we're in, it might be naivety
0:02:37 > 0:02:40but you just don't expect something like this to happen.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48If I was to tell you that there's an elaborate scam in operation
0:02:48 > 0:02:54that has so far has taken in an estimated quarter of a million victims
0:02:54 > 0:02:57who've sometimes lost thousands of pounds.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59They're all ages, they're male, they're female,
0:02:59 > 0:03:03they're from all walks of life, and all parts of the UK.
0:03:03 > 0:03:08Now you'd probably think I was talking about bank fraud or ID theft.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Well, I'm afraid you'd be wrong.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19Online dating is booming.
0:03:19 > 0:03:25In fact, it's estimated that one in five relationships worldwide now start online.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29But how can you be sure the person you're getting to know is telling the truth?
0:03:31 > 0:03:35Now, you might be able to forgive the odd little fib here and there,
0:03:35 > 0:03:39but when the new love in your life is lying about their name,
0:03:39 > 0:03:44where they live - indeed, lying about their entire identity -
0:03:44 > 0:03:49instead of falling head over heels in love, you could actually be falling
0:03:49 > 0:03:54headlong into a very sophisticated and expensive scam.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58'Ann is worried that she might be doing just that.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00'Like a fifth of all online daters,
0:04:00 > 0:04:04'her new love interest asked to borrow money.'
0:04:04 > 0:04:08Ann met "Scott" in December 2013 on an online dating site.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12He told her he was an American serviceman on a top-secret mission in Korea.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15All we did was just talk, generally talk.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18- That appealed to you, did it? - It did. It did.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22It just appealed to me that...just to have a general chat to somebody.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24Basically, I have no confidence in myself so it was
0:04:24 > 0:04:27so nice to let somebody see my personality
0:04:27 > 0:04:31and to find that their personality seemed compatible.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35Over the next few weeks the relationship blossomed.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Have you actually spoken to him or is this all on e-mail?
0:04:39 > 0:04:42No, all on e-mail. It's all through Facebook and e-mails.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46And then my daughter said to me, "They're all scammers, Mum."
0:04:46 > 0:04:48"They're all... They're not who they are."
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Worried that her daughter might be right,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Ann asked Scott for proof that he was genuine.
0:04:56 > 0:04:57She told him to send her a photo of him
0:04:57 > 0:05:00holding a piece of paper with her name written on it.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03The following day, sure enough, Ann received an e-mail showing
0:05:03 > 0:05:05Scott doing just that.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10I did look on the US sites for fraud
0:05:10 > 0:05:15- and a lot of the reports on there it said to ask for similar sort of proof.- Yes.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19But in 99% of cases they don't come up with the proof.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23- But he came up with the photograph? - He came up with the photo and it was definitely him.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26With that Ann started to trust Scott again
0:05:26 > 0:05:28and their relationship developed rapidly.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31I feel sorry for what he's going through stuck over there,
0:05:31 > 0:05:37he seems a very nice person and I would actually like to meet him.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41Within weeks that opportunity appeared to become real.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44Scott told Ann he wanted to release his army pension,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48so he could start a new life with her in the UK.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52But he needed to borrow just over £2,000 to pay
0:05:52 > 0:05:54the bank fees to do just that.
0:05:54 > 0:05:59Believing this was a temporary loan, Ann agreed, scraping together all her savings
0:05:59 > 0:06:05but within hours, she was asked for a further £550 to cover taxes.
0:06:05 > 0:06:06She simply couldn't afford it.
0:06:06 > 0:06:11And once again, it made her suspect that Scott might not be telling the truth.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14So let me tell you now what we have been able to find out about Scott.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16- Are you ready for that? - I am, certainly.
0:06:16 > 0:06:17OK.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21Now, am I right in thinking this is the photograph he sent to you?
0:06:21 > 0:06:23That's correct, yeah.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27- And that was the proof that you accepted that he was real?- Yes.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31- We've done some searching online. - OK.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37- We found this photograph.- Ahhh...!
0:06:37 > 0:06:39And as you can see, instead of your name,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42there's a pint glass with some beer in it.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45And instead of Scott's name...
0:06:46 > 0:06:51- As all Army personnel have, his name is there.- Right.
0:06:51 > 0:06:58- The name is Massingale.- Right. - It is not. It's not his name.- Right.
0:06:58 > 0:07:03- That has been Photoshopped to produce that.- Yes. OK.- OK?
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Now there could be a good reason why "Scott's" name
0:07:08 > 0:07:10doesn't match his uniform.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13But a quick search online found more than a dozen sites ALL with
0:07:13 > 0:07:17photos of the same soldier, but each with a different name.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20What we have discovered
0:07:20 > 0:07:25is that there is a genuine gentleman called Billy Massingale.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29- This man.- Yeah. - In the US Army.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34He grew up in North Georgia, he now lives in Redbank where he's married with two children.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36We've been in touch with the FBI.
0:07:38 > 0:07:43We believe that Sergeant Billy Massingale has
0:07:43 > 0:07:46- had his identity stolen... - Right, OK.
0:07:46 > 0:07:52..and is being used on all of these websites being several different people.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56In fact, these photographs of Staff Sergeant Billy Massingale -
0:07:56 > 0:08:00who is now retired from the military and has nothing at all to do with
0:08:00 > 0:08:03the scam - have been popping up all over the world since at least 2009.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05When we tracked him down,
0:08:05 > 0:08:08he was furious that his picture has been used in this way
0:08:08 > 0:08:14and told us he's found more than 100 fake profiles using HIS stolen photos.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18Not only that but he's been pursued by some of the people who've
0:08:18 > 0:08:21been conned - as well as by private detectives!
0:08:21 > 0:08:25All this was really hard information to deliver to Ann.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29But I had to give her everything we'd discovered.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32Are you absolutely convinced now that you have been scammed?
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Definitely. That... That's done it for me. Just that one photo.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38Because that was the proof I asked for and...
0:08:38 > 0:08:40He's stolen your money!
0:08:40 > 0:08:41I know. I know.
0:08:41 > 0:08:47When Ann transferred the £2,000 that she thought would release Scott's money, she spoke to someone
0:08:47 > 0:08:51who said that they worked at the US Army Pay Office in Malaysia.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54When we looked into this number, we found out that it was just
0:08:54 > 0:08:58a mobile phone, and has NOTHING to do with the US Army.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02'So I decided to see what would happen if I rang it myself.'
0:09:03 > 0:09:08- 'Hello.'- Oh, hi, hello, is that the US Army Pay Office in Malaysia?
0:09:12 > 0:09:16Oh, hi, yes, my name is Angela. I am calling on behalf of a great friend of mine.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18'It wasn't a great connection
0:09:18 > 0:09:22'but whoever was at the other end was still sticking to their bogus story.'
0:09:22 > 0:09:26So you're saying that she's still got to pay that £550
0:09:26 > 0:09:30so that Scott's money can go into that bank account?
0:09:30 > 0:09:31Yes?
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Thank you very much indeed for confirming all of that,
0:09:39 > 0:09:43because I have to tell you now, that my name is Angela Rippon.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47I work for BBC Television in England, and I've been filming today
0:09:47 > 0:09:52with Ann, because we believe that Scott Wilson does not exist, indeed
0:09:52 > 0:09:56the US Army have told us they do not have a pay office in Malaysia.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00You are part of a scam, and you have effectively stolen already £2,000,
0:10:00 > 0:10:04and you are now trying to extort another £550 from her.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07What do you say to that US Army man in Malaysia?
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Hello?
0:10:15 > 0:10:16What do you say to that?
0:10:22 > 0:10:23You say what?
0:10:26 > 0:10:27PHONE CONNECTION CUTS OFF
0:10:27 > 0:10:34You say nothing at all. You put the phone down, because it's a scam.
0:10:35 > 0:10:40But Scott Wilson - or whoever was posing as him - and the fictitious
0:10:40 > 0:10:45Army Pay Office in Malaysia have already stolen £2,000 of Ann's money.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48And she's just one of thousands of people around the world who've
0:10:48 > 0:10:50had a similar experience.
0:10:50 > 0:10:56In fact, in 2013 more than 2,500 people in the UK alone
0:10:56 > 0:11:00told the police they'd been a victim of a romance scam just like this.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04On average they lost nearly £9,000 each
0:11:04 > 0:11:07but one person lost over three quarters of a million!
0:11:08 > 0:11:11What are the warning signs that people should look for, then,
0:11:11 > 0:11:17to just trigger that moment of doubt in their minds that this is not real, it's a scam?
0:11:17 > 0:11:19The second they are asking you for money.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23As soon as they ask for money, the alarm bells should be ringing,
0:11:23 > 0:11:26and certainly if they ask for it to be transferred
0:11:26 > 0:11:29by money transfer, for example,
0:11:29 > 0:11:33definitely the alarm bells should be ringing, don't do it.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36'Ann reported her case to Action Fraud, and it will now form
0:11:36 > 0:11:40'part of national intelligence data into romance scams like this.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43'But her fake suitor hadn't given up yet.
0:11:43 > 0:11:48'Shortly after that call that we made to the FAKE US Army Pay Office
0:11:48 > 0:11:51'Ann received a text message from so-called Scott acting as
0:11:51 > 0:11:53'if everything was normal.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55'So we decided to drop him an e-mail.'
0:11:55 > 0:11:58"So, Scott Wilson, what is your real name?
0:11:58 > 0:12:00"Are you just the front for a scam to get money out of women?
0:12:00 > 0:12:02"And if so, where is Ann's money
0:12:02 > 0:12:04"because she would like to have it back, please."
0:12:04 > 0:12:05Do you think that will do?
0:12:05 > 0:12:08- Yep. I think that's fine.- Yeah? Right...
0:12:09 > 0:12:11'Ten minutes later and we get our reply...'
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Well, Ann... We've got an answer.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18Let's have a look at the inbox and see what it says.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22"Oh, sorry, what do you mean by that?
0:12:22 > 0:12:25"How dare you asking me such a question.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28"What is going on cos I don't understand what
0:12:28 > 0:12:30"you are talking about, OK?
0:12:30 > 0:12:33"What all that?"
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Well, clearly English isn't his first language.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38He says, "Yes. Scott Wilson is my name."
0:12:38 > 0:12:40We know it isn't.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43- Clearly, we know it isn't. - Yep, yep, yep, yep.- He's lying.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46I hope that as far as you're concerned, though, Ann, it is the end.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Oh, it is. Oh, it is. Yeah, that is it.
0:12:51 > 0:12:52Yeah.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54How do you feel now, at the end of all of this?
0:12:54 > 0:12:58Relieved. Mad, but relieved.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Out of my hands now, I've got no further doubts, queries.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05I think you've been brilliant at actually being prepared to talk
0:13:05 > 0:13:07so openly about this, I have to say.
0:13:07 > 0:13:08I really do.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11And you've put on a very brave face,
0:13:11 > 0:13:14but I think inside you're hurting quite a lot, aren't you?
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Well, away from here perhaps...
0:13:17 > 0:13:19but I just don't want it to happen to anybody else.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Well, we did keep investigating Ann's case
0:13:23 > 0:13:28and eventually put all of our findings to the man who claimed that he was Scott Wilson.
0:13:28 > 0:13:33Now, he didn't reply to us, but he DID try to get in touch with Ann again.
0:13:33 > 0:13:39He even asked to come to the UK so that he could prove who he really is.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41Can you believe the cheek of the man?!
0:13:41 > 0:13:46But, happily, Ann is now free of him, though sadly there is no way
0:13:46 > 0:13:49that she's going to get back any of the money that she lost.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56As you know, on the programme we often say how important it is
0:13:56 > 0:13:58to check the details of what someone is telling you
0:13:58 > 0:14:01before you agree to whatever it is they're suggesting.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05But it's not always that easy, especially in situations
0:14:05 > 0:14:09where you're being put on the spot for an instant response,
0:14:09 > 0:14:11and the person that you're dealing with does actually
0:14:11 > 0:14:14seem to know exactly what they're talking about.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18Well, our next story is a classic example of that - and a rather terrifying one as well.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25'It was an audacious scam that would be bad enough whoever was the victim.
0:14:25 > 0:14:31'But because it was a charity that was being deliberately targeted, somehow it seems even worse.
0:14:33 > 0:14:38'The Hut in York is an activity centre for people with long-term mental health issues
0:14:38 > 0:14:39'and learning difficulties.'
0:14:45 > 0:14:48'The staff here - including Associate Director Ryan Buglass -
0:14:48 > 0:14:52'run classes in everything from music and arts, to maths and sewing,
0:14:52 > 0:14:58'and in September 2013, they won funding for brand-new IT equipment.'
0:14:59 > 0:15:02We got awarded just under £4,000.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05The vast majority of it was for computer equipment, laptops,
0:15:05 > 0:15:09iPads, touch screen laptops, to tailor it for some
0:15:09 > 0:15:13of the members that we have there that can't use the keyboard.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16So a few people just wanted to become more computer literate,
0:15:16 > 0:15:19others wanted to learn how to do internet shopping,
0:15:19 > 0:15:24others wanted to build web pages.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27The charity shopped around and ordered five laptops
0:15:27 > 0:15:29from online retailer eBuyer.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32And because the Hut isn't open every day, they asked for them
0:15:32 > 0:15:36to be delivered to the care home they share offices with.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40We have a process in place where one of the members of the care home,
0:15:40 > 0:15:43they check the number of items that are delivered,
0:15:43 > 0:15:47they sign for it to ensure what we've got and then they contact
0:15:47 > 0:15:51the charity, and a member of the charity comes and collects.
0:15:51 > 0:15:52Shortly afterwards,
0:15:52 > 0:15:56eBuyer dispatched the laptops with delivery company Yodel,
0:15:56 > 0:16:00and, as planned, the care home staff counted the parcels, signed
0:16:00 > 0:16:03for them and left them to one side until Ryan was back in the office.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10But the next day care home manager Joanne Sellers was at work
0:16:10 > 0:16:12when the doorbell rang.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14I answered the door
0:16:14 > 0:16:18and there was a delivery guy stood at the door who said he'd come
0:16:18 > 0:16:22to pick up some parcels that had been delivered the day before.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25The Yodel driver explained that there had been a mix-up at eBuyer
0:16:25 > 0:16:28and the wrong packages had been delivered.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31He was here to collect them to send back to eBuyer - and another
0:16:31 > 0:16:36driver would deliver the correct products in the next 48 hours.
0:16:36 > 0:16:37It seemed a little bit strange
0:16:37 > 0:16:42because I'd not been told any parcels had been going back.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46So I tried to ring the manager of the Hut and there was no answer.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48But the delivery driver was insistent.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52He said that eBuyer had sent desktop computers instead of laptops,
0:16:52 > 0:16:56an explanation that seemed entirely plausible.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59The boxes were all different sizes so I would have just assumed
0:16:59 > 0:17:05that if they were laptops would have all been the same and they weren't.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Which then made me think, "Oh, well, maybe this is right."
0:17:07 > 0:17:11The driver gave Joanne a receipt and a tracking number,
0:17:11 > 0:17:13and loaded the boxes into his van.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16Joanne passed on what had happened to Ryan - who, at first,
0:17:16 > 0:17:18saw no cause for concern.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21But after the promised 48 hours had passed, there was
0:17:21 > 0:17:23no sign of a new delivery.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26That's when it started to ring alarm bells.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Yodel had no record of the collection.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Or of the new delivery that had been promised.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35Now seriously worried, Ryan called the retailer, eBuyer.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38And they said there was no discrepancy whatsoever with
0:17:38 > 0:17:42the items that were delivered, "You got what you asked for."
0:17:42 > 0:17:44And that's when we really started to panic.
0:17:44 > 0:17:49More than £1,600 worth of computers had been taken.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52I obviously felt gutted, I felt devastated -
0:17:52 > 0:17:53I felt sad for the members down there
0:17:53 > 0:17:56because they'd been looking forward to the laptops coming.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00Because the driver had been wearing a Yodel uniform and driving
0:18:00 > 0:18:03a Yodel van, Joanne had had no reason to suspect
0:18:03 > 0:18:05that his original story was wrong.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08But she and Ryan now realised that the driver had probably
0:18:08 > 0:18:09stolen the computers.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11And they immediately called the police.
0:18:11 > 0:18:16It was disbelief really, in the line of work that we're in,
0:18:16 > 0:18:20it might be naivety but you just don't expect
0:18:20 > 0:18:22things like this to happen.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26To then turn round to 30-odd people, our members,
0:18:26 > 0:18:28and tell them that they're going to have to wait
0:18:28 > 0:18:34because we don't have them any more was a difficult message to deliver.
0:18:35 > 0:18:40When we contacted delivery company Yodel about the missing computers,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43they told us the company has a "zero-tolerance approach
0:18:43 > 0:18:46"to breaches of protocol", so once they'd investigated,
0:18:46 > 0:18:50the driver was "dismissed from the business" and the police called.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Yodel also say they're confident this "appears to be
0:18:53 > 0:18:56"an isolated incident involving a single driver."
0:18:59 > 0:19:02Retailer eBuyer also told us that this
0:19:02 > 0:19:04is the first such incident they're aware of.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08They advise anyone buying online to contact their retailer
0:19:08 > 0:19:12if they receive any unexpected requests from a delivery company.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15North Yorkshire Police later told us they investigated,
0:19:15 > 0:19:19but no arrests were made, and the case is now closed.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Whilst this particular scenario - involving a genuine employee -
0:19:26 > 0:19:30may be unusual, scams involving fraudsters posing as delivery
0:19:30 > 0:19:34drivers are unfortunately not as rare as you'd hope.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37In fact, the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau says it's
0:19:37 > 0:19:41seeing more people fall victim to that sort of crime.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43Thanks to the internet,
0:19:43 > 0:19:47crooks easily find the details they need to identify potential targets.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50A lot of the courier frauds that we have are actually people who
0:19:50 > 0:19:53pretend to be courier drivers who are not actually drivers
0:19:53 > 0:19:56whatsoever, but somehow they've got a high-vis jacket or a fake uniform,
0:19:56 > 0:19:58they're good at what they do
0:19:58 > 0:20:00and they use that relationship to get into your life.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03The problem is of course they've got a pretty authentic looking
0:20:03 > 0:20:04van or truck sitting outside,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07they've got the high-vis jacket, they've got an identity of some sort
0:20:07 > 0:20:12so we do tend to get sucked in, don't we? Because it all looks official.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15You know, you can't expect people to know if it's a fake lorry or
0:20:15 > 0:20:18a fake truck and if it's a real uniform and actually finding that
0:20:18 > 0:20:21out would be quite difficult, but the one thing to do would be to say
0:20:21 > 0:20:24to him or her, "What company are you from?"
0:20:24 > 0:20:26"I come from X." "Phone number, please."
0:20:26 > 0:20:29You phone the warehouse, "Driver, what's your identity number?
0:20:29 > 0:20:32"OK, so I have a driver here, identity number 12345, who is he?
0:20:32 > 0:20:34"What's he here doing?"
0:20:34 > 0:20:37So that's the one thing that you must always do.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40If you don't see an identification number, or they start to act a
0:20:40 > 0:20:44- bit funny about it, then you should start asking yourself questions. - Close the door.- Absolutely.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49Back at the Hut, Ryan's had to write off the £1,650 he spent
0:20:49 > 0:20:53on the computers as they weren't covered by the charity's insurance.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Delivery company Yodel has now bought them
0:20:56 > 0:21:00five reconditioned laptops - but he and Joanne still can't quite
0:21:00 > 0:21:03believe how anyone could steal from them in this way.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07I wish I'd done a little bit more or I'd maybe taken
0:21:07 > 0:21:08a picture of the guy.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11I don't know, I wish I'd done something that would have
0:21:11 > 0:21:14stopped it from happening really.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18To take advantage of a charity, especially the client group
0:21:18 > 0:21:21that we care for, vulnerable adults, it's disgusting.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33Still to come on Rip-Off Britain, a property scam that could cost
0:21:33 > 0:21:36you thousands when you find out the person you rented your flat
0:21:36 > 0:21:38from doesn't actually own it.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41It's not just the financial implications,
0:21:41 > 0:21:45it's all of the emotional and mental side of it.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47You completely lose your faith in everybody.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58Once again our pop-up shop is open for business and this year,
0:21:58 > 0:22:00we're in the West Midlands.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04Here at Rip-Off Britain you're very kind in sending us lots
0:22:04 > 0:22:08of stories throughout the year and, by the way, we love receiving them.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11And then once a year we have our pop-up shop and for one weekend only
0:22:11 > 0:22:15loads of people come and see us here and see our team of experts and you
0:22:15 > 0:22:17know the great thing about it?
0:22:17 > 0:22:21They get consumer advice on the spot.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Cindy Walters and her daughter Abbi have brought along a letter
0:22:24 > 0:22:28they've received from Spain saying they've hit the jackpot!
0:22:28 > 0:22:30They don't believe a word of it but are interested to know
0:22:30 > 0:22:33what trading standards expert Sylvia Rook makes of it.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36I've brought a letter that I've received this week
0:22:36 > 0:22:39in the post, claiming I've won the Spanish lottery.
0:22:39 > 0:22:44- Let's have a look.- It tells me that I've won 895,250 euros.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46Congratulations(!)
0:22:46 > 0:22:49The downside is I have to pay 10% tax.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52And in order to get the money, the tax has to be paid first
0:22:52 > 0:22:56and I've only got a few days left to claim it.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59You know this is a scam, don't you? There are a lot of these scams
0:22:59 > 0:23:03around and the main principle of these scams is they do get people to
0:23:03 > 0:23:04pay money up front.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07They say you've won a huge amount of money, send us
0:23:07 > 0:23:10the tax or import duty or whatever it is and then of course you
0:23:10 > 0:23:14never get your prize. Do you know how they got your name and address?
0:23:14 > 0:23:16No, I'm very careful not to list my name
0:23:16 > 0:23:19and address, I think it might be the electoral register.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21There are two forms of electoral register, there's one that
0:23:21 > 0:23:25keeps completely private and there's another one that gives your name
0:23:25 > 0:23:26and address to people,
0:23:26 > 0:23:28so you need to make sure you're on the edited roll
0:23:28 > 0:23:31and that means they cannot pass your name and address on.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35You're not going to try to get your...how much was it, 895,250 euros?
0:23:35 > 0:23:37- No!- Thank you very much for bringing it in so
0:23:37 > 0:23:40we get a chance to see it and always be careful about your personal
0:23:40 > 0:23:43data and if somebody phones you saying that you've won something and
0:23:43 > 0:23:47you haven't entered a competition then you know it's a scam.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53Outside the shop in our workshop area, financial ombudsman Caroline
0:23:53 > 0:23:58Lusted Wells had lots of tips about avoiding credit and debit card scams.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02How many people have less than five bank cards that they use?
0:24:02 > 0:24:05Has everyone got a different pin number for each one?
0:24:05 > 0:24:07That's not very good, is it?
0:24:07 > 0:24:10One of the things that you have to be really, really careful about
0:24:10 > 0:24:13is using the same pin number over and over again.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17And you know sometimes people disguise them as well?
0:24:17 > 0:24:19It's so easy to pick apart a pin number.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21If you think about social media you can find out lots
0:24:21 > 0:24:24about people's birthdays, loads of people use pin numbers
0:24:24 > 0:24:28as birth dates as well. You have to be so, so careful.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32Unfortunately these scams can happen to anyone - even Angela's
0:24:32 > 0:24:34fallen victim to credit card fraud.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36My accountant rang me up
0:24:36 > 0:24:39and said, "I didn't know you were in Puerto Rico,"
0:24:39 > 0:24:40and I said, "I'm not, I'm in Devon."
0:24:40 > 0:24:43And he said, "Well, your credit card is down there and somebody's
0:24:43 > 0:24:45"just bought £3,000 worth of goods."
0:24:45 > 0:24:47And I said, "Well, my credit card is having more fun
0:24:47 > 0:24:49"than I'm having then, obviously."
0:24:49 > 0:24:51So what happens when someone gets hold of your pin number
0:24:51 > 0:24:53and starts clocking up money on your credit card?
0:24:53 > 0:24:56Where do they stand then with not having to pay for that money?
0:24:56 > 0:24:57And getting your money back?
0:24:57 > 0:25:02The first thing you need to do as soon as you notice something's gone wrong is tell your bank
0:25:02 > 0:25:06because the quicker you can do that the more chance you've got of getting your money back.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08Look after your pin, look after card
0:25:08 > 0:25:10and if it doesn't feel right don't do it.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18If you've ever rented a house or a flat, you'll know that as
0:25:18 > 0:25:22a tenant you'll usually need to jump through quite a few hoops -
0:25:22 > 0:25:24providing references and so on
0:25:24 > 0:25:27to prove you really are who you say you are.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30But while you're doing that, I wonder how many of you
0:25:30 > 0:25:35have thought of making checks into whether the person renting you the property
0:25:35 > 0:25:38is also telling the truth about who they are?
0:25:40 > 0:25:45When Victoria Bull's mum Jane decided to move out of London
0:25:45 > 0:25:50to the countryside, Victoria realised she wanted to stay in the city.
0:25:50 > 0:25:51With a baby on the way,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54there wasn't much time to find a place of her own.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56But London's competitive rental market made finding the right
0:25:56 > 0:25:59place for the right price tough.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03Every time that she found somewhere it seemed too expensive,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06and you were getting very desperate, weren't you?
0:26:06 > 0:26:10It felt like I was running out of time, so you do get quite desperate.
0:26:10 > 0:26:15And it becomes, sort of, very stressful.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19So when Victoria saw what looked like the perfect flat
0:26:19 > 0:26:22advertised online, she rushed to arrange a viewing.
0:26:22 > 0:26:23And the following day,
0:26:23 > 0:26:29Victoria and Jane met up with the owner's son, Jason Williams.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31We decided to give him a ring,
0:26:31 > 0:26:34and he came down and met us outside the property.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39He did ask for a few minutes to be able to tidy up,
0:26:39 > 0:26:43because he said the people that live there hadn't tidied up.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46I think he also said that his father owned the place,
0:26:46 > 0:26:49and he was doing it on his behalf.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Once inside it was obvious the flat ticked all
0:26:52 > 0:26:55the boxes for Victoria.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57It seemed perfect, it was within budget,
0:26:57 > 0:27:01everything seemed to be exactly what I needed.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04To make sure she didn't lose out on her ideal flat,
0:27:04 > 0:27:09Victoria gave Jason Williams £300 in cash on the spot
0:27:09 > 0:27:14and she arranged to transfer another £1,300, for the rest of the
0:27:14 > 0:27:18deposit and the first month's rent, when he'd drawn up the paperwork.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21Next her prospective landlord called up Victoria's employer to
0:27:21 > 0:27:23check her reference.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26He did everything that he was supposed to do,
0:27:26 > 0:27:31he acknowledged the fact that your boss had given
0:27:31 > 0:27:34the reference for you and everything, and we just
0:27:34 > 0:27:39assumed that everything was fine and we had no reason to think otherwise.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44Just over a week after she first viewed it, the time
0:27:44 > 0:27:46came for Victoria to move in to her new home.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50So with mum Jane along to help, they set off for North London.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54But minutes into their journey, Victoria received a text message
0:27:54 > 0:27:57from Jason Williams saying there was a suddenly a major damp problem
0:27:57 > 0:28:02at the flat - so she couldn't move in, now or in the future.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04I think my heart just sunk at that point.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08It just seemed as if he was making excuses for her not to be there.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12I think it was probably the hardest part of it all really.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17Just being so disappointed.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20Victoria and Jane turned around and went home.
0:28:20 > 0:28:25And Jason Williams promised he'd refund the full £1,600 Victoria
0:28:25 > 0:28:29had paid for the flat - money she'd borrowed from her parents.
0:28:29 > 0:28:34But Victoria never heard from him again or saw a penny of her money.
0:28:34 > 0:28:40How on earth was I going to get the money to pay for another deposit, really?
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Because, I mean, how can you ask someone again to lend you
0:28:44 > 0:28:49that sort of money when you had already lost the first lot?
0:28:49 > 0:28:51But that's not the end of the story.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Because when Victoria contacted Rip-Off Britain, we were able to
0:28:54 > 0:28:58dig a little deeper into the mysterious Jason Williams.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02We discovered that he wasn't - as he claimed -
0:29:02 > 0:29:04the son of the owner of the property.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08In fact, Jason Williams isn't even called Jason Williams.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11His name is Kelechi Chukwu.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14He was actually renting the flat from the real owner.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17Which is how he was able to show Victoria around.
0:29:17 > 0:29:24And what's more, Mr Chukwu has operated exactly the same scam on someone else.
0:29:24 > 0:29:28We've tried to track down Kelechi Chukwu, we've e-mailed all
0:29:28 > 0:29:31the addresses we can find for him, searched for him online
0:29:31 > 0:29:33and even tried to contact his old employers.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37But as yet, he's not responded to any of our communications.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40As well as being lucrative,
0:29:40 > 0:29:43this was a particularly well-orchestrated scam.
0:29:43 > 0:29:48Remember, the so-called Jason Williams even contacted Victoria's boss
0:29:48 > 0:29:52to get a reference, so she wouldn't suspect something was wrong.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55So if you're looking for somewhere to rent, is there
0:29:55 > 0:29:59anything you can do to make sure you don't to fall into the same trap?
0:30:01 > 0:30:04There are three simple things you can do as a tenant to give
0:30:04 > 0:30:05yourself a piece of mind.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08First is to speak to the landlord and ask them questions,
0:30:08 > 0:30:09ask do they rent out multiple properties.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12Chances are, if they do, they are a professional landlord
0:30:12 > 0:30:15and they're aware of their obligations and what the laws are.
0:30:15 > 0:30:16The second thing is ask them
0:30:16 > 0:30:19if they have a buy to let mortgage on the property, they shouldn't be
0:30:19 > 0:30:22renting it out if they only have a residential mortgage.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24And the third thing is to check with the land registry,
0:30:24 > 0:30:28they can tell you who the registered owners of any property are for a very small amount of money.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32That land registry check will cost you less than a fiver
0:30:32 > 0:30:34and could save you thousands.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36I think it's important to remember that the vast
0:30:36 > 0:30:38majority of landlords are decent, honest people.
0:30:38 > 0:30:43But at a time where demand for properties outstrips supply
0:30:43 > 0:30:44and rents are really high,
0:30:44 > 0:30:47there will always be some people who seek to defraud.
0:30:47 > 0:30:51Back in North London, and despite the loss of £1,600, Victoria
0:30:51 > 0:30:55has managed to find another flat to rent before she gives birth.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59And although she and granny-to-be Jane are busy getting ready
0:30:59 > 0:31:03for the baby, it's hard to put this experience behind them.
0:31:03 > 0:31:05It's not just the financial implications,
0:31:05 > 0:31:10it's all of the emotional and mental side of it that goes with it as well.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13You completely lose your faith in everybody.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16And I think to take advantage of young people,
0:31:16 > 0:31:21who are desperate to find places to live and have very little money,
0:31:21 > 0:31:26and to destroy their life like that, it's awful.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35At a time when money is tighter than ever,
0:31:35 > 0:31:38you need to know that your cash is working hard for you,
0:31:38 > 0:31:42avoiding rip-offs and all those sharp practices along the way.
0:31:42 > 0:31:47So, to help, on our website:
0:31:47 > 0:31:51you'll find plenty of invaluable tips and expert advice.
0:31:51 > 0:31:56Plus, you can download our absolutely free guide to getting a better deal
0:31:56 > 0:31:59which is full of useful information to stop you being stung.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02Or, indeed, left out of pocket.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08Now, Britain may be a nation of shopkeepers,
0:32:08 > 0:32:13but these days our stores don't need to be made from bricks and mortar.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15It's pretty easy for just about anyone to open up a very
0:32:15 > 0:32:18professional-looking one online.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21And while most are completely above board,
0:32:21 > 0:32:24some of them exist simply to entice you with amazing deals,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27take your money, and then shut up shop completely -
0:32:27 > 0:32:31leaving you with nothing but a sizeable hole in your pocket.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34That seems to be what happened in our next case.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36But though the people we're about to meet all set out to buy
0:32:36 > 0:32:38the same thing,
0:32:38 > 0:32:42they went to apparently different online companies that just happen
0:32:42 > 0:32:45to look and behave in very similar ways.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50In the 1960s, they were the run-arounds of choice for the Mods.
0:32:50 > 0:32:54The epitome of style, cool, and affordable freedom.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56And today they still offer a simple
0:32:56 > 0:32:59and cheap way of getting around, which is why Janice, Adrian, Paula
0:32:59 > 0:33:03and her son Harry all started shopping for scooters in 2013.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07I've always wanted a scooter because I've always been into bikes and that.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09I just fancied something different to do
0:33:09 > 0:33:11and I thought it would be quite exciting to do.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14My wife was having to walk to work every day
0:33:14 > 0:33:17so I decided to surprise her and buy her a new moped.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21After having a good look around, all three soon spotted bikes
0:33:21 > 0:33:24they fancied, though at different times and on three different
0:33:24 > 0:33:26websites.
0:33:26 > 0:33:27I buy a lot of things online
0:33:27 > 0:33:29so it was just the natural progression for me.
0:33:29 > 0:33:34I've never ever had any trouble with any sites before.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37I looked online, I found what I thought was the perfect bike.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39It was a really good deal.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43So, three different websites and three different customers, who,
0:33:43 > 0:33:45after finding the bikes they wanted,
0:33:45 > 0:33:49each called the retailers to find out more.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52I rang up the company and spoke to the gentleman concerned
0:33:52 > 0:33:55who give me a lot of confidence.
0:33:55 > 0:33:59He told me that the bike was cheap because they weren't running
0:33:59 > 0:34:01a factory, they didn't have any overheads.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05Each conversation they were just so confident
0:34:05 > 0:34:08and knowledgeable in what they were telling me.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11And when it was time to pay, these three different companies
0:34:11 > 0:34:15each started to behave in a remarkably similar way.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18Adrian, Janice and Paula were each told that they'd have to
0:34:18 > 0:34:22pay by bank transfer, despite the websites all saying you could
0:34:22 > 0:34:24pay using other methods.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27At first I was slightly worried about doing a bank transfer
0:34:27 > 0:34:31because on the website, it did say you could use PayPal or Visa
0:34:31 > 0:34:34which would be my preferred payment, but when I rang him up
0:34:34 > 0:34:38he said because of costs they had stopped doing that.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42Reassured by the explanations they were given,
0:34:42 > 0:34:46Janice paid JPR Scooters £685,
0:34:46 > 0:34:50Adrian paid Regency Quads £1395,
0:34:50 > 0:34:54and Paula paid Castle Scooters £599.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58Then they all waited for their bikes to be delivered...
0:34:58 > 0:35:00but none of the bikes arrived as promised,
0:35:00 > 0:35:04so all three called their respective companies to find out why.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07He then confirmed that the payment had been received
0:35:07 > 0:35:10and they were getting the bike ready and it would be delivered to me
0:35:10 > 0:35:12either Friday or Saturday.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15He told me there'd been a delivery problem,
0:35:15 > 0:35:17erm, I was very frustrated on the phone.
0:35:17 > 0:35:23He did at that point offer me a refund but we did want the moped.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26I rang him up on the Wednesday, he told me there were problems with
0:35:26 > 0:35:30the registration documents and, yes, it would be delivered on the Friday.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36But none of these delivery dates were met either.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38So, all three picked up the phone again.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42But this time, none of the companies responded.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46The number was just completely dead, so you'd ring it and it was just
0:35:46 > 0:35:48a tone, there was nothing at all there.
0:35:48 > 0:35:49I just kept ringing him
0:35:49 > 0:35:52and ringing him, erm, just kept getting the answer phone message.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55I hadn't received an e-mail to confirm that it was being
0:35:55 > 0:35:59delivered Friday or Saturday and obviously nobody rang me
0:35:59 > 0:36:02and that was when I thought, no, this is definitely a scam.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06Janice, Adrian and Paula are still waiting for their bikes.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08At the time, they all thought their cases were isolated.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10But when they started looking online,
0:36:10 > 0:36:13they found other people with similar stories of quads
0:36:13 > 0:36:16and scooters paid for, but never delivered.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20And as we investigated further, we found these three apparently
0:36:20 > 0:36:23different companies had some crucial details in common.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27Janice thought she was buying with JPR Scooters, and Adrian
0:36:27 > 0:36:31thought he was buying with Regency Quad, but they both transferred
0:36:31 > 0:36:35their money into the same bank account, and that account has the
0:36:35 > 0:36:41same sort code as Castle Scooters, who still have Paula's £600.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43Now sharing the same sort code doesn't mean
0:36:43 > 0:36:46the companies are linked, but we've also spoken to other people
0:36:46 > 0:36:51with identical experiences with both Castle Scooters and JPR Scooters.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56We'd been told that the websites for these three companies looked
0:36:56 > 0:36:58almost identical.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00When we checked, only one of them, for Castle Scooters,
0:37:00 > 0:37:02appeared active.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05But funnily enough, we found three other scooter sites that looked
0:37:05 > 0:37:07exactly the same.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09That can't be coincidence.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12So, we asked internet researcher Paul Myers to dig a little
0:37:12 > 0:37:15deeper to see if they share more than just the same design.
0:37:17 > 0:37:22It didn't function properly, but it looks professional enough.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25Is there anything about it that would have aroused your suspicions?
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Everything on the net has its own numerical address called
0:37:28 > 0:37:29an IP address.
0:37:29 > 0:37:33And it seems that two of these scooter sites are on the same
0:37:33 > 0:37:37IP address, ie, they're stored on the same computer.
0:37:37 > 0:37:41And we have on the same site as Trade Scooters,
0:37:41 > 0:37:45here we have Wright Scooters, so we can say to ourselves,
0:37:45 > 0:37:47well, it's a little bit of a coincidence really
0:37:47 > 0:37:51that we get another one of these websites sharing the same computer.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54There's a bazillion computers on the internet,
0:37:54 > 0:37:56why would they be on the same computer?
0:37:56 > 0:37:58Why indeed.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01It seems obvious that these sites are linked.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04But when we contacted Regency Quads, Castle Scooters
0:38:04 > 0:38:07and JPR Scooters for an explanation, none of them responded.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11With so many websites to choose from,
0:38:11 > 0:38:13you won't always be able to spot the clues
0:38:13 > 0:38:15that they're not all they seem.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17But one way to avoid being ripped off
0:38:17 > 0:38:19is to steer clear of any website
0:38:19 > 0:38:22that only lets you pay by money transfer.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25Because, as Adrian, Janice and Paula found out,
0:38:25 > 0:38:28if things go wrong you'll be unlikely to get a penny back.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31I've lost £1,395.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34I've lost £600.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37£685 - which is a lot of money to me.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41It made me feel I'd been conned really easily.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50It's estimated that one in ten people
0:38:50 > 0:38:54will fall for an online scam - losing a thousand pounds on average.
0:38:54 > 0:38:58So to help stop you being one of the unlucky 10%,
0:38:58 > 0:39:01we asked cyber security expert Dr Jessica Barker
0:39:01 > 0:39:04what telltale signs we should all be looking out for.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06There's a number of small things you can look out for
0:39:06 > 0:39:09when you're buying something over the internet
0:39:09 > 0:39:10to see if it's a scam or for real.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12A key thing is often spelling or grammar,
0:39:12 > 0:39:15so if there's an advert that has very poor spelling and grammar,
0:39:15 > 0:39:18then that's usually a sign that it's not a professional advert.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20If there is a big time pressure, if you're being told,
0:39:20 > 0:39:23kind of, "Buy this now otherwise the offer is going to run out,"
0:39:23 > 0:39:26then, again, that's a psychological tool that's used by criminals
0:39:26 > 0:39:29to try and get you to make the purchase
0:39:29 > 0:39:32without thinking it through, or without doing your research.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34That research should involve checking out reviews
0:39:34 > 0:39:37to see if what you're buying is legitimate
0:39:37 > 0:39:40or if others have already reported that it's a scam.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43But if all that stacks up and you're still suspicious,
0:39:43 > 0:39:44Jessica has a great tip.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49If you're using certain web browsers such as Google Chrome,
0:39:49 > 0:39:52you can check the validity of the picture being used
0:39:52 > 0:39:55to sell a one-off or supposedly unique product.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59It's a really good idea if you're buying something online
0:39:59 > 0:40:01to do a Google image search -
0:40:01 > 0:40:03so, for example, if you are looking to buy a car,
0:40:03 > 0:40:07you see a car being sold on a trader website,
0:40:07 > 0:40:10you can check whether the image is being used elsewhere.
0:40:10 > 0:40:14What you do is right click on the image and copy the image URL,
0:40:14 > 0:40:18and then open up Google image search.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21And you click on the camera icon in the search bar,
0:40:21 > 0:40:25and then you literally just paste in and click search,
0:40:25 > 0:40:27and then that will bring up every other website
0:40:27 > 0:40:29where that image is being used.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32You may find that the same car is being sold again and again
0:40:32 > 0:40:36via different websites, and so a sure sign that it is a scam.
0:40:36 > 0:40:41British Consumers lose £3.5 billion to scams every year -
0:40:41 > 0:40:44and you can't always rely on scammers being obvious to spot.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48What you can do, though, is follow the absolute golden rule
0:40:48 > 0:40:50when it comes for paying for goods -
0:40:50 > 0:40:53and it's advice we really can't say often enough.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57Always use a credit card, especially if it's a large purchase.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59And this is because your credit card is protected.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01If you spend more than £100 on something
0:41:01 > 0:41:03and that is mis-sold to you,
0:41:03 > 0:41:05then you will be able to claim that money back.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14Here at Rip Off Britain we're always ready
0:41:14 > 0:41:17to investigate more of your stories.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21Confused over your bills, or feel you're paying well over the odds?
0:41:21 > 0:41:22It's far too small.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25And it's done on purpose, so that you can't actually read it.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29People look at it, and they'll say, "I can't be bothered reading that."
0:41:29 > 0:41:32Unsure what to do when you discover you've lost out,
0:41:32 > 0:41:35and that great deal has ended up costing you money?
0:41:35 > 0:41:37People are buying into this - I did.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39You know, and are they going to be as awkward with them
0:41:39 > 0:41:41as they were with me?
0:41:41 > 0:41:43You might have a cautionary tale of your own,
0:41:43 > 0:41:45and want to share the mistakes you made with us
0:41:45 > 0:41:47so that other people don't do the same thing.
0:41:47 > 0:41:51Just fobbed off completely, and, you know, very disappointed.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53You can write to us at...
0:42:01 > 0:42:02Or you can send us an e-mail to...
0:42:07 > 0:42:11The Rip Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16You know, when you hear stories like that,
0:42:16 > 0:42:18you might think that there's absolutely no way
0:42:18 > 0:42:19that you would ever get caught out,
0:42:19 > 0:42:21but whether they involve potential love interests
0:42:21 > 0:42:25potential landlords, or potential money-making opportunities,
0:42:25 > 0:42:27scams exist in every walk of life.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31As we've seen, it can be just too easy to get sucked in by them.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34And while sometimes you might end up losing a relatively small amount
0:42:34 > 0:42:36and can get over it pretty quickly,
0:42:36 > 0:42:39other situations could see you losing an awful lot more
0:42:39 > 0:42:42and leave you picking up the pieces for months or even years afterwards.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45But you'll find plenty more information on how to spot a scam
0:42:45 > 0:42:46on our website. It's...
0:42:50 > 0:42:52And from there, of course, you can contact us
0:42:52 > 0:42:54to tell us about your own experiences -
0:42:54 > 0:42:57not just of scams, as we've been talking about today,
0:42:57 > 0:42:59but about any subject under the sun.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02And, in a different vein, we'd be particularly keen to hear from you
0:43:02 > 0:43:05if one of the stories that you've heard on the programme
0:43:05 > 0:43:08either recently or, indeed, in the past has helped you
0:43:08 > 0:43:11to avoid losing out or being ripped off.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13But I'm afraid that's where we have to leave it for today,
0:43:13 > 0:43:16so thank you very much for watching, and until next time,
0:43:16 > 0:43:18- from all of us, bye-bye. - Goodbye.- Bye.