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 contacted us in your thousands.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10You've told us about the companies you think get it wrong
0:00:10 > 0:00:14and the customer service that simply is not up to scratch.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17It's my money and it's not right for anyone to rip you off.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21I don't understand how they get hold of my information.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24You've asked us to track down the scammers who stole your money
0:00:24 > 0:00:27and investigate the extra charges you say are unfair.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29You don't get compensated.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33It takes a long time to get things done and nobody cares.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35In the end, I told him no, because I knew it was a scam.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39And when you've 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.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47So whether it's a blatant rip-off, or a genuine mistake.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49We're here to find out why you're out of pocket
0:00:49 > 0:00:51and what you can do about it.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Your stories - your money.
0:00:54 > 0:00:55This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:01:01 > 0:01:02Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain,
0:01:02 > 0:01:04the programme that's here to make sure
0:01:04 > 0:01:07that wherever and whatever you're spending your money on,
0:01:07 > 0:01:09you know exactly what you're getting
0:01:09 > 0:01:12and that you're getting exactly what you want.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14Now, I know that may seem a rather simple thing to ask,
0:01:14 > 0:01:16but when it comes to shopping on the internet,
0:01:16 > 0:01:19it is not always as easy as it sounds, is it, Julia?
0:01:19 > 0:01:22No, it really isn't. And it can be easy to forget
0:01:22 > 0:01:25that the same rules don't always apply online
0:01:25 > 0:01:26as they do on the high street.
0:01:26 > 0:01:31For instance, if the online company you're buying from isn't based in the UK,
0:01:31 > 0:01:35then you won't have the same rights if you end up being ripped off.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38But of course shopping isn't all that we do online.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Millions of us have signed up to websites
0:01:40 > 0:01:43for everything from banking to dating or social media,
0:01:43 > 0:01:48handing over, let's face it, some of our most valuable personal details in the process.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50Today, we'll be uncovering a lot of stuff
0:01:50 > 0:01:53that even the most seasoned internet user may not know.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55And I guarantee that by the end of the programme,
0:01:55 > 0:01:58you'll be a lot more internet-savvy than you are right now.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03Coming up, why even on the most trusted websites
0:02:03 > 0:02:06you could be caught out by ads specifically targeting you.
0:02:06 > 0:02:12Years and years ago, they talked about "Big Brother is watching you"
0:02:12 > 0:02:15and we never ever thought that it would come, but it's here.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18And how fraudsters can piece together
0:02:18 > 0:02:20even your most basic details
0:02:20 > 0:02:22to get their hands on your cash.
0:02:23 > 0:02:28I did actually find a couple of Russian forums
0:02:28 > 0:02:31which mentioned your e-mail address and telephone number.
0:02:31 > 0:02:37In fact, at the moment your name plus e-mail address and telephone number
0:02:37 > 0:02:41can be sold by a cyber-crime gang for about one and a half US dollars.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47Thanks to the internet,
0:02:47 > 0:02:51these days we can buy something from the other side of the planet
0:02:51 > 0:02:53just as easily as if it was a shop round the corner.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56And while most of the time that works just as it should,
0:02:56 > 0:03:00there are occasions when it's not clear exactly where
0:03:00 > 0:03:02the company you're dealing with is based.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06After all, you'd think that a web address that ends in .co.uk
0:03:06 > 0:03:09means the company is based right here, wouldn't you?
0:03:09 > 0:03:10In fact, you'd be wrong.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17When she's not spending time at her friend's equestrian centre,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Vikki Curtis loves socialising with her friends.
0:03:20 > 0:03:25But her morale took a bad knock when she started to lose her hair.
0:03:25 > 0:03:26My hair's thinning on top
0:03:26 > 0:03:30and as the years have gone on, it's got thinner and thinner
0:03:30 > 0:03:33and I was finding it difficult to get a nice hairstyle.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37A friend persuaded her to try a wig, and it's boosted Vikki's confidence
0:03:37 > 0:03:41so much that she now won't leave the house without one.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45I wouldn't be seen out in public now without a wig.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48I find it difficult to go to the hairdressers to get my hair cut.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Vikki's decision to wear wigs all the time
0:03:51 > 0:03:54meant she was faced with a new and sometimes daunting challenge -
0:03:54 > 0:03:56shopping for the right ones.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59It's very important to get the right wig because
0:03:59 > 0:04:03if you don't feel good in your wig, it's pointless wearing it.
0:04:03 > 0:04:08Vicki usually feels more comfortable buying wigs online than in a shop,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11but with a recent purchase, that's how she ran into trouble.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13I just did a search on the net
0:04:13 > 0:04:16to see if there was any other companies out there,
0:04:16 > 0:04:18and I came across the Wigshow.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22Wigshow.co.uk had lots of stock on offer.
0:04:22 > 0:04:23It was all reasonably priced,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26and it appeared to Vikki that it was based in the UK.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30It says in their frequently asked questions that they are British,
0:04:30 > 0:04:36they are a British company, and it just looks totally up-to-date.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39So I was expecting a real, good-quality wig.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Trusting in the website, Vikki went ahead
0:04:41 > 0:04:43and placed an order for two wigs.
0:04:43 > 0:04:49Both were on offer at half the normal price and the total cost was £139.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54But when the wigs arrived, she was shocked by their quality.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59There is no style in it. It's just awful.
0:04:59 > 0:05:05You can't do anything with it. It feels horrible, it smells.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07I'm just embarrassed to have the thing on my head.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11Vicky is so upset about her wigs
0:05:11 > 0:05:13that she won't wear them in public anymore,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16but she has let me bring them down to London
0:05:16 > 0:05:18so I can get an expert opinion on them.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22Top West End hairdresser Trevor Sorbie
0:05:22 > 0:05:25runs a charity called My New Hair
0:05:25 > 0:05:28which gives people advice on where to find an approved wig fitter.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33God, it feels so...gritty.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37It's unlike a good wig because a good wig,
0:05:37 > 0:05:38it would feel like real hair
0:05:38 > 0:05:43because the technology in synthetic wigs today is fantastic.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46And presumably it would also be incredibly uncomfortable to wear.
0:05:46 > 0:05:47I mean, you look inside...
0:05:47 > 0:05:52Well, you see this is very rough on the scalp.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56It's disgusting that people can do this to very vulnerable people.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59I mean, you know, you only wear a wig when you have to.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03The last thing you want to do is draw attention to yourself.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06You want to just look normal, like you normally do.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08And if you're wearing something like this,
0:06:08 > 0:06:12all you're doing is, "Guess what I'm wearing?"
0:06:12 > 0:06:16It's... It's unacceptable, totally.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19That's exactly what Vikki had thought when she received the wigs.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23So she e-mailed wigshow.co.uk saying she wanted to return them.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30And I received an e-mail back saying, "How about you keep the wigs
0:06:30 > 0:06:35"and sell them on to somebody else, and we will refund you 10%?"
0:06:35 > 0:06:37But Vikki wanted her money back,
0:06:37 > 0:06:40so she told Wigshow their offer simply wasn't acceptable.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44Their response to that - and to the next few e-mails she sent -
0:06:44 > 0:06:46started to make Vikki suspicious
0:06:46 > 0:06:49about this supposedly British company.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51I realised that they weren't English
0:06:51 > 0:06:55because the grammar in the e-mails was terrible,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58I actually said to them "You've obviously lied on your website.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00"You are not UK-based.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05"Could you please give me an address to send these wigs back to
0:07:05 > 0:07:07"and I want a full refund."
0:07:07 > 0:07:09In numerous e-mails over the next few hours,
0:07:09 > 0:07:14Wigshow refused to refund Vikki the full £139 she'd paid
0:07:14 > 0:07:16or pay for the postage to send the wigs back.
0:07:18 > 0:07:23They eventually agreed to refund me £90
0:07:23 > 0:07:24and they gave me a returns address,
0:07:24 > 0:07:26which was China.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31And I knew then I was better to cut my losses and just take the £90.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34And when she challenged them about their claims to be based in the UK,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36they didn't respond.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40We showed the company website to our technology expert, David McClelland.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43And though he could see that they'd said they were based in the UK,
0:07:43 > 0:07:46and that the web address ending with co.uk
0:07:46 > 0:07:48might make you think that,
0:07:48 > 0:07:51David said there are a few telltale signs to look for
0:07:51 > 0:07:54that reveal it isn't the case.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58So when you first visit wigshow.co.uk, it looks great.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00It's a very professional-looking website,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02lots of striking images and so on.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04But when you start scratching below the surface,
0:08:04 > 0:08:09you start to notice that everything perhaps isn't quite as it should be.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11So when we go down to the bottom of the screen here,
0:08:11 > 0:08:17something you notice is this copyright, copyright 2014-2016.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19That's a bit odd. We're not at 2016 yet.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21And then you look at this introductory paragraph
0:08:21 > 0:08:22at the bottom.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26It's littered with spelling and grammar mistakes as well.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29There are more clues across the site...
0:08:29 > 0:08:31The Contact Us page
0:08:31 > 0:08:36is always quite a good way to assess the credibility of a website.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40So if we click on here, there's no telephone number given,
0:08:40 > 0:08:43there's no address given, and again,
0:08:43 > 0:08:46more spelling mistakes too.
0:08:46 > 0:08:47Any business - wherever it's based -
0:08:47 > 0:08:51can use a web address that ends with the letters co.uk.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53It doesn't mean they're actually located here.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56And a good company won't make it hard to find out
0:08:56 > 0:08:58where they really are.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02The next thing to look out for is when it comes to placing your order.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06Wigshow appears to accept all types of credit and debit card.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10When you try and buy, though, they don't accept these.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12It only accepts PayPal.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16Again, by itself, that maybe isn't a particularly bad sign,
0:09:16 > 0:09:18but when you combine all of these things together,
0:09:18 > 0:09:20it starts to build up a picture of a website
0:09:20 > 0:09:24that maybe you need to be quite cautious about buying from.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27And if you've got a little bit more internet know-how,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30it's easy to do some further research to check out the truth
0:09:30 > 0:09:32behind some of the pictures the website is showing you.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38Find an image, do a right-click, and on this web browser,
0:09:38 > 0:09:40it says, "Search Google for this image."
0:09:40 > 0:09:42It might be a little bit different on your web browser.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45And what that does, it shows you where else on the internet
0:09:45 > 0:09:47that image has actually been used,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50and we see that the image we clicked on from the Wig Store website,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53is actually a picture of Beyonce Knowles' sister,
0:09:53 > 0:09:55and it's relatively unlikely, I would say,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58that she is wearing the wig that Wig Store is selling.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02And we can see the exact picture that the Wig Store website has...
0:10:02 > 0:10:05borrowed, stolen, taken and used on their website.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10The photo of Beyonce's sister, Solange, isn't the only picture
0:10:10 > 0:10:14that Wigshow appears to have "borrowed" to promote their wigs.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16In fact, we were also contacted
0:10:16 > 0:10:20by a genuinely British-based, family-run wig company called Wigs4U,
0:10:20 > 0:10:23who told us that photos of their wigs and models
0:10:23 > 0:10:26have somehow been used all over the Wigshow website.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30OK, so this is our Wigs4U website,
0:10:30 > 0:10:32and as you can see here,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35this is a picture of our model, Lucy,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38wearing the wig "Charlie."
0:10:38 > 0:10:42And if I click over onto the Wigshow website,
0:10:42 > 0:10:45you can see Lucy again in this image.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Wigshow have never contacted me at all,
0:10:47 > 0:10:51to ask for any permission to use the photos that I modelled for.
0:10:51 > 0:10:52They've just taken this image
0:10:52 > 0:10:56and put it on their website along with many other of our styles.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58We're really particular on the quality,
0:10:58 > 0:11:02the workmanship that goes into these wigs.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04We check all of our orders when they come in
0:11:04 > 0:11:07and have a really good relationship with our suppliers, the manufacturers.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12We contacted Wigshow to ask about Vikki's order,
0:11:12 > 0:11:16and the use of photographs taken from other companies' sites.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18But they didn't answer any of our questions,
0:11:18 > 0:11:21simply claiming that they treat their customers well
0:11:21 > 0:11:23and try to do their best with any problems.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Companies based outside the EU
0:11:27 > 0:11:31aren't subject to the same trading laws as those in the UK,
0:11:31 > 0:11:34which can make it hard to get your money back when things go wrong.
0:11:34 > 0:11:39So perhaps Vikki was lucky. She did get a £90 refund from Wigshow,
0:11:39 > 0:11:42meaning she's just £30 out of pocket.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44But she's still upset by what happened
0:11:44 > 0:11:47and hopes others don't end up in the same position.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50I think the Wigshow are taking advantage
0:11:50 > 0:11:52of really vulnerable people
0:11:52 > 0:11:54and I really wanted to do something about it,
0:11:54 > 0:11:58to stop the Wigshow taking advantage of any more people.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05This year, more of you than ever before
0:12:05 > 0:12:07have told us that you've come a cropper
0:12:07 > 0:12:12after signing up for a so-called "risk-free trial" of something online
0:12:12 > 0:12:15and sometimes ended up hundreds of pounds out of pocket.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17But what can be especially frustrating
0:12:17 > 0:12:20is that these aren't simply offers that you've seen advertised,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22I don't know, on some random website.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24Indeed, quite often it's the reverse.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28Maybe you've come across some on trusted sites you use all the time.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31So the question is, how did they get there in the first place?
0:12:31 > 0:12:35Well, we've been unpicking the world of internet advertising.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39So if you've ever wondered how it is that the ads you see online
0:12:39 > 0:12:41can be for products uncannily close
0:12:41 > 0:12:43to the things that you really are interested in,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45then here's the reason why.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Pat Preece enjoys a nice bit of pampering...
0:12:50 > 0:12:53But it's a habit she only acquired recently,
0:12:53 > 0:12:55after her husband, Don, sadly passed away
0:12:55 > 0:12:58and Pat needed some time to herself.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Don was diagnosed with cancer back in 2013,
0:13:01 > 0:13:03and he died nine months later.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06He and Pat had been married for 52 years.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09Right, do you want to come down to the treatment room?
0:13:09 > 0:13:11Yes, yes. Thank you.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15The whole experience has changed my outlook on life.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19Every day is a bonus.
0:13:20 > 0:13:25I really haven't thought to even have my nails done
0:13:25 > 0:13:28or have facials and things like that
0:13:28 > 0:13:30because I've always been too busy with other things.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36In the last months of his life, Don was cared for in a nursing home.
0:13:36 > 0:13:37And as a distraction,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Pat tried to keep on top of her Christmas shopping
0:13:40 > 0:13:41by doing it online.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45I would have sleepless nights.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49And I found that I could be with Don all day and shop all night.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52And this is how I did all of my Christmas shopping.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55Pat spotted an ad on her Facebook page
0:13:55 > 0:13:57for a face cream that looked like a great deal.
0:13:57 > 0:14:05This is where I saw the skincare products advertised.
0:14:05 > 0:14:06All these things, they just pop up.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10While you're on Facebook, they just pop up.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14It was anti-wrinkle and anti-ageing.
0:14:14 > 0:14:19It was anti-everything. And I could have two free samples.
0:14:19 > 0:14:24And all I had to do was send £4.95
0:14:24 > 0:14:25to pay for the postage and packing.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30Sounded good, so Pat ordered the creams,
0:14:30 > 0:14:34paid the £4.95 and thought little more about it,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37until, two months later, she discovered it hadn't been
0:14:37 > 0:14:38such a great deal after all.
0:14:39 > 0:14:44The face cream company had charged her over £380.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47And Pat hadn't realised that by accepting the terms and conditions
0:14:47 > 0:14:49of the trial - which unfortunately, like most people,
0:14:49 > 0:14:51she'd ticked without actually reading -
0:14:51 > 0:14:54she'd given them permission to charge her credit card
0:14:54 > 0:14:56every month until she asked them to stop.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01We've looked into very similar situations before
0:15:01 > 0:15:04with free trials or deals on absolutely everything,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07you name it, from diet pills and supplements
0:15:07 > 0:15:09to face creams, like the ones Pat bought.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11Now, what they typically have in common
0:15:11 > 0:15:13is that buried deep in the small print,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16can be a nasty sting in the tail - one that, if we're honest,
0:15:16 > 0:15:19some of them are counting on you not spotting.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22But this is more than just a case of not reading the small print.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25Quite a few of you have told us you were sucked in
0:15:25 > 0:15:27only because you were reassured
0:15:27 > 0:15:30about where you saw the ad in the first place.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32So in Pat's case, it was because she'd seen it on Facebook
0:15:32 > 0:15:35that she didn't really think there was anything to worry about.
0:15:35 > 0:15:36But be warned,
0:15:36 > 0:15:39online advertising is a whole lot more complicated
0:15:39 > 0:15:41than you might have realised.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45Our technology expert, David McClelland,
0:15:45 > 0:15:47knows all about how these ads work.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50So we asked him to visit Pat and her daughter Jill to explain it all
0:15:50 > 0:15:54so that next time they spot a trial that looks risk-free,
0:15:54 > 0:15:57they'll know more about what they could be getting into.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59So how much did it end up costing you altogether,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02before you realised what was happening
0:16:02 > 0:16:05- and the money was being taken out of your bank?- £384.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07So as far as you understood,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10when you saw that advertisement on Facebook,
0:16:10 > 0:16:12this was a risk-free trial.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14You would pay a small amount of money for postage,
0:16:14 > 0:16:17you would get those goods and that would be the end of your dealings with them.
0:16:17 > 0:16:22That would be the end of it. And my mind wasn't on this, face creams.
0:16:22 > 0:16:28My mind was on being with Don, and being here on my own.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32In the end, Pat cancelled her order,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35returned the products and was given a £75 refund.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38She was still £300 out of pocket.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40However, she put it down to experience.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44After all, Pat admits she should have read the terms and conditions.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46But it's not just chance
0:16:46 > 0:16:49that the ad turned up on her Facebook page in the first place.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52Because of the information that you share with Facebook,
0:16:52 > 0:16:55it knows your name, it knows the things you like,
0:16:55 > 0:16:57it knows your friends and what they like.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00It knows quite a lot of information about you.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02That information is dynamite to advertisers
0:17:02 > 0:17:05who want to use Facebook to promote their services,
0:17:05 > 0:17:08because they can target specific adverts
0:17:08 > 0:17:11to specific groups of people.
0:17:11 > 0:17:12And as David is about to demonstrate,
0:17:12 > 0:17:15it's surprisingly simple for advertisers
0:17:15 > 0:17:17to target potential customers in this way...
0:17:19 > 0:17:21..by making use of the information
0:17:21 > 0:17:24that people like Pat have posted online.
0:17:24 > 0:17:25We can create an advert
0:17:25 > 0:17:28and target it using people's information.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Let's create an advert that people in Staffordshire,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34or even more specific, people in Stafford.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37Right, how old do we want these people to be
0:17:37 > 0:17:39who are going to see this advert?
0:17:39 > 0:17:40Think of a number.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43- 70.- 70, that's good for me.
0:17:43 > 0:17:49- Now, men, women, everybody? - Everybody.- Everybody, all. Good.
0:17:49 > 0:17:55How about relationship status? So only people who are...single.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57You can see how really precise
0:17:57 > 0:18:00we can already be with these adverts.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03So there's a saying about using online services
0:18:03 > 0:18:05that are supposedly free,
0:18:05 > 0:18:07that if you're not paying for the product,
0:18:07 > 0:18:09then you probably are the product.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12And the fact is that Facebook makes its money out of information
0:18:12 > 0:18:17that you give to it, that it can then use to sell advertising to you.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19- Do you find that a bit scary?- Very.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22- Yes, yes, I do.- It's frightening. - It's very frightening.
0:18:22 > 0:18:23- I'm not happy about it.- No?
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Pat saw the face creams on Facebook,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30but sophisticated online advertising like this
0:18:30 > 0:18:32is used right across the internet.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35And here's another clever thing about how it works.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38You may have noticed that if you search for something online one day,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41the very same thing you were looking for will all of a sudden
0:18:41 > 0:18:45appear in adverts on other websites you visit the next day.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47And that is NOT a coincidence.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Most websites use things called cookies,
0:18:51 > 0:18:54software that tracks information about you
0:18:54 > 0:18:57on the basis of which websites you visit - and how often you do it.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02So, there are two types of cookies that end up on your computer.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05The good cookies, as you might like to call them, first party cookies,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08and they are an essential part of how the internet works.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10They remember preferences, so, for example,
0:19:10 > 0:19:14if you're visiting the BBC website it might remember
0:19:14 > 0:19:16where you like your weather forecast to be from
0:19:16 > 0:19:18or how big you like the text to be on the page.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22- Oh, I see...- Now the other cookies, really, are called third party cookies
0:19:22 > 0:19:26and these are the tracking cookies that advertisers leave on your machine
0:19:26 > 0:19:30and that enables them to do this tracking from place to place,
0:19:30 > 0:19:33from site to site, to help them build up this profile.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36You can delete those cookies from within your browser and start again.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39You're basically wiping the slate clean,
0:19:39 > 0:19:43but you will lose a lot of the goodness that comes from those first party cookies as well.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47Well, it's amazing. And I don't like it, really.
0:19:47 > 0:19:48It's technology, isn't it?
0:19:49 > 0:19:52We asked Facebook about the way they work with advertisers -
0:19:52 > 0:19:56and how they protect the data of site users like Pat -
0:19:56 > 0:19:57but they chose not to comment.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00And the company which sold Pat the face cream
0:20:00 > 0:20:02apologised to her for any inconvenience,
0:20:02 > 0:20:04but pointed out that they were only ever acting
0:20:04 > 0:20:08according to their terms and conditions.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11It's been an eye-opener for Pat and Jill who now realise
0:20:11 > 0:20:14that however much they trust the site where they see an ad,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17the ads themselves can be an entirely different story.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20I've got a mobile phone, I've got my computer.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22It's a wonderful thing.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25But I feel that it is really intrusive.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28And it reminds me, years and years ago,
0:20:28 > 0:20:33they talked about "Big Brother is watching you"
0:20:33 > 0:20:36and we never ever thought that it would come, but it's here.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39And they know too much about all of us.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49Still to come on Rip-Off Britain, the online "friends"
0:20:49 > 0:20:51caught out by a scamster in their midst!
0:20:53 > 0:20:55I felt sick, I felt stupid.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57When I started speaking to the other ladies as well,
0:20:57 > 0:20:59they all felt the same.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10Our one-stop consumer advice pop-up shop has opened its doors
0:21:10 > 0:21:13once again, and this year we came to the West Midlands.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15We've got a great team of experts with us this year,
0:21:15 > 0:21:19everything from trading standards to online security specialists
0:21:19 > 0:21:22not to mention legal and financial experts
0:21:22 > 0:21:25and they're all keen to sort out the consumer problems
0:21:25 > 0:21:27that you are bringing through the doors.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33Hi, Tony, thanks very much for coming in.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36Tony Owen came to see financial expert Sarah Pennells
0:21:36 > 0:21:38with a complaint that we hear a lot.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41He doesn't want to pay his phone bill by direct debit.
0:21:41 > 0:21:46But he doesn't see why that should mean he has to pay an extra surcharge.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Although I pay promptly, I get charged £24 per annum
0:21:50 > 0:21:52as an additional cost
0:21:52 > 0:21:54which I feel is totally unreasonable.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56Companies are allowed to charge you extra
0:21:56 > 0:21:58as long as they make it clear
0:21:58 > 0:22:01when they give you your options for how you pay.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04I actually think this is something that...the regulator
0:22:04 > 0:22:07needs to take a really close look at this because a lot of people,
0:22:07 > 0:22:10like you, want to have a bit more control about how much they pay
0:22:10 > 0:22:15- and when they pay it.- That's my prime objection towards direct debits.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17Having had a quick scoot around,
0:22:17 > 0:22:18I haven't looked at all the companies,
0:22:18 > 0:22:22and it seems that the one that you're with actually has one of the lower surcharges.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26I mean, there's another company that charges £5 a month
0:22:26 > 0:22:29so it's £60 a year, £54 a year.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33The figure of between £50 and £60 seems to be standard.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37Have you thought about going onto social media to air your feelings?
0:22:37 > 0:22:41- You might find other people agree with you.- No, I haven't.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43Go out there and make some noise.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45I'm not a noisy person normally.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52Throughout the weekend, we tried to meet as many of you as we could.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58At our pop up shop we give everything free.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02Advice free, leaflets free, everything, indeed. Here you go.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08And our experts ran workshops packed with tips and advice.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11At this one, online security expert David McClelland
0:23:11 > 0:23:14had some great hints on how to keep your passwords safe
0:23:14 > 0:23:16from internet hackers...
0:23:16 > 0:23:20How many of you people out there just have one password
0:23:20 > 0:23:22that you use for everything when you're online?
0:23:25 > 0:23:28We've all got more and more online accounts, right?
0:23:28 > 0:23:32I mean, if I have the same password for all of those accounts,
0:23:32 > 0:23:34it's like giving someone a key
0:23:34 > 0:23:37and that key is the key to your front door, your back door,
0:23:37 > 0:23:39and that's why it's really, really a bad idea
0:23:39 > 0:23:43just to have one password to secure your entire digital presence, if you like.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47Now the problem is, I have only one password because I can't remember
0:23:47 > 0:23:50anything more and I bet a lot of people are the same,
0:23:50 > 0:23:51so what do we do about that?
0:23:51 > 0:23:54First of all, if you're choosing a password,
0:23:54 > 0:23:58do not use a word from the dictionary.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00Do not choose something like your mother's maiden name
0:24:00 > 0:24:02or the place you were born or the name of your kids
0:24:02 > 0:24:05because that's stuff that anyone can easily get access to
0:24:05 > 0:24:07from your social networking profile,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10so choose something that means something special to you.
0:24:10 > 0:24:15So, if your password that you've thought of has got an i in it,
0:24:15 > 0:24:17change that to an exclamation mark
0:24:17 > 0:24:20because that's not something that appears in a dictionary
0:24:20 > 0:24:21and the online fraudsters
0:24:21 > 0:24:23are going to find that much more difficult to guess.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27So, for example, if there's a B try changing that to a 3
0:24:27 > 0:24:30because it looks a bit like a B, doesn't it?
0:24:30 > 0:24:35And we've got an A, that also looks a bit like a number 4.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38So when you start mixing all that stuff together
0:24:38 > 0:24:41this is a word that will not appear in the dictionary
0:24:41 > 0:24:43but will be instantly far more secure
0:24:43 > 0:24:46than the password you might have chosen.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51David's put together a factsheet on staying safe online.
0:24:51 > 0:24:57You can download it from our website at bbc.co.uk/ripoffbritain.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04The internet is awash with all sorts of places
0:25:04 > 0:25:06where you can sell your unwanted stuff,
0:25:06 > 0:25:10or indeed buy somebody else's for a lot less than they would cost new.
0:25:10 > 0:25:11An increasing number of you
0:25:11 > 0:25:15are turning to your favourite social media sites to buy and sell your goods.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18After all, not only will your ad be free
0:25:18 > 0:25:22but what better way to sell than amongst like-minded people
0:25:22 > 0:25:25that you might even have classified as friends.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28But watch out, because some of you have found out the hard way
0:25:28 > 0:25:31that just because everyone looks like they're friends online,
0:25:31 > 0:25:35doesn't mean they actually are, and some of your online acquaintances
0:25:35 > 0:25:38might behave in a distinctly unfriendly way.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Over a third of the entire UK population
0:25:43 > 0:25:46is now reckoned to log on to Facebook every single day.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49And amongst the social network's most regular users
0:25:49 > 0:25:53is event organiser Angela Wood from West Yorkshire.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57But she doesn't use it just to keep in touch with friends and family.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59The Facebook groups that she's a member of
0:25:59 > 0:26:02also play a big part in her wedding planning business.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06I think it's more accessible than a lot of other community-based sites
0:26:06 > 0:26:08that are on the internet at the moment.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10It's a closed group,
0:26:10 > 0:26:12so you actually have to be invited onto the group.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16That means you can only access the information that's been put there,
0:26:16 > 0:26:19or add your own comments and postings,
0:26:19 > 0:26:21once you've been accepted by the group's administrators,
0:26:21 > 0:26:25or by a friend who's already a member.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29Groups like the ones Angela uses have become a way for individuals,
0:26:29 > 0:26:34or small businesses like hers, to buy and sell things online.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38They're rather like impromptu classified sites, with, it seems,
0:26:38 > 0:26:41the added bonus that you're only dealing with like-minded people.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46On one of the groups, there is about 40,000 members throughout the UK.
0:26:46 > 0:26:51Which is great, but I'm on at least 30 other wedding sites
0:26:51 > 0:26:54which are all fantastic for helping each other,
0:26:54 > 0:26:58for advising each other, for passing information on.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00Angela was coordinating a wedding reception.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02And with the budget very tight,
0:27:02 > 0:27:05she turned to her trusty Facebook buy and sell sites
0:27:05 > 0:27:09to find some bargain accessories to help make it an occasion to remember.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13I was talking on Facebook on one of the wedding sites,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16asking a lady about certain items that she was selling
0:27:16 > 0:27:21and another lady popped up onto the messages and interrupted the messages,
0:27:21 > 0:27:24stating that she had some items for sale and would I be interested?
0:27:25 > 0:27:28The Facebook user - who called herself Vicky Elliot -
0:27:28 > 0:27:32seemed to have just the sort of items Angela was looking for...
0:27:32 > 0:27:36I decided to purchase from her a lovely postbox,
0:27:36 > 0:27:40some martini glasses, some cushions
0:27:40 > 0:27:44and the best thing was a Mr & Mrs wooden carved sign,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46which was just in the perfect colours for us.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49When Angela asked how she should pay,
0:27:49 > 0:27:52she was told that Vicky's PayPal account wasn't working,
0:27:52 > 0:27:56so she'd need to pay by bank transfer instead.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59And while normally that would set alarm bells ringing,
0:27:59 > 0:28:03Vicky was, after all, a member of a closed Facebook group.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06So it was easy for Angela to find out a little bit more about her.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09I looked at her Facebook profile page.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13She had pictures on there of her family, friends,
0:28:13 > 0:28:15happy birthday messages...
0:28:15 > 0:28:18It just seemed as genuine as my Facebook page.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20So I just trusted her.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24And that trust grew when Vicky even offered to deduct from her price
0:28:24 > 0:28:27the fees that Angela's bank said they'd charge for the transaction.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31I just thought, "Oh, what a lovely person."
0:28:31 > 0:28:34She just obviously wants to get rid of the items.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36She doesn't want them in her house any more.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40She... You know, any little bit of money that they can get for them.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44So Angela went to her bank
0:28:44 > 0:28:47and transferred £76 into Vicky's account.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49But when she returned home
0:28:49 > 0:28:51and began browsing through some other wedding sites on Facebook,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54she made a very worrying discovery...
0:28:54 > 0:28:58I just happened to go onto the wedding scammers site,
0:28:58 > 0:29:02and that's when her name popped up.
0:29:02 > 0:29:07People posting messages about what she'd done to them.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09So obviously, I posted my message saying,
0:29:09 > 0:29:13"I have just purchased some items from this individual.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15"Oh, dear."
0:29:15 > 0:29:19And they asked me what I'd purchased and a couple of them said,
0:29:19 > 0:29:22"Yeah, we've purchased those items as well from her."
0:29:23 > 0:29:26More than 20 users were saying that they had not received
0:29:26 > 0:29:28any of the goods they'd purchased from Vicky Elliot.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32And as they too had paid her through bank transfer,
0:29:32 > 0:29:35there was no way of getting their money back.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39Angela immediately got in touch with Vicky
0:29:39 > 0:29:41to try and get to the bottom of what she was reading.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46I explained to her that there's been a post put up
0:29:46 > 0:29:52on one of the sites regarding her, and what she's been up to.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55She came back at me, and she said, "I've seen that.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57"It's nothing to do with me. Honestly, I am genuine.
0:29:57 > 0:30:02"Here is my mobile number, please ring me." Which I did.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05She again... We had a long conversation, she again
0:30:05 > 0:30:09seemed very genuine, promised me the goods would be in the post
0:30:09 > 0:30:12and as we were talking on the telephone she said,
0:30:12 > 0:30:16"Look, I'm doing the transaction now, via a courier.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18"I will send you all the information."
0:30:18 > 0:30:21So Angela was reassured but only temporarily.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25Vicky started to make excuses about not being able to send the goods,
0:30:25 > 0:30:29and meanwhile, Angela kept seeing more and more allegations
0:30:29 > 0:30:31about Vicky appearing on Facebook.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35So she felt she had no option but to ask for her money back.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38I just thought, hopefully,
0:30:38 > 0:30:41she's not even taken the money out of the bank yet,
0:30:41 > 0:30:44so she can do a refund.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47So I did send her a message in the morning saying, "Please,
0:30:47 > 0:30:49"I know I'm not going to get the goods now,
0:30:49 > 0:30:51"so please send me a refund."
0:30:51 > 0:30:52Which she promised me she would do.
0:30:54 > 0:30:56She said she obviously didn't want to speak to me anymore,
0:30:56 > 0:31:00but she would send me a refund, and it will be done within two hours.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03But, I'm afraid, the two hours passed
0:31:03 > 0:31:06and there was no sign of Angela's refund.
0:31:06 > 0:31:07When she brought it up with Vicky,
0:31:07 > 0:31:11her previously friendly manner seemed to have completely vanished.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15She then got very abusive when I sent her a message
0:31:15 > 0:31:17asking her why the money wasn't in the account,
0:31:17 > 0:31:20as promised, within two hours.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24So she just sent me one very, very abusive message and blocked me
0:31:24 > 0:31:26so I couldn't send any messages to her.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29Wouldn't pick up the phone to me,
0:31:29 > 0:31:32so there was just no way that I could contact her at all.
0:31:32 > 0:31:37Facing the realisation that she wasn't likely to see her money again,
0:31:37 > 0:31:39Angela decided to share her experience
0:31:39 > 0:31:41with the other members of the Facebook community.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44And for many of them, it was a familiar story.
0:31:44 > 0:31:49I felt sick, I felt stupid.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52I felt embarrassed.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55But when I started speaking to the other ladies as well,
0:31:55 > 0:31:57they all felt the same. Unfortunately, some brides
0:31:57 > 0:32:01have lost quite a lot of money to this individual,
0:32:01 > 0:32:04a lot more than me, and they've done the same thing.
0:32:04 > 0:32:05She said exactly the same to them,
0:32:05 > 0:32:09that their PayPal wasn't working properly.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12But at the end of the day, when you want something,
0:32:12 > 0:32:15you're blinkered, and you just think, "Yes, I want them."
0:32:15 > 0:32:18We tried to contact Vicky Elliot about Angela's experience,
0:32:18 > 0:32:22but she didn't respond to our e-mails or, indeed, our letters.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25We also asked Facebook about Angela's situation,
0:32:25 > 0:32:28and about the buy and sell pages on their site.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31They declined to comment, although in the past,
0:32:31 > 0:32:33while stressing the greater accountability and security
0:32:33 > 0:32:36that their site offers compared to others,
0:32:36 > 0:32:38they've advised people to be vigilant
0:32:38 > 0:32:40when buying goods outside of approved retailers.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45Angela's experience underlines the advice
0:32:45 > 0:32:48we've said on the programme many, many times before.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52Avoid buying anything online via a bank transfer.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54Because you won't be able to retrieve your money
0:32:54 > 0:32:56if there's a problem.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58But despite what's happened,
0:32:58 > 0:33:01Angela hasn't been put off using community buy and sell sites,
0:33:01 > 0:33:04although she'll definitely be more cautious in the future.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09I just feel so stupid that I've let it happen.
0:33:09 > 0:33:10But it does happen.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14I always said that it would never happen to me,
0:33:14 > 0:33:15and it has.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25Now, this may sound just a little bit scary.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27Whether you're someone who shares
0:33:27 > 0:33:32absolutely every aspect of your personal life with other people on the social media,
0:33:32 > 0:33:36or if you guard your privacy with gusto,
0:33:36 > 0:33:40you can be pretty certain that somewhere out there on the internet,
0:33:40 > 0:33:45there are pretty basic details of who you are,
0:33:45 > 0:33:49where you live, when you were born and they're all freely available.
0:33:49 > 0:33:50The truth is,
0:33:50 > 0:33:54we're simply not as protective of our personal information as we should be.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57So we've done a test to find out
0:33:57 > 0:34:01exactly what the consequences of lax security can be.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05And to discover how even the most basic details
0:34:05 > 0:34:07can help fraudsters earn a fortune.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13We're not all as safe online as we'd like to think.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16And sharing too much information about ourselves
0:34:16 > 0:34:19can make us easy targets for online criminals.
0:34:22 > 0:34:23So today, at London's Earls Court,
0:34:23 > 0:34:27some of the top experts in internet security have come together
0:34:27 > 0:34:29to share ways of beating the fraudsters.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33It's the job of people like James Lyne
0:34:33 > 0:34:36to stay one step ahead of the scammers.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39But that's a challenge that never stops evolving!
0:34:39 > 0:34:41Any convenience technology that we come up with,
0:34:41 > 0:34:44from wireless to the new internet of things,
0:34:44 > 0:34:48devices we're plugging into every part of our homes and business life.
0:34:48 > 0:34:49Any time we adopt one of those,
0:34:49 > 0:34:52the scammers come up with a creative way to abuse it.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57So we've asked James to help us with a test.
0:34:57 > 0:35:01To find out just how easy it is to get hold of personal information online,
0:35:01 > 0:35:05he's going see how much information he can track down about this man.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09I have his name and e-mail address and we're going to find out
0:35:09 > 0:35:15exactly how much information we can get online about him and his life.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17Our guinea pig for James's research
0:35:17 > 0:35:20is Rip-Off Britain viewer Ashley Lawrence,
0:35:20 > 0:35:23who wrote to us after he became one of the four million victims
0:35:23 > 0:35:25of ID theft in the UK.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29James is going to be trying to work out how that happened,
0:35:29 > 0:35:33identifying how much information there is online about Ashley,
0:35:33 > 0:35:36and showing him how to protect himself from it ever happening again.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40Whoever stole Ashley's identity back in 2012
0:35:40 > 0:35:44managed to set up a second user on his credit card,
0:35:44 > 0:35:47and spent more than £2,000 before the fraud was spotted.
0:35:49 > 0:35:54It was very worrying to find how easily a complete stranger
0:35:54 > 0:35:59had been able to find out information about me
0:35:59 > 0:36:04and how easy it was for them to convince a bank that they were me.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09Ashley did get his money back from the credit card company,
0:36:09 > 0:36:13but the crime made it obvious just how insecure his accounts were.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15All the fraudster seemed to need was his date of birth
0:36:15 > 0:36:18or his mother's maiden name, along with freely available information
0:36:18 > 0:36:20like his address or phone number.
0:36:20 > 0:36:25Information like my e-mail address, my home address,
0:36:25 > 0:36:27my telephone number
0:36:27 > 0:36:32is information that I had regarded as not at all confidential.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37I'd happily give that information to anybody who requested it.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41And many of us might do the same.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43But as James is about to demonstrate,
0:36:43 > 0:36:47even such basic information is just the starting point for a fraudster.
0:36:50 > 0:36:51- Ashley.- How are you?
0:36:52 > 0:36:57We'd given James Ashley's full name and e-mail address but nothing more.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00But from just those details he was able to open the door
0:37:00 > 0:37:02to a surprising amount of personal information.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06So, Ashley, I've been doing a little searching
0:37:06 > 0:37:08based on the information that you provided
0:37:08 > 0:37:11and I just want to share a couple of the results.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15- Does this number here mean anything to you?- Yes, it does.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17What is that number?
0:37:17 > 0:37:20It's been my home telephone number for the last 20 odd years.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24And combining these key pieces of information with the name
0:37:24 > 0:37:28and e-mail address that he started with, suddenly finding out more
0:37:28 > 0:37:30about Ashley is made a lot easier.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34Just those small nuggets of information are enough
0:37:34 > 0:37:35to start a ripple effect.
0:37:35 > 0:37:41Most people don't think twice about posting I'm XYZ age today,
0:37:41 > 0:37:44not realising they've just given away their date of birth
0:37:44 > 0:37:48which is, of course, a secret when it comes to setting up credit cards,
0:37:48 > 0:37:50banking information and alike.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53It's much more valuable than people think.
0:37:53 > 0:37:57And what's really scary is how far some of this information can travel.
0:37:57 > 0:38:02I did actually find a couple of Russian forums
0:38:02 > 0:38:05which mentioned your e-mail address and telephone number.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07There are people that go out looking for victims
0:38:07 > 0:38:09and they've obviously siphoned that information
0:38:09 > 0:38:13and put it onto a list and gone, "Hey, here's an interesting target."
0:38:13 > 0:38:16I don't think I've ever had any connection
0:38:16 > 0:38:19with any Russian person, firm or company, so...
0:38:19 > 0:38:20No, it's quite common.
0:38:20 > 0:38:27In fact, at the moment your name plus e-mail address and telephone number
0:38:27 > 0:38:31can be sold by a cyber-crime gang for about one and a half US dollars.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34If they had any financial information about you -
0:38:34 > 0:38:36credit card details, bank account details -
0:38:36 > 0:38:39that becomes worth about 40 US dollars.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42But things are about to get even more shocking for Ashley
0:38:42 > 0:38:46as James reveals how even information about Ashley's hobbies
0:38:46 > 0:38:48can make him an easy target.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51It enables them to tailor a scam,
0:38:51 > 0:38:55perhaps knowing the people that you're regularly in contact with
0:38:55 > 0:38:58and you trust or the interests that are most likely to get you
0:38:58 > 0:39:00to go to a website or double-click.
0:39:00 > 0:39:05If you consider, if I was to send you an e-mail from James Lyne
0:39:05 > 0:39:07saying please open this file.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09Who's James Lyne? And probably ignore it
0:39:09 > 0:39:12but if I sent it from one of the members
0:39:12 > 0:39:14of the programme committee of this society...
0:39:14 > 0:39:18- I'd open it automatically... - ..as most people would.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21But e-mails like that can come with a dangerous attachment -
0:39:21 > 0:39:24or the suggestion you click on a particular link.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26You might automatically click that link
0:39:26 > 0:39:30before you've even realised the e-mail is not from someone you trust.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33That one click won't have led you to anywhere useful.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37But it could give the hackers access to everything inside your computer!
0:39:39 > 0:39:41Using a second computer,
0:39:41 > 0:39:44James can show Ashley exactly how it is
0:39:44 > 0:39:47that once you've clicked the link on a spurious e-mail,
0:39:47 > 0:39:50a fraudster can get their hands on all of your secrets.
0:39:50 > 0:39:54So I've just deployed a virus to this system here
0:39:54 > 0:39:56and I can do things like this.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03I can grab photos of the screen so this is now me,
0:40:03 > 0:40:07the other side of the world, taking photos of your computer.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10- Right...- I could turn on the webcam.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13I could access the files on the system as well.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16What's on my computer, you now have access to.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18- Exactly.- And I don't know that you've done that?- Exactly.
0:40:18 > 0:40:22So, a trail that begins with something as simple as a name
0:40:22 > 0:40:25and an e-mail address can end up with hackers getting full access
0:40:25 > 0:40:28to your computer and anything that's on it.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31- It's terrifying.- It's surprisingly easy, isn't it?
0:40:31 > 0:40:33With such a little bit of information,
0:40:33 > 0:40:38that they're able to expand upon it.
0:40:38 > 0:40:43And really take over my personality, my...that's terrifying.
0:40:43 > 0:40:44But don't panic!
0:40:44 > 0:40:46James has got plenty of advice
0:40:46 > 0:40:49to help us all better protect ourselves.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51First things first, make sure you're running good,
0:40:51 > 0:40:56- up-to-date anti-virus and security software on your computer.- Yes.
0:40:56 > 0:40:57It's not going to stop everything
0:40:57 > 0:41:00but it will deal with a lot of the problems.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03Next, you want to make sure that if you do have an online presence
0:41:03 > 0:41:07like your e-mail address you're sharing to the world,
0:41:07 > 0:41:10maybe have another e-mail address that you use for your online shopping
0:41:10 > 0:41:13or another e-mail address you use with friends and family
0:41:13 > 0:41:16so that they can't just hit you in one place and get everything.
0:41:18 > 0:41:22And finally, a non-technical one, just consider,
0:41:22 > 0:41:24does this person really need that information?
0:41:24 > 0:41:26Can I lie and give them
0:41:26 > 0:41:31a false date of birth to limit the data that's out there about you?
0:41:31 > 0:41:34Those are all tips Ashley will be following from now on.
0:41:34 > 0:41:38I'm going to be very much more careful in future
0:41:38 > 0:41:41about giving information.
0:41:41 > 0:41:46I'm going to be far more wary, far more cautious
0:41:46 > 0:41:49and I'd advise other people to do the same.
0:41:57 > 0:41:58Here at Rip-Off Britain,
0:41:58 > 0:42:02we're always ready to investigate more of your stories.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04You can write to us at:
0:42:10 > 0:42:12Or send us an e-mail to:
0:42:15 > 0:42:17And remember that the Rip-Off team
0:42:17 > 0:42:20is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28You know, I would guess that most of us who use the internet have,
0:42:28 > 0:42:30at some point or another, given out details
0:42:30 > 0:42:33that we just would not dream of handing over to someone in person.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35Because really it's just too easy to forget,
0:42:35 > 0:42:38when you're sitting in the comfort of your own home,
0:42:38 > 0:42:41that we can't necessarily trust everything or everyone
0:42:41 > 0:42:43that we come across online.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47And that's a mistake that could leave you out of pocket.
0:42:47 > 0:42:51So the obvious advice is not to take what you see on a website as fact
0:42:51 > 0:42:53without doing a bit more research yourself.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55Because sometimes the online shop
0:42:55 > 0:42:58that looks like it's just around the corner might not be.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01And that advert that seems to be speaking directly to your interests
0:43:01 > 0:43:04has been put there to do just that.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07So remember, whenever a website is asking for personal details,
0:43:07 > 0:43:11money - or both - it pays to be cautious before you give away either.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14Well, one website you can definitely trust is our own
0:43:14 > 0:43:18at bbc.co.uk/ripoffbritain.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20You'll find plenty more tips and advice there
0:43:20 > 0:43:24about staying safe online and we'll be back soon with more stories
0:43:24 > 0:43:26that we hope will keep you and your money out of trouble.
0:43:26 > 0:43:28- Till then, from all of us, goodbye. - Bye-bye.