0:00:02 > 0:00:05We asked you to tell us what's left you feeling ripped off
0:00:05 > 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 > 0:00:16If you're paying for good service, you expect a good service
0:00:16 > 0:00:18and a good product, whatever it may be.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21At the end of the day, we expect value for money.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24You've asked us to track down the scammers who stole your money
0:00:24 > 0:00:28and investigate the extra charges you say are unfair.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30The wool's been pulled over our eyes.
0:00:30 > 0:00:31I don't think we get a fair price.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34I think they should always put the customer first.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37And when you've lost out but nobody else is to blame,
0:00:37 > 0:00:41you've come to us to stop others falling into the same trap.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45And no-one could sort that out for you over ten years? No-one has.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49So, whether it's a blatant rip-off or a genuine mistake, we're
0:00:49 > 0:00:53here to find out why you're out of pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58Your stories, your money. This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Hello and welcome once again to Rip-Off Britain where,
0:01:04 > 0:01:07as ever, the team has been going through all the letters and
0:01:07 > 0:01:09e-mails that you've very kindly sent
0:01:09 > 0:01:12on a really quite extraordinary range of subjects.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14What they all have in common, of course,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17is that somewhere along the line, things have not gone the way
0:01:17 > 0:01:19that you thought that they would or should,
0:01:19 > 0:01:23leaving you, in some way, feeling short-changed or disappointed
0:01:23 > 0:01:24with the service that you received.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27So, as we investigate some of your stories today, we're going to
0:01:27 > 0:01:31be pushing for answers on exactly what it was that went wrong.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35And we'll also have plenty of unmissable advice so that,
0:01:35 > 0:01:38if you find yourself in a similar situation to the people we are about
0:01:38 > 0:01:41to meet, you will have a much better idea on what to do next.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47Coming up, the families who invested everything in overseas property
0:01:47 > 0:01:50they fear will never be built.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53We took 40 years of hard work to accrue that money
0:01:53 > 0:01:57and I will not give in until I've got our money back.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00And a sinister twist in telephone scams -
0:02:00 > 0:02:03how the fraudsters hijack numbers they know you trust.
0:02:03 > 0:02:08The number that showed up on my phone was the same number as
0:02:08 > 0:02:11the Santander card.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13And that convinced me he must be from the bank.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19Now, you send us hundreds of e-mails and letters,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21and we love getting them.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Sadly, a lot of them are about situations where your money didn't
0:02:24 > 0:02:29get you what you were expecting, and here's a classic case of that.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Things didn't go to plan and the implications of that
0:02:32 > 0:02:35have caused an awful lot of stress and bother.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40In 2012, Rip-Off Britain told the story of James
0:02:40 > 0:02:43and Christine McBride and their son, Greg.
0:02:43 > 0:02:44Five years earlier,
0:02:44 > 0:02:49they'd invested ?75,000 in an off-plan cabana on the Caribbean
0:02:49 > 0:02:52island of Saint Vincent in the Grenadines through a company
0:02:52 > 0:02:53called Harlequin Property.
0:02:55 > 0:02:56'Welcome to Harlequin Property.'
0:02:56 > 0:02:59The McBrides had bought the property at what they'd been told was
0:02:59 > 0:03:02half its market value and were assured it would be ready
0:03:02 > 0:03:07for them to rent out less than two years after Greg signed the contract.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09In fact, after three-and-a-half years,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11the resort still hadn't been completed,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14and with James and Christine relying on the rental income to fund their
0:03:14 > 0:03:19retirement, that had a disastrous impact on the family's finances.
0:03:19 > 0:03:24The worry about where our money had gone all started to kick in
0:03:24 > 0:03:27and I was frightened, I suppose,
0:03:27 > 0:03:32that we'd invested in something that was going to go down the drain.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35Well, it was after that point, having abandoned hope of ever
0:03:35 > 0:03:39seeing their property completed, that the family came to us.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41By now, they just wanted their deposit back,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44and when we intervened, they got it.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Harlequin returned their ?75,000 in full.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49It was a great result for the McBrides.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54But there are many other Harlequin investors who haven't been
0:03:54 > 0:03:58so lucky and have ended up with neither their property or a refund.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Among them, Joy and Reg Wickham.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03The fear of never seeing our money again
0:04:03 > 0:04:07and what the future would hold for us without that money,
0:04:07 > 0:04:09doesn't really bear thinking about.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11Their dealings with Harlequin began in 2010.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Like James and Christine, Joy and Reg were hoping to
0:04:14 > 0:04:17fund their retirement with a rental property in the sun.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21They had a lump sum of ?40,500 to invest.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24We wanted something that would show a return as soon as possible
0:04:24 > 0:04:27to sort of coincide with my retirement.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31After hearing about Harlequin from a financial adviser, the couple
0:04:31 > 0:04:35visited the company's head office to learn more and decided to invest.
0:04:35 > 0:04:40We put down the initial deposit of 40,500 against the purchase
0:04:40 > 0:04:43price of 135,000.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46That was for an off-plan studio apartment
0:04:46 > 0:04:50on the Two Rivers Resort in the Dominican Republic.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52But the following year, alarm bells began to ring
0:04:52 > 0:04:57when it became clear that progress on the resort was seriously delayed.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01We were told, no, it's like a year behind and it's going to be 2013.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04We were a little bit choked because we wanted something to give us
0:05:04 > 0:05:06a return as soon as possible.
0:05:06 > 0:05:11By the time 2013 arrived, Reg had been diagnosed with cancer,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14and both he and Joy were no longer working.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17With all their savings tied up with Harlequin, they were desperate
0:05:17 > 0:05:21for cash and asked the company to give them their deposit back.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24They were pinning their hopes on a clause in the contract which
0:05:24 > 0:05:29stated that if the building was not completed by 30th June 2014,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32then the couple would be entitled to a refund.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36So that's when we thought we should be entitled for them
0:05:36 > 0:05:38to definitely give us our money back.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42In the meantime, desperate for cash, the couple felt they had no
0:05:42 > 0:05:47choice but to sell their much-loved home in the UK and downsize.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50We still have a nice home but I don't feel at home here.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54You all right?
0:05:55 > 0:05:57As the refund deadline approached, Joy
0:05:57 > 0:06:00and Reg received a call from the boss of Harlequin Property,
0:06:00 > 0:06:05David Ames, who told them that the company was restructuring
0:06:05 > 0:06:07and their best chance of recovering their money was to
0:06:07 > 0:06:10move it into what he called an "investment trust".
0:06:10 > 0:06:12But when they examined the small print,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15they saw a condition which meant that, in doing so,
0:06:15 > 0:06:19they could be severely limiting their options in pursuing any claim
0:06:19 > 0:06:21or legal action against Harlequin.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23We didn't want to join the trust
0:06:23 > 0:06:27because the trust wanted to tie our hands behind our back.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29So the couple rejected the offer,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32believing that holding out for the breach-of-contract date still
0:06:32 > 0:06:35represented their best hope of getting the money back.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37But when that date finally arrived,
0:06:37 > 0:06:41the couple were told that the company restructuring was ongoing
0:06:41 > 0:06:42and it wouldn't be
0:06:42 > 0:06:46until mid-2015 that its financial position would be any clearer.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50We need our money back so that we can generate an income with
0:06:50 > 0:06:54that money to help us as we approach retirement.
0:06:55 > 0:07:01But mid-2015 came and went without any definitive update from Harlequin.
0:07:02 > 0:07:07Since we were last on the programme, I've e-mailed Harlequin again,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09asking when we're going to get our money back,
0:07:09 > 0:07:13and their reply was they cannot allow investors to
0:07:13 > 0:07:19cancel their contracts whilst the restructuring process continues.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21As far as I'm concerned,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24they cancelled the contract a year ago, not us.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30In fact, with Harlequin Property the subject of an ongoing investigation
0:07:30 > 0:07:33by the Serious Fraud Office and Essex Police,
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Reg and Joy fear their hopes of ever seeing any of their money
0:07:36 > 0:07:39back from the company are further away than ever.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43So they're meeting solicitor Malcolm Evans, who's worked with scores of other investors
0:07:43 > 0:07:48whose dealings with Harlequin have left them in the same desperate situation.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52There is in law, I think, the basis for a claim.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54What I can say,
0:07:54 > 0:07:59without any hesitation, by having this foreign jurisdiction
0:07:59 > 0:08:04layer makes the process a little bit more difficult.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06But that isn't the only hurdle.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08Even if you were successful, there is
0:08:08 > 0:08:13the issue of whether you would be able to obtain any
0:08:13 > 0:08:19compensation, given Harlequin's fairly fragile financial state.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Uncertain about their chance of success,
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Malcolm advises others to think very carefully
0:08:24 > 0:08:27before investing in similar developments overseas,
0:08:27 > 0:08:29whatever the promised benefits.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33It's well recognised that this particular investment,
0:08:33 > 0:08:35which is unregulated,
0:08:35 > 0:08:40is only suitable for experienced investors.
0:08:40 > 0:08:41It's so off-piste.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45You'd regard this as being a rather exotic
0:08:45 > 0:08:48sort of investment. This is high-risk.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52For its part, however, Harlequin Property insists that...
0:08:55 > 0:08:56..telling us...
0:08:58 > 0:09:02It's confident that various factors over the next few months
0:09:02 > 0:09:06including a potential deal with an international property company
0:09:06 > 0:09:08will put the company in a position to...
0:09:11 > 0:09:12And...
0:09:14 > 0:09:18In the past, it's promised such options will include refunds
0:09:18 > 0:09:20for those who request it.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23As for the Serious Fraud Office investigation,
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Harlequin Property is confident that there is...
0:09:26 > 0:09:27..but...
0:09:30 > 0:09:33But for Reg and Joy and others in the same boat,
0:09:33 > 0:09:35the only news they want from Harlequin,
0:09:35 > 0:09:37after years of uncertainty,
0:09:37 > 0:09:40is that they will finally get their money returned.
0:09:40 > 0:09:45We took 40 years of hard work to accrue that money
0:09:45 > 0:09:47and I will not take no for an answer
0:09:47 > 0:09:51and I will not give in until I've got our money back.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58Research that's been done especially for Rip-Off Britain
0:09:58 > 0:10:00by the Money Advice Service suggests
0:10:00 > 0:10:06that there are eight scam phone calls generated every single second.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08And what's more, nearly two-thirds of us have received
0:10:08 > 0:10:11a suspicious call in the last 12 months.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13And, if all of that wasn't bad enough,
0:10:13 > 0:10:15there's now a truly terrifying reason why
0:10:15 > 0:10:18you just might very easily be taken in
0:10:18 > 0:10:20by whoever it is who's on the end of the line.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23And that's because some scammers have found a way
0:10:23 > 0:10:27to make their calls sound all too plausible.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Whenever the phone rings,
0:10:31 > 0:10:34before deciding whether or not to answer, many of us rely on the fact
0:10:34 > 0:10:37that we can actually see the number of whoever it is that's calling.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39And, better yet, their name.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Especially if it's someone whose number we've programmed in,
0:10:42 > 0:10:46such as a friend or relative, or perhaps the bank.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49But what if the name or number displayed isn't really who it
0:10:49 > 0:10:50appears to be?
0:10:50 > 0:10:52I wouldn't have thought that was possible.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54You would trust the phone number.
0:10:54 > 0:10:55If it said "bank" on my phone,
0:10:55 > 0:10:58then I would definitely believe that's who was actually calling.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00If the number that I got over the phone matched the one on the
0:11:00 > 0:11:04back of my card, then no doubt, I'd definitely believe that.
0:11:04 > 0:11:05Well, perhaps they shouldn't.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09Because the terrifying reality is that there is already
0:11:09 > 0:11:11widely available technology
0:11:11 > 0:11:14that allows someone not just to disguise their number
0:11:14 > 0:11:17when they call, but to display on your telephone instead
0:11:17 > 0:11:19a number that looks reassuringly familiar.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21It's known as number spoofing.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24And it's being increasingly used by fraudsters
0:11:24 > 0:11:28who know that we're all becoming more wary about who's on the phone.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32Pensioners Tricia and Andy Evans from Kent were caught out after
0:11:32 > 0:11:36getting a call from what appeared to be their bank, Santander.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38And what helped convince them of that
0:11:38 > 0:11:43was that it was the bank's number displayed on the phone.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47The number that showed up on my phone was the same number as
0:11:47 > 0:11:49the back of the Santander card.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53And that convinced me he must be from the bank.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55So, we thought, well, that's it,
0:11:55 > 0:11:56it can't be anything else.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00It seemed to be that he was from the bank.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04That he was phoning me to help me.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07The person at the end of the phone said that their accounts were
0:12:07 > 0:12:10at risk from fraudsters, and, to avoid losing their savings,
0:12:10 > 0:12:15they'd need to act fast, and move their money into different,
0:12:15 > 0:12:17supposedly safer accounts.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20I was in a panic that we were losing our money.
0:12:20 > 0:12:25He said, right, from your cash ISA account, we'll move that first,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28and he wanted me to take the whole lot out.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30With the number displayed on their phone
0:12:30 > 0:12:34so clearly that of the bank, or so it seemed,
0:12:34 > 0:12:38Tricia had no qualms about transferring a total of ?50,000
0:12:38 > 0:12:41from their various accounts into what they were told were
0:12:41 > 0:12:44the new ones that the person calling had set up for them.
0:12:44 > 0:12:45And it was only the next day,
0:12:45 > 0:12:48when the couple rang the bank to check that their money really
0:12:48 > 0:12:52was now safe, that they discovered it had all been an elaborate con.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57They'd been tricked into handing ?50,000 to scammers.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01My overall feeling was devastation, to be honest.
0:13:01 > 0:13:07I did go down into a very deep depression afterwards,
0:13:07 > 0:13:10for quite a long time, because we'd lost a lot of money.
0:13:10 > 0:13:15And I was thinking, you know, that's our retirement fund gone up the creek.
0:13:15 > 0:13:21But I did feel...I felt really, really stupid, to have been conned.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23We just couldn't believe it, really.
0:13:23 > 0:13:24But, at the end of the day,
0:13:24 > 0:13:31it was down to the scam he did with his phone, and the way he talked
0:13:31 > 0:13:35on the phone was so convincing that we just accepted it.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Once the bank had been notified,
0:13:37 > 0:13:41it was able to halt the transactions that hadn't yet completed,
0:13:41 > 0:13:45recovering ?27,500 of the couple's money.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47But the remaining ?22,500
0:13:47 > 0:13:50had already gone into the scammer's accounts.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53The bank told us that, while sympathetic to the couple's
0:13:53 > 0:13:57situation and the distress caused by being the victim of a scam,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00it didn't have an opportunity to prevent what happened,
0:14:00 > 0:14:03because by the time Tricia contacted Santander,
0:14:03 > 0:14:06she'd already transferred the money
0:14:06 > 0:14:08and, as she had authorised the transactions,
0:14:08 > 0:14:11the bank cannot accept any responsibility for the losses.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15Now, in the past, we've highlighted many of the ways in which
0:14:15 > 0:14:19phone scammers can dupe you into handing over your cash.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23But this number spoofing raises the game to a whole new level.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26In simplistic terms, number spoofing
0:14:26 > 0:14:31is simply where you can arrange for the phone that you're using
0:14:31 > 0:14:34to be shown up as a different phone number altogether,
0:14:34 > 0:14:36a number that you can choose,
0:14:36 > 0:14:38that might suit you in some way.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42And while many legitimate businesses use this technology to reach
0:14:42 > 0:14:44their customers with a familiar number,
0:14:44 > 0:14:48it is clearly also being used by criminals to scam their victims.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50There are now apps, commonly available apps,
0:14:50 > 0:14:54where you can download an app onto your phone
0:14:54 > 0:14:57and make use of this function very easily, very readily,
0:14:57 > 0:14:59and that's why it's become much more widespread
0:14:59 > 0:15:00in the last couple of years.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04And if it wasn't bad enough that banks and businesses can have
0:15:04 > 0:15:06their numbers spoofed,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09unfortunately, scammers have found a way to take advantage
0:15:09 > 0:15:11of private residential numbers, too,
0:15:11 > 0:15:15hiding behind a genuine looking number that could even be yours,
0:15:15 > 0:15:19as samba musician John Last from Ipswich discovered in 2015,
0:15:19 > 0:15:21when he suddenly started getting calls
0:15:21 > 0:15:24from people he didn't know from all over the country.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26The first calls started at the end of June
0:15:26 > 0:15:29and are still ongoing.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Most of them are late afternoon, early evening.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Some are every two minutes, every five minutes.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36And what he's told is always the same.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Each caller says they've received a phone call from someone using
0:15:40 > 0:15:43John's number, claiming to work at Microsoft.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47John was initially confused. He knew he hadn't made any of the calls,
0:15:47 > 0:15:50and he'd never worked for Microsoft.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Nor, at this point, had he heard of spoofing.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57So he had no idea how his number could be used without him knowing.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00Wondering if someone had been able to tap into his line,
0:16:00 > 0:16:02he contacted his phone company.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04They had no idea what was going on, either.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07They came and checked the line three times, and there was never a problem
0:16:07 > 0:16:09with the line.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12John contacted Trading Standards who told him that his number
0:16:12 > 0:16:15appeared to be being used as part of a scam,
0:16:15 > 0:16:19where fraudsters were trying to access people's computers remotely
0:16:19 > 0:16:21to steal their personal details,
0:16:21 > 0:16:25and they'd found a way of using his number without him even knowing.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29I'm angry that these lowlife can do this
0:16:29 > 0:16:33but there doesn't appear to be anything that I can do,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36other than change my number, and why should I, anyway?
0:16:36 > 0:16:39It's my number. Why should anybody else steal it?
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Phone regulator Ofcom is so concerned about number spoofing
0:16:42 > 0:16:45that it's joined an international task force,
0:16:45 > 0:16:47specifically set up to tackle the problem.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51But in the meantime, the best advice to avoid being taken in
0:16:51 > 0:16:53is that, even if it looks like you are being called by
0:16:53 > 0:16:55a number that you recognise or trust,
0:16:55 > 0:16:57if anyone asks for any personal details,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00assume you're being scammed and hang up.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02You can always ring back to check if the call was genuine.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06Back in Kent, Tricia and Andy wished they had known how prevalent
0:17:06 > 0:17:08spoofing can be,
0:17:08 > 0:17:12as not being aware has cost them ?22,500.
0:17:12 > 0:17:17It's made us so mistrusting of virtually everybody.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Which is not a nice way to be.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23It's just horrible. I can't say any more.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34Our Rip-Off Britain pop-up shop is back and open for business.
0:17:34 > 0:17:35Hi, are you being looked after?
0:17:35 > 0:17:36Yes, my wife, Liz...
0:17:36 > 0:17:39Ah, hi, Liz, how are you?
0:17:39 > 0:17:42This time, we're in Nottingham, giving the opportunity to get
0:17:42 > 0:17:46free face-to-face advice from our top team of experts.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49Do keep an eye on the rules, because they're changing
0:17:49 > 0:17:53and there may be a chance where you get to renegotiate your deal.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58James came to see if financial ombudsman Martin James
0:17:58 > 0:18:00could help him get his money back,
0:18:00 > 0:18:04after his second-hand car broke down only weeks after he'd bought it.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06I bought a car last June.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09And about three weeks later,
0:18:09 > 0:18:11it caught fire when I was driving to work.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13It caught fire? Yeah.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15As I was driving it!
0:18:15 > 0:18:17So this was only three weeks after you'd bought the car,
0:18:17 > 0:18:20so your insurance, did you make a claim on that policy?
0:18:20 > 0:18:22Yeah, I did, yeah. OK, and how did that go?
0:18:22 > 0:18:27I lost over ?500. From that, on the valuation of the car.
0:18:27 > 0:18:28Right, I see, OK.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30After examining the car,
0:18:30 > 0:18:33the insurance company told James that it was a write-off
0:18:33 > 0:18:38and although he'd paid ?2,500 for it just three weeks earlier,
0:18:38 > 0:18:40his policy would only pay out 1,900,
0:18:40 > 0:18:44leaving him almost ?600 out of pocket.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48We can get one of my colleagues to see if we can send a letter, maybe,
0:18:48 > 0:18:50to the insurance company,
0:18:50 > 0:18:52just to double-check if they've used the right valuation,
0:18:52 > 0:18:54and maybe that might make a little bit of difference
0:18:54 > 0:18:57and it won't cost you any money to do that.
0:18:57 > 0:18:58So, how does all that sound, James?
0:18:58 > 0:19:02Great. Anything that can help, is better than nothing.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Well, that's what we're here for, isn't it? Fantastic.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07Thank you very much. Thanks for coming, then. No problem.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10And when Martin's team did contact James'
0:19:10 > 0:19:12insurance company to discuss his case,
0:19:12 > 0:19:15because James had only had the car for three weeks,
0:19:15 > 0:19:18his insurer has agreed to pay out the extra ?600.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20Another great result.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25And it wasn't just inside our shop where our experts were
0:19:25 > 0:19:26handing out advice.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30Out in the shopping centre,
0:19:30 > 0:19:34lawyer Gary Rycroft was particularly keen to flag up a problem
0:19:34 > 0:19:37that an increasing number of us are storing up for the future -
0:19:37 > 0:19:40what to do with all the photos and information that we might
0:19:40 > 0:19:41have saved online.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47Do you know where your digital assets are?
0:19:47 > 0:19:48Blank faces all round!
0:19:48 > 0:19:49What's a digital asset?
0:19:49 > 0:19:52There's digital assets that have financial value,
0:19:52 > 0:19:54such as online bank accounts.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56There are digital assets that have sentimental value,
0:19:56 > 0:19:59such as photographs that you may load up,
0:19:59 > 0:20:01and there are digital assets that have social value,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03such as social media.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07We're talking about what happens to those assets when you pass away.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Have you got lots of digital assets on your telephone?
0:20:10 > 0:20:15I have, yeah, photos, videos, music, all sorts.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Would you know what to do with them? No.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19Right. Well, we're talking about the digital world,
0:20:19 > 0:20:23but I think there's actually a lot to be said for good, old-fashioned pen and paper.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26So, write it all down on a digital directory and then there's
0:20:26 > 0:20:29a written record that can be found by your nearest and dearest
0:20:29 > 0:20:33after you've passed away, and we can give some of these away. It's all free.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37The other really important thing to do, Angela, is make a will
0:20:37 > 0:20:39because, if you make a will, your executors, the people you
0:20:39 > 0:20:42name in your will to look after your estate after you've died,
0:20:42 > 0:20:46they have the legal authority to track down all of these assets
0:20:46 > 0:20:48and pass them on to your beneficiaries.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50Is this anything you'd ever thought about?
0:20:50 > 0:20:51No, not at all, not at all.
0:20:51 > 0:20:52Will you think about it now?
0:20:52 > 0:20:54I will, yeah.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57But, I tell you what, why don't you hand those out?
0:20:57 > 0:21:01There's a lot of them there. Hand them out to everybody.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05And you can download Gary's digital directory from our website...
0:21:07 > 0:21:10..where you'll also find plenty of other tips and advice
0:21:10 > 0:21:11from the rest of our team of experts.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19Now, if ever there was a story that highlights just how careful
0:21:19 > 0:21:23you need to be about what you sign up to, it's this next one.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Because you often tell us about contracts that can automatically
0:21:26 > 0:21:29just roll on, if you haven't got around to cancelling them.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33But the consequences of that aren't normally quite as shocking
0:21:33 > 0:21:36as they turned out to be for some of the people who got in touch
0:21:36 > 0:21:38about one particular company.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43There are several things you need for a successful wedding -
0:21:43 > 0:21:45a talented photographer...
0:21:45 > 0:21:46And smile.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49..a beautiful bridal gown...
0:21:49 > 0:21:52OK, I think this one will be just perfect for you.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54..and a gracious host.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56Ladies and gentlemen,
0:21:56 > 0:21:59please stand and greet our lovely bride and groom.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05In fact, the 21st-century wedding has a whole host of experts
0:22:05 > 0:22:08on hand to make sure that your wedding day is
0:22:08 > 0:22:10as spectacular and special as possible.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15So, for businesses keen to win a slice of the wedding action,
0:22:15 > 0:22:19the key to success is making sure as many people as possible know
0:22:19 > 0:22:21where they can find you.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Dickie Richards is a toastmaster, and his job is to make sure
0:22:24 > 0:22:27that the wedding day runs without a hitch.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Please raise your glasses!
0:22:30 > 0:22:32But he knows only too well, that,
0:22:32 > 0:22:34in the competitive market of wedding services,
0:22:34 > 0:22:37standing out from the crowd can be tricky.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40It's like any business, really.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44You've got to do some sort of PR or networking.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47So, when Dickie received a phone call from
0:22:47 > 0:22:50a website called planmyweddingUK.com,
0:22:50 > 0:22:54run by Essex-based Wedding Directory UK,
0:22:54 > 0:22:56and not to be confused with other companies of a similar name,
0:22:56 > 0:22:58he felt it could just provide him
0:22:58 > 0:23:01with the type of promotion he needed.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04All Dickie had to do was to pay marginally under ?250
0:23:04 > 0:23:06to advertise on the site,
0:23:06 > 0:23:10with the hope that more bookings and more work would come through.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Are you happy with what they offered you at the beginning?
0:23:13 > 0:23:15It sounded very good.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18?250 for an entry on their website.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20What did they say you would get from that, though?
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Well, they promised me a lot of bookings.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27In fact, they quoted a guy who was a toastmaster
0:23:27 > 0:23:31and they said that he was getting three bookings a week.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35Impressed, Dickie was persuaded to fork out not far off
0:23:35 > 0:23:38another ?500 for some further ads
0:23:38 > 0:23:41but none of them brought in any extra business.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45I always ask potential clients where they got my name.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49And none of them had mentioned this particular website,
0:23:49 > 0:23:51so I've had nothing whatsoever.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54Dickie resolved to put the whole thing down to experience
0:23:54 > 0:23:56and thought little more about it.
0:23:56 > 0:24:01Until, that is, his year-long deal with planmyweddingUK.com
0:24:01 > 0:24:02was about to end.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05And that's when Dickie claims the company rang him
0:24:05 > 0:24:07with some devastating news.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11The bombshell landed this year when I was approached by
0:24:11 > 0:24:15a guy asking me for ?8,000.
0:24:15 > 0:24:178,000, from the same company? Plus VAT.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Same website? Same website.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22But why? Offering you what?
0:24:22 > 0:24:27Well, this was because I hadn't cancelled and, by not cancelling,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30I'd agreed to go nationwide.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33The terms and conditions do state that,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36unless you specifically cancel, the contract will roll on.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38So you must have been shocked at that.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40I was staggered.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43And I just told them flat, I haven't got that sort of money.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45And were you worried, were you frightened by that?
0:24:45 > 0:24:48I was very much intimidated.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52But the contract only specified an increase of 20% on the original fee.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56Nothing like the sums Dickie said were being demanded of him.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59In the end, after protracted negotiations,
0:24:59 > 0:25:04he agreed to pay the company ?200 to settle the matter once and for all.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06I was up to here with it, to be honest.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08And I just wanted to get them out of my head.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11So you were afraid, and you gave in.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13Yeah, yeah.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17But there are plenty of other customers of planmyweddingUK.com
0:25:17 > 0:25:20who've also ended up far from happy.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25Introducing Lavina Best of Viva Bridal.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29Lavina Best paid around ?500 for a year's advertising on the website
0:25:29 > 0:25:32but, as with Dickie, it brought in no extra work,
0:25:32 > 0:25:35so she didn't want to sign up for yet another year.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38However, when she told the company that, she, too,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41fell foul of those pesky terms and conditions.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44They contacted me, explaining that the contract was up for renewal.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47And they said, you're in a contract, you have to go ahead.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49Why were you giving in to that?
0:25:49 > 0:25:51Because I just felt so pressurised.
0:25:51 > 0:25:56If I didn't sign up at ?485 plus VAT, it was going to go up to
0:25:56 > 0:26:00over ?700 and he said it was a contract I couldn't get out of,
0:26:00 > 0:26:02because I hadn't given notice.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06Introducing Simon Mitchell, of Photo Enterprise.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09And wedding photographer Simon Mitchell parted with ?800
0:26:09 > 0:26:14after being cold-called by a representative from the website.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18I feel like a fool. If what he had said was true,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21then I'd be in a great place right now.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23Sadly, I haven't had one phone call.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Today, I've met three people who'd been totally ripped off by
0:26:28 > 0:26:29what they've experienced,
0:26:29 > 0:26:32and I have to tell you, I could add many more similar stories to that.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36In fact, one of the customers on the website was so incensed by
0:26:36 > 0:26:40his treatment that he decided to e-mail every single customer
0:26:40 > 0:26:43that advertised on planmyweddingUK.com.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46Now, out of the 227 e-mails he said he sent,
0:26:46 > 0:26:48he got 100 responses.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50And we have to tell you that each of them had
0:26:50 > 0:26:52a negative experience to share.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56And not one of them said they had any leads from advertising
0:26:56 > 0:26:58on this website.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01The company behind planmyweddingUK.com,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04which is called Wedding Directory UK Ltd,
0:27:04 > 0:27:08has now ceased trading and their website is no longer online.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11The company categorically denied most aspects of the
0:27:11 > 0:27:14complaints that we put to them, especially Dickie's claim,
0:27:14 > 0:27:17that they demanded thousands of pounds from him.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20However, it claimed that it had become aware that someone was
0:27:20 > 0:27:23posing as a PlanMyWedding representative
0:27:23 > 0:27:26and had been phoning customers asking for cash.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30And it insisted that all the charges were outlined in the terms
0:27:30 > 0:27:32and conditions agreed by the customers.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36But for those who told us a very different version of events,
0:27:36 > 0:27:40it's been a sobering and very expensive experience.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44I think I should have looked at things more closely.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46Gutted, angry.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49I feel stupid. Yeah, totally stupid.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56Well, don't forget you can find advice on all the stories
0:27:56 > 0:28:00we've featured today, and a lot more, on our website. It's...
0:28:03 > 0:28:06And, by the way, you'll also find on there a link
0:28:06 > 0:28:09to send us your own stories, so do please keep them coming in,
0:28:09 > 0:28:11because we love reading through them.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14And it's by sharing your experiences with others that we can make
0:28:14 > 0:28:17sure that they don't end up feeling ripped off as well.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20But I'm afraid that's where we have to wind things down for today.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23We'll be back very soon with even more of your stories.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25But, until then, thanks for joining us,
0:28:25 > 0:28:27and from all the team here, bye-bye.
0:28:27 > 0:28:28Goodbye.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04Hello, I'm Tina Daheley with your 90 second update.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07The Paralympics kick off tonight in Rio with the opening ceremony
0:29:07 > 0:29:08at the Maracana Stadium.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11After a slow start, 1.6 million tickets have now been sold.
0:29:11 > 0:29:16Britain has 264 athletes taking part.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley today said he needed more time