0:00:02 > 0:00:04We asked you to tell us what's left you feeling ripped off,
0:00:04 > 0:00:06and you contacted us in your thousands.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09You've told us about the companies you think get it wrong,
0:00:09 > 0:00:12and the customer service that simply is not up to scratch.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15When you have to call them, it takes ages and somebody else answers
0:00:15 > 0:00:17the phone who pretty much doesn't know what you're saying.
0:00:17 > 0:00:22The customer is not benefiting and no, I'm not getting value for money.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25You've asked us to track down the scammers who stole your money
0:00:25 > 0:00:29and investigate the extra charges you say are unfair.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32They don't deserve to be in any form of business whatsoever.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34They just want shutting down.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37And when you have lost out, but no-one else is to blame,
0:00:37 > 0:00:40you've come to us to stop others falling into the same trap.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44They took the money out of my account and I don't even know who it was who was scamming me.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48So whether it is a blatant rip-off or a genuine mistake...
0:00:48 > 0:00:52We are here to find out why you're out-of-pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56Your stories, your money - this is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain,
0:01:00 > 0:01:04where today we're doing all we can to help you steer clear of overblown
0:01:04 > 0:01:09sales pitches and promises that turn out to be, well, a load of old guff,
0:01:09 > 0:01:11is probably the politest way of putting it.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15We're going to be looking into situations where you were told that
0:01:15 > 0:01:18you'd be getting something, but it turned out to be entirely false.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21But particularly upsetting if you paid out hundreds or even thousands
0:01:21 > 0:01:25of pounds, only to discover far too late that what you bought isn't all
0:01:25 > 0:01:29that was promised. And as you'll see in one of the cases we'll be
0:01:29 > 0:01:33investigating, that could have had even life-threatening consequences.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37Well, let's see if we can't bring about a happier ending in at least
0:01:37 > 0:01:39one of the situations into which we have been looking.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41Because at the heart of it
0:01:41 > 0:01:44is a fundamental and ruthlessly cynical lie,
0:01:44 > 0:01:47and we're going to use a little touch of Hollywood stardust
0:01:47 > 0:01:52to try and fight it, as we channel the Force with a big-name star
0:01:52 > 0:01:57who is quite determined to stop unscrupulous traders in their tracks.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Coming up, Star Wars actor Mark Hamill is going after
0:02:01 > 0:02:05the fraudsters making big money from forging his signature.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10The rate of fake autographs is in the 50 to 90 percentile.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13There are more fake autographs than real ones.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17And the false promises made for a heating system it's claimed
0:02:17 > 0:02:21will slash your bills, but could it catch fire instead?
0:02:21 > 0:02:26What do I do? Do I pay another 8,000 to get my gas put back in?
0:02:26 > 0:02:28Because they weren't going to give me my money back.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Even in an age of selfies and social media,
0:02:34 > 0:02:38a rare autograph of a famous celebrity or historical figure
0:02:38 > 0:02:41is for many still a very much-prized possession.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44And while some can cost thousands of pounds,
0:02:44 > 0:02:46thanks to the rise of online auctions, it is easier
0:02:46 > 0:02:51than ever before to get your hands on a more affordable collectable.
0:02:51 > 0:02:56But, unfortunately, there can be a very big downside,
0:02:56 > 0:03:00because as the lifelong autograph collector in our next film found out
0:03:00 > 0:03:04to his cost, even when you buy those signatures from a respectable
0:03:04 > 0:03:06and well-known source,
0:03:06 > 0:03:10you can't always guarantee that you're actually getting the real thing.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16For celebrity-spotters the world over,
0:03:16 > 0:03:20collecting those highly-prized signatures of stars has long had
0:03:20 > 0:03:24both a sentimental and, if you're lucky, financial value.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28The market for a big-name autograph is huge,
0:03:28 > 0:03:30with some commanding thousands of pounds.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32For instance, after the death of David Bowie,
0:03:32 > 0:03:36the average price for his signature shot up 200%.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Steve Burbage from the Isle of Wight has collected autographs
0:03:44 > 0:03:48for most of his life. So when he's not hunting for fossils,
0:03:48 > 0:03:51it is celebrity signatures that he likes to track down,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54ever since a childhood trip with his dad.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56This is what started it off, really,
0:03:56 > 0:03:57this little autograph book.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00My dad took me to the Oval
0:04:00 > 0:04:02to see the cricket match,
0:04:02 > 0:04:08and this is the autographs of the Pakistan touring team in 1962.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13Over the years, Steve has collected autographs from some of the world's biggest stars,
0:04:13 > 0:04:18from JFK and Bruce Springsteen to Michael Jackson and Muhammad Ali.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22But the jewel in Steve's collection is this song sheet signed
0:04:22 > 0:04:26by all four Beatles which he bought 24 years ago.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32It was in the catalogue at £1,000 for just The Beatles,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35and the Muhammad Ali is in the catalogue at £125.
0:04:35 > 0:04:42So, I got a deal where I got both items for £890.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Memorabilia signed by one of The Beatles is quite common,
0:04:45 > 0:04:50with the real thing typically selling for around a couple of hundred pounds or more.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53But Steve's song sheet potentially has a much greater value
0:04:53 > 0:04:57because it's signed by John, Paul, George and Ringo
0:04:57 > 0:05:01making it a perfect souvenir for any Beatles fan.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04They were just iconic figures of the '60s.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07To own something that John Lennon actually held,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10that's what I wanted.
0:05:10 > 0:05:15Steve bought the song sheet in 1992 from Fraser's Autographs,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18which has since then has become one of the largest dealers
0:05:18 > 0:05:20and auctioneers in the world.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24And, for the next 24 years, he didn't dream of parting with it
0:05:24 > 0:05:27until curiosity got the better of him.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31I had seen adverts in the papers offering to buy
0:05:31 > 0:05:36genuine Beatles signatures for £4,500-£5,000.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39So, if that was what dealers were prepared to pay for them,
0:05:39 > 0:05:43what was the real market value of them?
0:05:43 > 0:05:47So, Steve took a photo of the song sheet to auction house Bonhams
0:05:47 > 0:05:49in London and asked them to value it.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52But instead of receiving a quote for thousands of pounds,
0:05:52 > 0:05:56he was told by the auctioneers that his four prized Beatles autographs
0:05:56 > 0:05:58were in fact fake.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02I was devastated, obviously, and annoyed,
0:06:02 > 0:06:06but it meant that all of these years I haven't had a set
0:06:06 > 0:06:08of genuine Beatles signatures.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11I was just holding a worthless piece of paper that I'd paid
0:06:11 > 0:06:13almost £1,000 for.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18The unexpected news has now made Steve question the authenticity
0:06:18 > 0:06:20of his entire collection,
0:06:20 > 0:06:23especially the other autographs that he bought in the same batch
0:06:23 > 0:06:25as the bogus Beatles signatures.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30And it seems he's right to be worried.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33Gary King is one of the country's leading autograph experts
0:06:33 > 0:06:37and he reckons that the vast majority of those you might see
0:06:37 > 0:06:40being sold on some online sites are not the genuine article.
0:06:40 > 0:06:45The number of fakes in circulation in the UK is actually quite high.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49I would estimate that if we talk about internet auctions,
0:06:49 > 0:06:54we are looking in the region of 80% of what you see is not authentic.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59Gary's expertise in identifying which signatures are forged
0:06:59 > 0:07:02and which are the real deal has been called upon by dealers,
0:07:02 > 0:07:06collectors and Trading Standards.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09But as he's watched the market flood with fakes,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12his job has become much harder thanks to the new techniques
0:07:12 > 0:07:14at the forger's fingertips.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19Modern technology has changed the way forgers are working.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23No longer are they just simply handwriting signatures,
0:07:23 > 0:07:25they are now using printers,
0:07:25 > 0:07:29laser printers and even other machines
0:07:29 > 0:07:34to recreate signatures to fool you.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37The fakes can be so hard to spot that some auction houses
0:07:37 > 0:07:43now openly admit that they can't guarantee the autographs they are selling are genuine.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46And Gary's spotted warnings at recent sales to that effect,
0:07:46 > 0:07:50including one where another set of supposed Beatles signatures
0:07:50 > 0:07:52was up for grabs.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55If we look carefully at their small print, it says...
0:08:08 > 0:08:13In other words, they have listed the items as a set of Beatles signatures
0:08:13 > 0:08:15signed at such and such a date,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18and then they tell you that they haven't checked the authenticity,
0:08:18 > 0:08:20or they may not be genuine.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24I think it's very likely that you're going to end up with items
0:08:24 > 0:08:26that aren't any good.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31We took Gary to the Isle of Wight so that he could cast his expert eye
0:08:31 > 0:08:33over Steve's autograph collection,
0:08:33 > 0:08:38and confirm if the Fab Four really are faked.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41I have had these signatures for quite some time now.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44I have been told that one of them is a fake,
0:08:44 > 0:08:45and I'd just like your opinion.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48I've got to pick out which one, have I?
0:08:48 > 0:08:49If you like.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52Right, well, let's start with this one.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56The Beatles. Nice, original She Loves You song sheet.
0:08:56 > 0:09:03OK, well, first, I would say these are not authentic.
0:09:03 > 0:09:04Right.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08I suspect that these two were done, possibly, by one person
0:09:08 > 0:09:12and I would say that the Ringo Starr was done by somebody else.
0:09:12 > 0:09:17I would say, no question, that they are forgeries.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19This kind of thing turns up at the smaller,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22provincial auctions all the time.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25So with Gary's second opinion confirming the Beatles song sheet
0:09:25 > 0:09:29is almost worthless, Steve's nervous about what the expert will make
0:09:29 > 0:09:31of some of his other signatures.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35Looking at these, I would say that the Bruce Springsteen is,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38without question, a forgery.
0:09:38 > 0:09:43The Muhammad Ali - I would say that that one is not authentic.
0:09:43 > 0:09:44And the Michael Jackson...
0:09:46 > 0:09:50His signature style changed a lot during his lifetime.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53But, again, I would say that is not authentic.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56- We're not doing very well here. - We're not doing very well so far, are we? No.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00And I'm afraid, in my opinion, all four of them are not authentic.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02Turn them over
0:10:02 > 0:10:04and look at the photographs on the back.
0:10:04 > 0:10:09Now, these were all produced on the same paper by the same company,
0:10:09 > 0:10:11which is suspicious.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14If it had been legitimate,
0:10:14 > 0:10:19Steve's Muhammad Ali autograph would have been worth around £1,950.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23And the Michael Jackson, £1,750.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25Instead, it seems all of these,
0:10:25 > 0:10:30and the Beatles song sheet that cost Steve just shy of £1,000
0:10:30 > 0:10:34in 1992, have no value whatsoever.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37I'm really, really upset, really.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40Of course, it's the investment value, as well.
0:10:40 > 0:10:45Presumably, you bought these with partly investment in mind.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47I knew that they would appreciate in value,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50and that the family would then benefit from that.
0:10:50 > 0:10:55Because £1,000 back in 1992 was worth a lot more than £1,000 now.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59Adding to Steve's frustration is the fact that he bought these autographs
0:10:59 > 0:11:04not from some tin pot seller, but one of the world's top specialists.
0:11:04 > 0:11:05And though, at the time,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08that gave him peace of mind about what he was buying,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11it just goes to show that even the best in the business can't always
0:11:11 > 0:11:13spot the work of a skilled forger.
0:11:15 > 0:11:20How could a company as big as this get it so wrong?
0:11:20 > 0:11:24They use what they consider to be their own experience.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Autographs are a lot more complicated than people think
0:11:27 > 0:11:31and it's so easy for a skilled forger to knock out a set of
0:11:31 > 0:11:35Beatles signatures and fool anybody.
0:11:35 > 0:11:40The forger often is not just a forger, he's a confidence trickster.
0:11:40 > 0:11:45You trust them, and that trust can let you down.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Though bitterly disappointed after years
0:11:48 > 0:11:50of cherishing his prized possessions,
0:11:50 > 0:11:52it's not all bad news for Steve.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55The company from whom he bought all that time ago
0:11:55 > 0:11:58offers a lifetime guarantee of authenticity.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01So when he contacted Fraser's Autographs,
0:12:01 > 0:12:05after that first suggestion that his Beatles song sheet was a forgery,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08he was surprised to be told that, if he could get a second opinion
0:12:08 > 0:12:11confirming that, he'd have his money refunded,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13even 20 years after the sale.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Now, thanks to Gary, he has that second opinion.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20When we spoke to the auction house Fraser's,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23it apologise to Steve for the inconvenience caused
0:12:23 > 0:12:25and said that, at the time he'd bought the autographs,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28the company was under different ownership.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30It told us that, since then...
0:12:34 > 0:12:36..with higher levels of authenticity.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41The company went on to say that it had contacted Steve
0:12:41 > 0:12:43as soon as it was made aware of his situation,
0:12:43 > 0:12:48and it's now gone much further than simply giving him his money back -
0:12:48 > 0:12:52it's let him select genuine replacement signatures
0:12:52 > 0:12:57of Muhammad Ali, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson and, of course,
0:12:57 > 0:13:03a complete set of Beatles autographs worth well over £10,000.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Steve is thrilled by the way this has all been resolved,
0:13:05 > 0:13:09but it's not just collectors like him affected by the trading fakes.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13Celebrities aren't happy either if it turns out that fans have paid
0:13:13 > 0:13:16a small fortune for signatures that are forgeries.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20And, as we'll hear later in the programme, some are fighting back.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24Star Wars actor Mark Hamill, Luke Skywalker himself,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27tells me how he's putting all the Force he can muster
0:13:27 > 0:13:31into taking on the fraudsters that are faking his autograph.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35There are people out there that obviously,
0:13:35 > 0:13:37because it is a lucrative business,
0:13:37 > 0:13:41that are going to take advantage of the fans.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48You know, one issue that still appears in our inbox more than most
0:13:48 > 0:13:50is the amount it costs to heat our homes.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54So I think we'd all jump at the chance to stay warm and save money.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58Now, that's as exactly the promise used by one company as the winning
0:13:58 > 0:14:01sales pitch for its cutting-edge new heating system,
0:14:01 > 0:14:06said to be so efficient, it can slash your bills by up to 70%.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08And who wouldn't fancy that?
0:14:08 > 0:14:11But some of the families who paid thousands of pounds to get
0:14:11 > 0:14:14their old heating system ripped out and the new one put in
0:14:14 > 0:14:18have seen those assurances go up in smoke, literally,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21when their smart new radiators started going dangerously wrong.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29Wood or coal fires, gas or electricity...
0:14:29 > 0:14:33When it comes to heating your home, there's plenty of choice on how to do it.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36But staying warm and not spending too much money at the same time
0:14:36 > 0:14:41can be a challenge, which is why Enid Hall from Doncaster
0:14:41 > 0:14:43found herself in the market for something new.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47The first heating we had was a coal fire,
0:14:47 > 0:14:51but then we had gas central heating put in,
0:14:51 > 0:14:57and over the years it didn't give us the heating that we needed.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01We found that having it on a lot of hours,
0:15:01 > 0:15:03it was costing a lot of money.
0:15:06 > 0:15:11So a cold call from heating company Complete Energy Europe in June 2015
0:15:11 > 0:15:14couldn't have come at a better time.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17The company, which is not to be confused with other firms
0:15:17 > 0:15:20with similar-sounding names, told Enid about its innovative
0:15:20 > 0:15:24new heating system that couldn't fail to save her money.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27And when a salesman popped in with more details,
0:15:27 > 0:15:29Enid signed up on the spot.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35He was here about four hours, explaining the brochure.
0:15:35 > 0:15:40It looked really good, it was going to be on 24-7.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43If you'd got it set at 18 degrees,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46then it would click in just below 18 degrees,
0:15:46 > 0:15:50and when it went above 18 degrees, it would click off.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54It said in the brochure "70% saving", so we thought,
0:15:54 > 0:15:55"Yeah, that sounds good."
0:15:58 > 0:16:02Those bold claims that the system would slash Enid's energy bills
0:16:02 > 0:16:05by up to 70% were thanks to an innovative new technology
0:16:05 > 0:16:08inside the radiators.
0:16:08 > 0:16:09It's called graphene,
0:16:09 > 0:16:13the lightest and strongest material on the planet,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16and if Enid had any worries about being an early adopter of this
0:16:16 > 0:16:20cutting-edge new system, they were allayed by the 20-year guarantee.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27We thought it could be a good idea, it could be saving money,
0:16:27 > 0:16:31and it was going to be sort of the best thing since sliced bread.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36So Enid signed on the dotted line
0:16:36 > 0:16:40and paid Complete Energy Europe £7,500 to take out her old
0:16:40 > 0:16:46gas heating system and replace it with nine new Xefro gRAD radiators.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50But Enid's confidence in the new system soon started to fade.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54They put the first lot of radiators in -
0:16:54 > 0:16:56they didn't work.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58I probably did have doubts,
0:16:58 > 0:17:02but because they had taken my gas central heating out,
0:17:02 > 0:17:06I had to go with it. I had no heating.
0:17:06 > 0:17:11But then they fetched me some new radiators, they put them in,
0:17:11 > 0:17:12I thought, "Great."
0:17:14 > 0:17:18With the system finally now in place, Enid thought she could relax.
0:17:18 > 0:17:24The very next evening, her smart new heaters began to smoke.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27The second night that we had them in,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30the fire alarm went off in the hallway,
0:17:30 > 0:17:38and we rushed downstairs, opened the kitchen door, and you couldn't see.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40The radiator had burnt out.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45The radiator hadn't gone alight, but the choking fumes
0:17:45 > 0:17:47from an electrical fault inside
0:17:47 > 0:17:52was enough to make Enid switch the whole system off.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Complete Energy Europe offered to install another replacement set
0:17:55 > 0:18:00of radiators, and Enid, not sure she had any other option, agreed.
0:18:00 > 0:18:06What do we do? Do I pay another 8,000 to get my gas put back in,
0:18:06 > 0:18:09because they weren't going to give me my money back?
0:18:09 > 0:18:11I knew that.
0:18:11 > 0:18:16I was nearly in tears, but where did I go from here?
0:18:17 > 0:18:18Two months earlier,
0:18:18 > 0:18:22100 miles away from where Enid lives, the same thing had happened
0:18:22 > 0:18:25to Val and Geoff Higginson from Stoke-on-Trent.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29They'd paid Complete Energy £6,000 for their new system,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32but less than two weeks after it was installed,
0:18:32 > 0:18:34Val and Geoff also smelled smoke.
0:18:34 > 0:18:39As I was going into the hallway, I said to Geoffrey,
0:18:39 > 0:18:43"Oh, there's a funny smell in here, there's something wrong."
0:18:43 > 0:18:49And as I opened the bedroom door, the smell was horrendous.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53It nearly knocked you over, it was that strong.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56And when I looked,
0:18:56 > 0:18:59the panel heater had set on fire.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03The room where it caught fire is where we actually slept.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05I dread to think what would have happened later on
0:19:05 > 0:19:08if we had been asleep, with the fumes. I dread to think.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14Val and Geoff opened windows and doors to let the smoke out
0:19:14 > 0:19:16and contacted the Fire Brigade.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20Fire safety manager Kelvin Knapper visited them after the fire,
0:19:20 > 0:19:22and is in no doubt about what could have happened.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28If you'd had had your bed closer to it, or to the child's room,
0:19:28 > 0:19:30where there were toys,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32comics, papers up against it,
0:19:32 > 0:19:35that really had the potential to cause a serious fire.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38If you'd had been in bed fast asleep and that happened,
0:19:38 > 0:19:39you might not have woken up.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41It's frightening, that is.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44When Kelvin first inspected the heaters,
0:19:44 > 0:19:47it wasn't just the smoke damage he could see that made him worry -
0:19:47 > 0:19:50there were things he couldn't see that caused more concern.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55With a heater, you tend to find a sign saying,
0:19:55 > 0:20:00"Do not place items on top, hot surface." I can't see that.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04There may be a CE mark or British Standard
0:20:04 > 0:20:06that are marked on the back,
0:20:06 > 0:20:08but there's nothing showing on it.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14So he's returned to take the heater off the wall,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17and look more closely for those vital warning labels
0:20:17 > 0:20:19and safety markings.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21The first thing that strikes me
0:20:21 > 0:20:24is a complete lack of any information on it whatsoever.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27There is no country of origin, there's no British Standard,
0:20:27 > 0:20:28there's no CE mark,
0:20:28 > 0:20:34there's no voltage, ampage, or any information whatsoever on any side.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37No idea where it's come from.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42The law says that any electrical goods such as these heaters
0:20:42 > 0:20:45must meet certain standards, and bear the CE mark,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48but neither Val and Geoff's radiators, nor Enid's,
0:20:48 > 0:20:52display any CE marks or details about the power supply.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55So Kelvin's second visit
0:20:55 > 0:20:58has confirmed Val and Geoff's worst fears.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01We've paid £6,000 for this new heating system.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04Are you telling us not to use them?
0:21:04 > 0:21:08I would advise you not to use these products until we are
0:21:08 > 0:21:12100% guaranteed that they are safe.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15So whilst the Fire Service continues to monitor the safety of these
0:21:15 > 0:21:19radiators, what's the truth of those very bold promises made about the
0:21:19 > 0:21:21technology inside them?
0:21:21 > 0:21:25The glossy brochure says that each radiator contains
0:21:25 > 0:21:29a layer of graphene, cutting-edge material that's super-strong
0:21:29 > 0:21:31and very good at conducting heat.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34It's supposedly what makes this system so efficient
0:21:34 > 0:21:38that it can slash up to 70% off a home's energy bills.
0:21:38 > 0:21:43Now that's a very ambitious claim, so we've brought Val and Geoff's
0:21:43 > 0:21:47radiator to an energy expert at Sheffield University
0:21:47 > 0:21:50to see if he thinks the product matches the pitch.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54This radiator system is meant to be able to save you about 70%
0:21:54 > 0:21:57on your heating bills. I find this very unlikely.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01Every kilowatt hour you put in to the radiator comes out
0:22:01 > 0:22:07as one kWh of heat into your room, so this radiator is unlikely
0:22:07 > 0:22:11to be able to be cheaper than any other electric radiator.
0:22:11 > 0:22:16And the professor doesn't seem any more impressed by the claim
0:22:16 > 0:22:20that the radiator can generate more heat with less power.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23They claim that the graphene within this radiator
0:22:23 > 0:22:26creates a better form of infrared radiation.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29I find it very unlikely that this will have any effect at all,
0:22:29 > 0:22:33because there are other layers between the graphene
0:22:33 > 0:22:35and the outside of the radiator.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42So he's cutting into the radiator to see if the claims are plausible.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46But when he does, with the graphene buried deep inside,
0:22:46 > 0:22:49he can't see how this could possibly be the efficient,
0:22:49 > 0:22:54bill-busting system that manufacturers Xefro Trade Ltd claim.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57I can't see how this radiator would be significantly cheaper to run
0:22:57 > 0:22:59than any other electric radiator.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02Nonetheless, it's all part of a sales pitch that's tempted
0:23:02 > 0:23:06plenty of people to put down a deposit on these systems.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09We've heard from eight unhappy customers, some of whom,
0:23:09 > 0:23:11like Colin Newsome from Leeds,
0:23:11 > 0:23:13haven't even had their systems installed.
0:23:15 > 0:23:20I paid out £3,100.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24This was for round about eight or nine radiators.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27They were going to be fitted within six weeks,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30and it never happened.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Exasperated by the continued delays,
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Colin decided to cancel the purchase, but he's had no refund
0:23:36 > 0:23:39from retailer Complete Energy Europe.
0:23:39 > 0:23:40And though, after we filmed with him,
0:23:40 > 0:23:44he did get letters from the manufacturers, Xefro Trade Ltd,
0:23:44 > 0:23:47offering to refund his deposit in instalments, or to install
0:23:47 > 0:23:51the radiators if he preferred, that didn't happen either,
0:23:51 > 0:23:55and the company's phone numbers are no longer active.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58In the benefit of hindsight, I wish I'd never,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01ever invited them through my door.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04We wrote to Complete Energy Europe for its take on all this,
0:24:04 > 0:24:08but I'm afraid, as yet, we've heard absolutely nothing back.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13And we couldn't help thinking there was a distinct similarity
0:24:13 > 0:24:17between this story and one we featured in our last series.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Then, too, we'd heard from viewers disgruntled with an apparently
0:24:20 > 0:24:22hi-tech heating system,
0:24:22 > 0:24:27supposed to slash your bills once again by as much as 70%.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31I feel like I've made a fool of myself,
0:24:31 > 0:24:35and I've gone and done the most stupidest thing.
0:24:37 > 0:24:38Now, in that case,
0:24:38 > 0:24:41the eRAD systems you told us about were being sold by
0:24:41 > 0:24:45a North West-based company called Optima Energy Solutions Ltd,
0:24:45 > 0:24:49and one of that business's directors just happens to also be
0:24:49 > 0:24:53a director of Xefro Trade Ltd, the company behind the gRAD system
0:24:53 > 0:24:57that is the subject of these latest complaints.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01What's more, Xefro Trade Ltd is registered to the same address
0:25:01 > 0:25:05as Complete Energy Europe, the company selling the systems.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08Even in what's quite a specialised field,
0:25:08 > 0:25:11these connections between these businesses seem more
0:25:11 > 0:25:13than just coincidence.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17So we got in touch with all the companies involved,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20and with the director that two of them have in common.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22But again, we heard nothing back.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27So, while it's clear that the best advice for the rest of us is to be wary
0:25:27 > 0:25:30of any heating systems sold on the promise
0:25:30 > 0:25:33that its breakthrough technology will cut your bills,
0:25:33 > 0:25:36unfortunately, Val and Geoff and Enid too,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39have paid out thousands of pounds for something they don't have
0:25:39 > 0:25:42any confidence in and wish they'd never put in their homes.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45I wish I'd never come across this company.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48At our time in life, senior citizens,
0:25:48 > 0:25:50we don't want this hassle.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54I believe it'll have to be ripped out and we'll have to start afresh.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57I really wish I'd never accepted that cold call.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00I wish I'd never heard of Complete Energy
0:26:00 > 0:26:02and I wish I'd still got my gas in.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13Still to come on Rip-Off Britain, as our pop-up shop opens its doors,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16we've got important advice for anyone who owns a pet
0:26:16 > 0:26:19or who needs to change their e-mail address.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21I shall be going home and put it into practice.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23I'm glad I called in today.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30- Are you ready?- Yes.- Follow me.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33One of the biggest shopping centres in Europe was this year's venue
0:26:33 > 0:26:36for the annual Rip-Off Britain pop-up shop.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39While we enjoyed meeting as many of you as we could...
0:26:39 > 0:26:40I've watched you on the telly.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43..our team of experts was tackling a broader range
0:26:43 > 0:26:46of your consumer problems than we've ever heard before.
0:26:46 > 0:26:47Don't give up yet.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51We'll try and see if we can get something sorted out for you.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55Jean and Anne called in to discuss a problem the two friends
0:26:55 > 0:26:59have in common - the spiralling cost of their pet insurance.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01So these are the two dogs in question, are they?
0:27:01 > 0:27:05Little did they know that in me and personal finance expert
0:27:05 > 0:27:09Sarah Pennells, they'd found two very enthusiastic fellow dog lovers...
0:27:09 > 0:27:12They are lovely, aren't they? So cheeky. Look at them.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15..who'd agree that when it comes to the health of your pooch,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18sometimes you have little choice but to pay up.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22My dogs are like my babies. And so, to a certain extent, I'm going to
0:27:22 > 0:27:26be paying whatever it takes in order to look after their health.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29- Thomas is like my child I've never had.- Yes.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Anne's dog, Thomas, is 11 years old, and she's been paying
0:27:32 > 0:27:36for pet insurance for him all his life with no claims.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39It was only recently, after Thomas developed arthritis,
0:27:39 > 0:27:43that she was forced to claim for his treatment for the first time.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46And while she did expect that that would lead to an increase
0:27:46 > 0:27:48in her monthly premiums when it came to renewal,
0:27:48 > 0:27:52she hadn't realised by how much.
0:27:52 > 0:27:57His insurance was 34 and then it went, last year...
0:27:57 > 0:27:59It trebled to £91.
0:27:59 > 0:28:00From 34 to 91?
0:28:00 > 0:28:02To 91, yes.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05The increase means that Anne is paying out
0:28:05 > 0:28:08over £1,000 a year for Thomas's insurance.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10And things are no better, I'm afraid, for Jean.
0:28:10 > 0:28:11When her renewal arrived,
0:28:11 > 0:28:15the insurer had bumped up the premiums for seven-year-old Harry
0:28:15 > 0:28:20and 13-year-old Cherry to a total of £245 a month.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22It was so much more than she paid previously
0:28:22 > 0:28:26that she felt she had no choice but to cancel the policy altogether.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29I've got two dogs at my house that aren't insured,
0:28:29 > 0:28:32because the premiums have gone sky-high
0:28:32 > 0:28:34and I just couldn't afford them.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36I don't know about you, but that is a lot,
0:28:36 > 0:28:38almost like a mortgage every month.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41Sarah reckons that, at the heart of these price hikes,
0:28:41 > 0:28:45is the fact that Jean and Anne both have what insurers would consider
0:28:45 > 0:28:49to be comparatively old dogs and, as the dogs increase in age,
0:28:49 > 0:28:52the insurance market simply isn't that competitive.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55I think that some of those insurers on the market,
0:28:55 > 0:28:58they sort of know they've got a captive audience and I think,
0:28:58 > 0:29:00if you've got an older pet,
0:29:00 > 0:29:04you can't often switch company once they're over six or seven years,
0:29:04 > 0:29:06so then your room for manoeuvre is really, really...
0:29:06 > 0:29:09- Catch-22, isn't it, really?- Yeah.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13Cherry, the older one on that policy, she's 13 and a half.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17She's only in the last nine months needed any sort of medication.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19So, I have insured her for 13 years,
0:29:19 > 0:29:21and now when she needs some help,
0:29:21 > 0:29:24she isn't getting it because the premiums are too high.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26That's the problem. Now, instead of her insurance,
0:29:26 > 0:29:32Jean is now putting aside some money each month to cover any vets' bills that do arise.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36We're setting it at £170, and we're putting that away and,
0:29:36 > 0:29:39touch wood, we haven't had to use it.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42Sarah thinks that that kind of saving is a good idea
0:29:42 > 0:29:45for anyone whose pet premiums have become unaffordable.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48But, rather than abandon any insurance altogether,
0:29:48 > 0:29:51she recommends backing up what you put aside with a cheaper policy
0:29:51 > 0:29:53than the one you had before.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56It might have a higher excess to explain the lower premium,
0:29:56 > 0:29:59but at least you'll have the peace of mind that you will be covered
0:29:59 > 0:30:02for unexpected and potentially expensive treatments.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06I would probably try and find an insurer that would offer a policy
0:30:06 > 0:30:09with a much higher excess that I could really keep
0:30:09 > 0:30:13for those emergencies where I knew my savings wouldn't stretch.
0:30:13 > 0:30:14Thank you.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16Yeah. Thank you so much.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20Later on, out and about in the shopping centre,
0:30:20 > 0:30:24dogs were also very much in the mind of our legal expert, Gary Rycroft.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26How many dogs do you have?
0:30:26 > 0:30:28- Five.- Five? And do you have them as well?
0:30:28 > 0:30:29I've got three German shepherds.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32- My goodness! Huge dogs.- Yeah.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36He wanted to know if pet owners were up to speed with the latest rules
0:30:36 > 0:30:38on their four-legged friends and, if they're not,
0:30:38 > 0:30:42explain how that could leave them out of pocket.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45Yes, so a new law came in in April 2016 that you've got to
0:30:45 > 0:30:50have your dog microchipped now and that is a fine of up to £500.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53You've also got to have a tag.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56- Oh, is that a collar?- A collar... - I wasn't aware of that.
0:30:56 > 0:31:01A collar and a tag, and the tag has got to have the name and address of the owner on it.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04If your four-legged friend is caught without a collar and tag,
0:31:04 > 0:31:08the fine can be as much as £5,000.
0:31:08 > 0:31:09If it's on your property,
0:31:09 > 0:31:12do you still have to have the collar on and everything,
0:31:12 > 0:31:13or is that just if you're going out?
0:31:13 > 0:31:16It's just if you're going out of your house and your garden.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18So, have you learned something today, then?
0:31:18 > 0:31:20Yeah, yeah, I didn't realise you had to have a collar.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22Lovely to see you.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25Meanwhile, we have advice of a different kind for those unsure
0:31:25 > 0:31:27of how to make the most of our Gripe Corner.
0:31:27 > 0:31:32Go and stand in front of the camera and just let off steam.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35- Let it rip.- And with a bit of arm-twisting, I think it paid off.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37We got plenty of complaints on camera.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40But sometimes it wasn't the big things that bugged you,
0:31:40 > 0:31:44it was everyday expenses that drive you mad.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47£2, £2.20 for a bottle of fizzy drink.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49Dishwasher tablets.
0:31:49 > 0:31:5352 for £3, and then there's 52 next door,
0:31:53 > 0:31:57but they're at the higher cost. What's going on?
0:31:57 > 0:32:00The biggest rip-off for me is paying 5p for plastic bags.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02If the government want to think about the environment,
0:32:02 > 0:32:06they should just stop making them altogether.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10Next in to see tech specialist David McClelland was Tom Hewitt.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12He was struggling with getting to the bottom of a problem
0:32:12 > 0:32:15with receiving his e-mails at home.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19We've been having problems, I would say, for the last two years, easily.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21David reckons the best thing for Tom to do
0:32:21 > 0:32:24would be to ditch the company altogether
0:32:24 > 0:32:26and set up a new e-mail account elsewhere.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28To sort out this e-mail thing,
0:32:28 > 0:32:31you can make your life a whole lot easier if you consider going with
0:32:31 > 0:32:34another e-mail service provider. There are lots that are free out there.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38I have thought of that, but then there's that many people,
0:32:38 > 0:32:43businesspeople, banks, doctors have all got your e-mail address.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46Changing your e-mail address can seem like a hassle,
0:32:46 > 0:32:48but according to David,
0:32:48 > 0:32:52merging your different accounts is easier than you might first imagine.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55Some of these e-mail service providers that I'm thinking of
0:32:55 > 0:32:58will let you check your old e-mail and your new e-mail.
0:32:58 > 0:32:59They will all go to the same inbox,
0:32:59 > 0:33:01so it'll check them both for you at the same time.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04I've done that before, when I've started a new e-mail address.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06- Never thought about that.- That will hopefully remove many of
0:33:06 > 0:33:08the problems that you've been having. How does that sound?
0:33:08 > 0:33:12That sounds good. It's just a case of putting it into practice and...
0:33:12 > 0:33:16Well, Tom, that is what we are here for at the Pop-up Shop
0:33:16 > 0:33:19and I will very happily pop open my laptop and show you
0:33:19 > 0:33:20what it is I'm thinking of.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23With a bit of hands-on help from David...
0:33:23 > 0:33:25So, let's take a look at this.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28..Tom soon knows exactly what he needs to do,
0:33:28 > 0:33:31not just to get his new e-mail account up and running,
0:33:31 > 0:33:35but to be able to keep across e-mails from his old address as well,
0:33:35 > 0:33:37and it was all a lot more straightforward
0:33:37 > 0:33:39than he'd first anticipated.
0:33:39 > 0:33:40Thanks very much for your help.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43Yeah, David gave me some very good advice.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46I shall be going home and put it into practice.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49I'm glad I called in today and got the advice off David.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53If, like Tom, you'd like a guide to a hassle-free way to change
0:33:53 > 0:33:55your e-mail address, and still get your old e-mails,
0:33:55 > 0:33:57log on to our website...
0:34:05 > 0:34:10Now, earlier in the programme we saw how fakes and forgeries now make up
0:34:10 > 0:34:13such a huge proportion of the celebrity autograph market
0:34:13 > 0:34:17that collectors and auction houses really do have their work cut out
0:34:17 > 0:34:22when it comes to finding genuine signatures among the sea of fakes.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25In fact, the only sure-fire way to check whether or not the autograph
0:34:25 > 0:34:28you've got really is the real deal is, of course, to ask the person
0:34:28 > 0:34:31who is supposed to have signed it in the first place.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35Well, of course, usually that's a lot easier said than done, but I've
0:34:35 > 0:34:38been lucky enough to do exactly that with Luke Skywalker himself,
0:34:38 > 0:34:41Star Wars actor Mark Hamill.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45He recently revealed that most of the examples of his signatures
0:34:45 > 0:34:47for sale online are fake,
0:34:47 > 0:34:51and he wants to make sure that fans know how to spot the difference.
0:34:54 > 0:34:59As we saw, it was quite a shock for avid autograph collector Steve Burbage when he discovered
0:34:59 > 0:35:03that some of his most treasured purchases weren't the real thing.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06Looking at these, I would say that the Bruce Springsteen is,
0:35:06 > 0:35:08without question, a forgery.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11And the Michael Jackson, again,
0:35:11 > 0:35:13I would say that that is not authentic.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18Though we helped Steve's story end happily,
0:35:18 > 0:35:22the market in buying and selling celebrity signatures is huge,
0:35:22 > 0:35:27and it's not just international music and movie stars whose names pop up.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30Even my autograph makes it on to those auction sites these days.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34Now, as far as I can tell, none of those are fakes but then,
0:35:34 > 0:35:38the demand for my autograph is frankly a joke compared with this one.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41That's the signature of Luke Skywalker,
0:35:41 > 0:35:45otherwise known as actor Mark Hamill.
0:35:45 > 0:35:49Now, when the excitement over the reboot of the Star Wars franchise
0:35:49 > 0:35:54hit its peak, demand for all sorts of related merchandise surged.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57And when a genuine Skywalker signature typically fetches
0:35:57 > 0:36:01hundreds of pounds, it's easy to see why talented forgers were quick
0:36:01 > 0:36:06to take advantage, making easy money by imitating Mark's signature.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12When people ask for your autograph, as Luke Skywalker, as Mark Hamill,
0:36:12 > 0:36:15they must be thrilled, knowing they've got the original.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17- Yeah.- How does it make you feel, then,
0:36:17 > 0:36:21when you realise that some of your fans are paying hundreds,
0:36:21 > 0:36:24maybe thousands of pounds or dollars for the fakes?
0:36:24 > 0:36:26It just breaks your heart.
0:36:26 > 0:36:31The rate of fake autographs is in the 50-90 percentile.
0:36:31 > 0:36:32So what I'm saying to you is,
0:36:32 > 0:36:35there are more fake autographs than real ones.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38But there are people out there that, obviously,
0:36:38 > 0:36:40because it is a lucrative business,
0:36:40 > 0:36:42that are going to take advantage of the fans.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44There's a lot of money involved here, isn't there?
0:36:44 > 0:36:47Very much. I don't want to go out on a limb here,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50but I would say it's hundreds of millions of dollars.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54Determined to do all he could to stamp out the trade in fakes
0:36:54 > 0:36:57of his own signature, Mark took the unusual step
0:36:57 > 0:37:00of agreeing to verify them for his fans.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03He used Twitter to ask them to send photos
0:37:03 > 0:37:06of autographs that were supposedly his.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09People were sending you copies of your signature, saying, "Is this real or fake?"
0:37:09 > 0:37:12Exactly. Photographs of my signatures or photographs
0:37:12 > 0:37:13of their memorabilia, their toys.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16I don't want to bring unhappiness to the fans.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19On the other hand, it's just so pervasive.
0:37:19 > 0:37:23There are more fakes than there are reals and, every day, it's like homework,
0:37:23 > 0:37:28you have to sit down and go through 30, 40, 50 of these things.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30And sometimes they're really close calls.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34It doesn't bring me any pleasure to disappoint someone and say,
0:37:34 > 0:37:36"That's a fake."
0:37:37 > 0:37:41One of Mark's fellow Star Wars actors, Anthony Daniels,
0:37:41 > 0:37:45who plays C-3PO, has fought autograph forgers
0:37:45 > 0:37:48by naming and shaming sellers on his website,
0:37:48 > 0:37:51and plenty of other big names who've seen their fans exploited
0:37:51 > 0:37:55have also taken action to try and stop the scammers.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58In 2015, classical singer Katherine Jenkins
0:37:58 > 0:38:00called in Trading Standards officials
0:38:00 > 0:38:03to investigate a company that was selling photographs with signatures
0:38:03 > 0:38:05that it falsely claimed were hers.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10And ex-rugby player Jonny Wilkinson's management team
0:38:10 > 0:38:15weren't afraid to tackle the fraudsters selling memorabilia signed with his name.
0:38:15 > 0:38:19For Mark, though, the best way to ensure your autograph is real
0:38:19 > 0:38:21is to make it personal.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24Presumably, also to ensure that it is genuine,
0:38:24 > 0:38:26you like to write to the person themselves.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30Oh, absolutely. And a true fan would love that.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33They want it to be, "Best to Angela".
0:38:33 > 0:38:36They want it to be, "Best to Mark", whoever.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40And these days there's a more modern way to capture a moment
0:38:40 > 0:38:43with a famous face, and it's one that's much harder to fake.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45I love selfies.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48- They're the best.- Because that's what people ask for now, do they,
0:38:48 > 0:38:50more than an autograph, a selfie?
0:38:50 > 0:38:53Pretty much. One thing you know when you're doing a selfie is that
0:38:53 > 0:38:55it is for them, they're not going to be able to sell that.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59And those are so easy, so fun,
0:38:59 > 0:39:01you have the personal contact,
0:39:01 > 0:39:03cos you huddle up and you take the picture,
0:39:03 > 0:39:06and that's what they want, they want just that one moment.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10And I have to remember that when you meet the public,
0:39:10 > 0:39:13that little 30, 40 second exchange,
0:39:13 > 0:39:16that's what they're going to remember the rest of their lives.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19But whether it's a selfie or a signature,
0:39:19 > 0:39:23such highly personal mementos aren't worth as much on the open market
0:39:23 > 0:39:26as a simple autograph that isn't dedicated
0:39:26 > 0:39:28to any particular individual fan,
0:39:28 > 0:39:32which is why Mark is highly suspicious of anyone who asks him
0:39:32 > 0:39:35to sign without adding any other name or greeting.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39Cos a lot of times you will start to sign that and they'll say,
0:39:39 > 0:39:43"Oh, don't put it to anyone, it's a gift. I don't know who I'm going to give it to."
0:39:43 > 0:39:48- Is that a giveaway?- You might as well say, "Best wishes to eBay".
0:39:48 > 0:39:52Because, come on, I don't believe that for a second.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55In an attempt to tackle the fakes once and for all,
0:39:55 > 0:39:59Mark is now working with the authorities in his home state
0:39:59 > 0:40:02of California to bring in a law which he hopes will clamp down
0:40:02 > 0:40:07on those fraudsters who are making money by duping his fans.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11If this law goes through in California, what implications
0:40:11 > 0:40:15would it have in other states in America and indeed worldwide?
0:40:15 > 0:40:19Well, I did my homework for our interview, and apparently,
0:40:19 > 0:40:22if the legislation goes through,
0:40:22 > 0:40:27the person who has been exploited can get ten times
0:40:27 > 0:40:31their expenditure back, plus court fees and attorneys' fees.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33So it's quite punitive?
0:40:33 > 0:40:37Oh, yes, and I think it would act as a real deterrent for people that casually do this.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40Of course, this law would only apply in California,
0:40:40 > 0:40:43but as the home of Hollywood is also home to a good chunk
0:40:43 > 0:40:46of the multi-million pound forgery business,
0:40:46 > 0:40:49Mark hopes that it could have a positive impact
0:40:49 > 0:40:51right across the globe.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54In the meantime, if you have a Mark Hamill autograph
0:40:54 > 0:40:58and you're desperate to know if it is the real thing, well,
0:40:58 > 0:41:00here's how to check.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03Mark, I said I was going to ask you to show me the original,
0:41:03 > 0:41:05genuine Mark Hamill signature.
0:41:05 > 0:41:06What does it look like, then?
0:41:06 > 0:41:09Well, first of all I'm left-handed, so it looks like...
0:41:13 > 0:41:14..that.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17How the heck do they forge that?
0:41:18 > 0:41:23You know, like I say, most of them are just ridiculously wrong.
0:41:23 > 0:41:24It was such a treat to meet you.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27I've been a fan of yours for so many years.
0:41:27 > 0:41:29I couldn't believe it when you walked in,
0:41:29 > 0:41:32"Oh, my God, Angela Rippon!" I won't ask for your autograph.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35- OK, well, I won't ask for yours, then.- All right, fair enough.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44If you have a story you'd like us to investigate,
0:41:44 > 0:41:47then you can get in touch with us via our Facebook page.
0:41:49 > 0:41:50Our website is...
0:41:53 > 0:41:55Or you can e-mail us at...
0:41:58 > 0:42:02And of course you can always send us a letter to our postal address...
0:42:15 > 0:42:19I've got to say, it was great to see a famous name so keen to take on
0:42:19 > 0:42:23the Dark Side of online fraudsters, and, Angela, you and Mark Hamill
0:42:23 > 0:42:25seemed to get on like a house on fire.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27A bit of the old chemistry going on, I thought.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29He was seriously charming,
0:42:29 > 0:42:34and he was so generous with his time and with his stories of the
0:42:34 > 0:42:37behind-the-scenes things that were going on with the Star Wars movie,
0:42:37 > 0:42:39and the latest one, obviously,
0:42:39 > 0:42:42but he also let all the crew take selfies with him so at least we know
0:42:42 > 0:42:44that they are all genuine.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47Very good. Now, of course, celebrity or not,
0:42:47 > 0:42:50we just love to hear from anyone who's done their bit
0:42:50 > 0:42:52to stop underhand practices in their tracks.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55So if you've got a story of your own, do please tell us about it.
0:42:55 > 0:42:56The e-mail address, as ever, is...
0:42:59 > 0:43:03And you never know, it could be your experience we look at on a future programme.
0:43:03 > 0:43:07And there's going to be plenty of those coming up, because our series
0:43:07 > 0:43:09on holidays and food will be returning very soon
0:43:09 > 0:43:13and we'd especially be keen to hear from you on those topics.
0:43:13 > 0:43:16But I'm afraid that's all we've got time for in today's programme.
0:43:16 > 0:43:17As always, thanks for joining us,
0:43:17 > 0:43:20and so, until the next time, from all of us, bye-bye.
0:43:20 > 0:43:21- Bye-bye.- Goodbye.