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've contacted us in your thousands.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09You've told us about the companies that you think get it wrong,
0:00:09 > 0:00:13and the customer service that simply is not up to scratch.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17They just want to take money from people, that's what it's all about.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21You've asked us to track down the scammers who stole your money
0:00:21 > 0:00:24and investigate the extra charges you'd say are unfair.
0:00:24 > 0:00:29What kind of people could do this to an innocent human being?
0:00:29 > 0:00:32And when you've lost out, but no-one else is to blame,
0:00:32 > 0:00:35you've come to us to stop others falling into the same trap.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38You have to go through various levels of authority
0:00:38 > 0:00:40and push your way through.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44So, whether it's a blatant rip-off or a genuine mistake...
0:00:44 > 0:00:47..we're here to find out why you're out of pocket
0:00:47 > 0:00:49and what you can do about it.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Your stories, your money.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53This is Rip Off Britain.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59Hello, welcome again to Rip Off Britain, where, as ever,
0:00:59 > 0:01:02we are here to investigate situations where you feel
0:01:02 > 0:01:05you've been left out of pocket or feeling thoroughly let down.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09And, of course, it's our job to battle on your behalf for answers,
0:01:09 > 0:01:12or - even better - to get things resolved.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15That is so right. I'm delighted to say that's exactly
0:01:15 > 0:01:17what we've succeeded in doing for some of the people
0:01:17 > 0:01:19that we've been meeting today.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23All of our stories involve companies that simply have not stuck
0:01:23 > 0:01:24to their end of the bargain,
0:01:24 > 0:01:27or, indeed, even kept to the most basic of promises.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Because when you hand over your money, quite frankly,
0:01:29 > 0:01:33all you want in return is to get exactly what you paid for.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35You are absolutely right, Gloria.
0:01:35 > 0:01:36But, as you're about to see,
0:01:36 > 0:01:40things turned out very differently for the people we're about to meet.
0:01:40 > 0:01:41Whether that was deliberate
0:01:41 > 0:01:44or because the company was overstretched,
0:01:44 > 0:01:48the end result was the same - an awful lot of customers losing out,
0:01:48 > 0:01:50often to the tune of hundreds of pounds.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52So, as we try and put that right,
0:01:52 > 0:01:55we'll have some advice to stop it happening to you.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59Coming up - hundreds of customers let down by the same company,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02one that promised to find and sell sold-out goods,
0:02:02 > 0:02:04but just didn't deliver.
0:02:04 > 0:02:05I was extremely angry.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07That's when I really started to panic and thought,
0:02:07 > 0:02:09"Hold up, I'm not going to get my goods."
0:02:09 > 0:02:12That awful, sinking feeling,
0:02:12 > 0:02:15you feel that you're going to let your daughter down.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19That was just... It was awful.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22And the removal firm that kept this family waiting
0:02:22 > 0:02:25the best part of a year to get back its possessions.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27It's been terrible,
0:02:27 > 0:02:29it's almost like I feel that
0:02:29 > 0:02:33I've basically lost all of our possessions.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39Now, when a company fails to deliver on its promises,
0:02:39 > 0:02:40it can be bitterly disappointing,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42and that's going to be even more crushing
0:02:42 > 0:02:46if their failures means that you've got to let somebody down as well.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48I'm afraid that's exactly what happened
0:02:48 > 0:02:50to the people in our next film,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53all of whom had very similar experiences with the same company,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56a business that seemed to be offering must-have items
0:02:56 > 0:02:59that, apparently, nobody else could supply,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02but at the last minute wasn't able to provide anything whatsoever.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04So, we've been investigating
0:03:04 > 0:03:07what went wrong and seeing if there's any way
0:03:07 > 0:03:11that the rest of us can avoid losing out in a similar fashion.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16Now, whether it's a Buzz Lightyear toy or a Cabbage Patch Kid,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19if the shops run low on the latest toys and gadgets,
0:03:19 > 0:03:24parents really will go to infinity and beyond to track down whatever
0:03:24 > 0:03:27is top of their child's Christmas or birthday lists.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31And Emma Hurley from near Maidenhead is no exception.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33Her nine-year-old daughter, Lydia,
0:03:33 > 0:03:38desperately wanted one of the hottest toys of Christmas 2016.
0:03:38 > 0:03:39'Introducing Hatchimals.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42'They live inside of eggs and it's up to you to help them hatch.'
0:03:42 > 0:03:46A toy animal that, once hatched from its egg,
0:03:46 > 0:03:50can be looked after and raised to walk, talk and squawk.
0:03:50 > 0:03:51IT SQUAWKS
0:03:51 > 0:03:54She was desperate for this Hatchimal.
0:03:54 > 0:03:55It had to be this Hatchimal.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57She'd seen it on the television,
0:03:57 > 0:04:01and she was absolutely besotted with one.
0:04:01 > 0:04:0440 miles away in Eltham, in south-east London,
0:04:04 > 0:04:06nine-year-old Damian Sparks
0:04:06 > 0:04:09was hoping to wake up to another of 2016's
0:04:09 > 0:04:12most in-demand gifts on Christmas Day,
0:04:12 > 0:04:14and his dad David was determined to get it for him.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18Damian loves his games console, his PS4.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21So I thought it would be a good idea if we tried to purchase
0:04:21 > 0:04:25the virtual reality headset, which was the must-buy present.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28But, unfortunately for Damian,
0:04:28 > 0:04:32he wasn't the only one who had his sights on one of these headsets.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35In fact, wherever David looked, they were sold out.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37It was extremely hard to get hold of.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40They were saying the virtual reality headsets were not going to be
0:04:40 > 0:04:42in stock until end of January.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Back in Berkshire, Emma was having an equally fruitless hunt
0:04:45 > 0:04:48for a Hatchimal in her local stores.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50I was only aware of how popular they were
0:04:50 > 0:04:53when I actually started looking for one.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Then I realised that everybody had sold out of Hatchimals.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59You could not get them for love nor money.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04But, after a thorough look online, she came across a retailer
0:05:04 > 0:05:06that seemed to have the answer to her prayers.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08A company called SavviBuy
0:05:08 > 0:05:11was claiming to have stocks of the elusive toy.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Every time I kept putting in the search engine for a Hatchimal,
0:05:14 > 0:05:18this company kept popping up - SavviBuy, SavviBuy,
0:05:18 > 0:05:22loads of Hatchimals in stock. SavviBuy.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24And, in south-east London, too,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27the search for a virtual reality headset that had seemed
0:05:27 > 0:05:30virtually impossible looked set to be resolved
0:05:30 > 0:05:34when dad David also stumbled across the SavviBuy site.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Every time I searched, they were top.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38So, when I had a look at the website,
0:05:38 > 0:05:40I thought it was professional.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Just to be on the safe side, I gave them a call.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46To David's relief, when he rang SavviBuy,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49which was based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester,
0:05:49 > 0:05:51he was reassured that it did definitely have
0:05:51 > 0:05:53the headset he wanted in stock.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Better yet, it was the same price he would have paid
0:05:55 > 0:05:58in the high street - £340.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00So, David placed his order
0:06:00 > 0:06:04and received an e-mail confirmation stating he would
0:06:04 > 0:06:05receive the headset in four days.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08We were happy that Damian's main present
0:06:08 > 0:06:10was located, we didn't have to worry,
0:06:10 > 0:06:13and it was going to arrive before Christmas.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17Meanwhile, it seemed Emma's search for a Hatchimal was also at an end.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20I was euphoric. Absolutely euphoric.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22I'd looked online, I'd obviously got the Hatchimal,
0:06:22 > 0:06:26got the colour that she wanted, paid for it and that was it.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29Emma paid just under £90 for her toy,
0:06:29 > 0:06:33which actually was £30 more than the typical retail price.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35But knowing that she had secured
0:06:35 > 0:06:38what her daughter wanted made it worth every penny,
0:06:38 > 0:06:41especially when the company confirmed delivery would be
0:06:41 > 0:06:42in time for Christmas.
0:06:42 > 0:06:47Unfortunately, however, the delivery date came and then went,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49and then Emma started to worry.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52Every time a car came along,
0:06:52 > 0:06:57or every time a van pulled up, I kept thinking, "This is it."
0:06:58 > 0:07:00Because they'd promised delivery,
0:07:00 > 0:07:03I assumed that they were going to deliver it.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07I started to chase them for e-mails, as I needed reassurance.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11I got a response from a gentleman that reassured me
0:07:11 > 0:07:14that I would have that Hatchimal.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19In south London, David had also become tuned in to the sound
0:07:19 > 0:07:21of the postman's daily visit.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23- See you later.- Bye, Dad.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26But every delivery was another without the headset.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28So, with Christmas creeping closer,
0:07:28 > 0:07:30David decided to do some digging
0:07:30 > 0:07:33into the company that he'd pinned all his hopes on.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36And what he unearthed did nothing for his spirits.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38Not only did David find plenty of negative reviews
0:07:38 > 0:07:42about the company online, he also discovered a Facebook page
0:07:42 > 0:07:44with the heading...
0:07:46 > 0:07:48..and he was shocked to find
0:07:48 > 0:07:50it had nearly 2,000 members.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53I discovered there was a Facebook group, lots of people had joined,
0:07:53 > 0:07:55unhappy with the company,
0:07:55 > 0:07:57been constantly trying to contact them,
0:07:57 > 0:07:59and had the same issues that I had.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02It seemed that right across the country, people had ordered
0:08:02 > 0:08:05all manner of hard-to-find gadgets from SavviBuy,
0:08:05 > 0:08:07from toys to quad bikes,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09robots to computer consoles,
0:08:09 > 0:08:14and although the company's website had guaranteed Christmas delivery,
0:08:14 > 0:08:17it was clear an awful lot of customers were being let down
0:08:17 > 0:08:20after placing orders that simply had not arrived.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23David realised that unless he took matters into his own hands,
0:08:23 > 0:08:28he risked not only losing the £350 he had paid for the headset, but,
0:08:28 > 0:08:32worse still, nine-year-old Damian would not be getting the gift
0:08:32 > 0:08:33he so desperately wanted.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37At that stage, I was extremely angry.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39That's when I really started to panic and thought,
0:08:39 > 0:08:41"Hold up, I'm not going to get my goods."
0:08:41 > 0:08:43That wasn't a situation he was willing to stand for.
0:08:43 > 0:08:48So, even though the head office of SavviBuy was over 240 miles away,
0:08:48 > 0:08:52David made a last-minute dash to the company to find his son's gift.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54But when he arrived at the Rochdale address,
0:08:54 > 0:08:58he found no trace of SavviBuy, only this shop,
0:08:58 > 0:09:00which was called Advance Technologies.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02And, although David said the shutters were down,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05he spotted a delivery truck being unloaded by staff
0:09:05 > 0:09:09around the back and took this photo. So, seizing his opportunity
0:09:09 > 0:09:12but unclear what connection this shop had with SavviBuy,
0:09:12 > 0:09:14David asked them about his order.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17They initially denied that they were SavviBuy,
0:09:17 > 0:09:20and that they had nothing to do with them.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23They were Advance Technologies, they were...
0:09:23 > 0:09:26You know, SavviBuy... Nothing to do with SavviBuy at all.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28But David was having none of it.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30I just said, "You've taken my money
0:09:30 > 0:09:33"and I wasn't leaving until you refunded my money."
0:09:33 > 0:09:36At that point, he ummed and ahhed, then said,
0:09:36 > 0:09:37"OK, give me your details."
0:09:38 > 0:09:42David was lucky, and did eventually get his money back.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45But he still didn't have the headset for his son.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Back in Berkshire, Emma was still £90 out of pocket
0:09:48 > 0:09:51with no Hatchimal to show for it.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54That awful, sinking feeling,
0:09:54 > 0:09:57you feel that you're going to let your daughter down.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01That was just... It was awful.
0:10:01 > 0:10:02Awful, awful feeling.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06With time ticking, I'm glad to say Emma was able to find
0:10:06 > 0:10:08a Hatchimal from another seller.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12But she was determined to get back the money she'd paid to SavviBuy.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16I e-mailed SavviBuy, saying that I wanted my money back,
0:10:16 > 0:10:18that I'd had to go and purchase another one.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21I haven't had a reply, I'm still waiting for a reply.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23We've actually applied to get our money back
0:10:23 > 0:10:26through our credit card company.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29We've sent all the paperwork back over to them.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Many other disgruntled customers of SavviBuy
0:10:32 > 0:10:34found themselves in the same boat.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37And those who've been in touch with Rip Off Britain all say that when
0:10:37 > 0:10:41they contacted the company for an explanation or a refund,
0:10:41 > 0:10:44they were advised to get in touch with their bank and to do it through
0:10:44 > 0:10:47what's called the "chargeback system".
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Now, as we've said before, that's an extra level
0:10:49 > 0:10:53of customer protection you may get when you pay
0:10:53 > 0:10:56on debit or credit card, for purchases under £100.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59But Sylvia Rook, from the Trading Standards Institute, says it's not
0:10:59 > 0:11:02guaranteed to get you your money back and, in any case,
0:11:02 > 0:11:06it's odd for a company to suggest it to its own customers.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10It's very unusual for a retailer to direct you straight to the bank
0:11:10 > 0:11:12to get chargeback. It is their responsibility
0:11:12 > 0:11:14to sort out the problem. With chargeback,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17the bank has to claw back the money from the merchant bank
0:11:17 > 0:11:20used by the trader. That means there has to be money there
0:11:20 > 0:11:23for them to claw back. Certainly that's a breach of contract,
0:11:23 > 0:11:25and the consumers are entitled to their money back.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30Well, to try to get to the bottom of exactly what went on here,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33we tried contacting SavviBuy for answers.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37But with the company's website and phone number now no longer active,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40our only lead was the shop in Rochdale that David had visited,
0:11:40 > 0:11:43Advance Technologies, which, of course, is the address
0:11:43 > 0:11:46from which SavviBuy had claimed to be operating.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49The manager there told us that although his team
0:11:49 > 0:11:52had been processing payments on behalf of SavviBuy,
0:11:52 > 0:11:54it had only ever been a middleman
0:11:54 > 0:11:57and it no longer had any links to the company.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00He said that although his business in no way responsible
0:12:00 > 0:12:02for SavviBuy's unfulfilled orders,
0:12:02 > 0:12:06he is nonetheless refunding the company's disgruntled customers,
0:12:06 > 0:12:10though, as a result, claimed to be out of pocket
0:12:10 > 0:12:11to the tune of £500,000.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14He lays the blame for all of this firmly at the door
0:12:14 > 0:12:17of those that own and run SavviBuy,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20and pointed us toward some Birmingham-based businesses which
0:12:20 > 0:12:23he said shared the same owners as SavviBuy.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27However, when we tried calling them, we were either cut off
0:12:27 > 0:12:31or told that no-one knew anything about this whole sorry affair.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35So, while we may never know whether this was a company
0:12:35 > 0:12:38that got out of its depth or was something more sinister,
0:12:38 > 0:12:41Sylvia has advice to ensure that next time any of us
0:12:41 > 0:12:45are trying to secure the latest must-have toy or gadget,
0:12:45 > 0:12:47we don't end up losing out the same way.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51The first thing I would say is do some internet research
0:12:51 > 0:12:54on the name of the company. If people are unhappy,
0:12:54 > 0:12:55they tend to post reviews,
0:12:55 > 0:12:59so you'll get an idea if there are likely to be some problems.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Secondly, it's a good idea to use companies
0:13:01 > 0:13:02based in the United Kingdom.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Just because a business has a ".co.uk" address
0:13:05 > 0:13:08doesn't mean they're actually based in the UK.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12You can do some checks to find out where the company is actually based.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Despite the failed promises of SavviBuy,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17thanks to the determined efforts of their parents,
0:13:17 > 0:13:21Damian and Lydia did both end up getting the presents they so wanted.
0:13:21 > 0:13:26Damian's dad David found his virtual reality headset at a local store,
0:13:26 > 0:13:28just in the nick of time.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30Damian was over the moon, he was ecstatic.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33As for Emma, she did succeed in getting her money back
0:13:33 > 0:13:37through her credit card company and, despite the hassle along the way,
0:13:37 > 0:13:41Lydia couldn't be happier with her beloved toy.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45The relief that flooded in once I'd got that Hatchimal,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48I knew that my daughter would be so happy.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55- How good is he?- The best toy ever!
0:13:55 > 0:13:57HATCHIMAL BABBLES
0:14:00 > 0:14:04Various surveys over the years have found that, for many,
0:14:04 > 0:14:10moving home can be just as traumatic as a bereavement or even a divorce.
0:14:10 > 0:14:15And that stress is made even worse if the move is between countries
0:14:15 > 0:14:17that are thousands of miles apart.
0:14:17 > 0:14:22So, you would hope that paying a removals company that specialises
0:14:22 > 0:14:24in shipping precious possessions
0:14:24 > 0:14:26from one side of the world to another,
0:14:26 > 0:14:28though it's likely to cost you thousands of pounds,
0:14:28 > 0:14:30is going to be worth every penny.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34But we've heard of hundreds of disgruntled customers
0:14:34 > 0:14:37of one such company, one that, far from delivering
0:14:37 > 0:14:41its clients' worldly goods to their new address as promised,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43has left them high and dry,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46without a clue as to where their belongings have gone.
0:14:46 > 0:14:47And, even worse, with no idea
0:14:47 > 0:14:51if they'll ever actually ever see them again.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56Dubai has a booming expat community,
0:14:56 > 0:14:59with tens of thousands of Brits living there on a permanent basis.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03And you can understand why, its combination of good salaries,
0:15:03 > 0:15:07low taxes and fantastic weather can make it so appealing.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Martin Hartwell and his wife Leona
0:15:09 > 0:15:13were among those to fall in love with the distinctive lifestyle.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16It was special. You wake up and you've got the sun
0:15:16 > 0:15:18coming over the mountains - phenomenal.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20It really is.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24You're genuinely out there, living life on a different scale.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28We had a lovely, very big, spacious one-bedroom villa,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31at the foot of the Jebel Hafeet mountain in the desert.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35Having made a home out there, the couple decided to start a family.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38In October 2015, Olivia was born.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41But, hours after she was delivered, the couple received
0:15:41 > 0:15:44the devastating news that their baby was seriously ill.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48They told us that she's got a hole in her heart
0:15:48 > 0:15:51and more tests need to be done.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53We assumed the worst.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57We got very, very nervous and very, very upset, very quickly.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Adding to the couple's worries,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02they discovered their current health insurance wouldn't cover
0:16:02 > 0:16:06Olivia's treatment and the only way they could afford the long-term care
0:16:06 > 0:16:10that she needed would be for them to return to the UK and use the NHS.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14We obviously had Olivia registered in the UK anyway,
0:16:14 > 0:16:18and we were literally just backwards and froing every month,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21to take Olivia to Birmingham Children's Hospital.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26After several months, the couple decided to move permanently back
0:16:26 > 0:16:30to the UK. So, whilst Olivia was in hospital in Birmingham,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Martin stayed in Dubai and arranged for the family's goods,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36which included an apartment full of furniture and all the other things
0:16:36 > 0:16:39collected over the time they'd lived there, to be shipped back home.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42And, after shopping around for quotes,
0:16:42 > 0:16:45he was drawn to one company who boasted of...
0:16:47 > 0:16:49..in moving goods internationally.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53A business called Expat Relocations, which, though based in Dubai,
0:16:53 > 0:16:56also had the reassurance of an address in the UK.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58And, initially, things went well.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01The company came to our house, they packed everything up.
0:17:03 > 0:17:04We watched them do it.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06Obviously, we tried to help them, but they were like,
0:17:06 > 0:17:10"No, this is what we do." They itinerarised everything,
0:17:10 > 0:17:13obviously, we got the receipts of everything they'd taken,
0:17:13 > 0:17:14we saw that they were writing
0:17:14 > 0:17:18on the boxes what it was, where it was going.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22So, kitchen, bathroom, front room, bedroom.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27Martin paid the company £1,750 for its services,
0:17:27 > 0:17:29about average for this kind of move,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31which not only involved packing up all their stuff,
0:17:31 > 0:17:38but also shipping it almost 7,000 miles by sea from Dubai to the UK.
0:17:38 > 0:17:39It was all done very, very well.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42It was a case of "Great, we'll see you in a couple of months,
0:17:42 > 0:17:43"thank you very, very much."
0:17:43 > 0:17:46With their lives boxed up,
0:17:46 > 0:17:49Martin said goodbye to Dubai and headed back to the UK.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52But, eight weeks later, when the couple had been led to believe
0:17:52 > 0:17:54their belongings would turn up...
0:17:55 > 0:17:56..they didn't.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59There was no explanation from Expat Relocations.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03When we called round, a full six months after that,
0:18:03 > 0:18:05not only had their possessions still not arrived,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08but the couple had almost given up hope that they ever would.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13I'm missing Olivia's stuff, Olivia's clothes that she had,
0:18:13 > 0:18:15that we'd bought for her.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21Her bed. Yes, hello, we miss that, don't we? We miss our bed.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23It has put us through a lot of extra stress.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25I don't think that emigrating
0:18:25 > 0:18:28or buying a house is a particularly stress-free thing anyway.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31But when you sit in a house that's practically empty,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33it just adds to that stress.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36Martin says he's persistently called
0:18:36 > 0:18:39and e-mailed Expat Relocations,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41but his efforts have either been ignored
0:18:41 > 0:18:42or he's been given excuses
0:18:42 > 0:18:45and promises that haven't got him anywhere.
0:18:45 > 0:18:50It's been terrible. It's almost like I feel that I've basically lost
0:18:50 > 0:18:52all of our possessions.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56Martin's only clues as to what might have happened after he waved goodbye
0:18:56 > 0:18:58to his possessions back in Dubai
0:18:58 > 0:19:01have come from other people who also used the company
0:19:01 > 0:19:03and posted their feedback online.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07And it seems there are a lot of disgruntled customers.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Here at Rip Off Britain,
0:19:09 > 0:19:12we've heard from dozens of families and individuals
0:19:12 > 0:19:13from all over the world
0:19:13 > 0:19:17who have found themselves in exactly the same position as Martin.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21And, like Martin, every one of them says that they have been let down
0:19:21 > 0:19:23by Expat Relocations.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27Among those we've spoken to, the Ramsey family,
0:19:27 > 0:19:32who paid the company £6,000 to get their possessions sent from Dubai
0:19:32 > 0:19:34to Aberdeen, but when Expat Relocations
0:19:34 > 0:19:37failed to pay the shipping companies its fees,
0:19:37 > 0:19:39the family ended up having to fork out
0:19:39 > 0:19:43another £6,000 to get their belongings home.
0:19:43 > 0:19:44Similarly, teacher Emma Godfrey
0:19:44 > 0:19:47was told that her stuff would take four to eight weeks
0:19:47 > 0:19:51to arrive back in the UK. But she ended up waiting four months,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54and had to pay out an additional £500 in shipping fees
0:19:54 > 0:19:56to get it all back.
0:19:57 > 0:20:02A social media group made up of people with unhappy experiences
0:20:02 > 0:20:05of Expat Relocations now has over 130 members.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09But when we tried contacting Expat Relocations in Dubai
0:20:09 > 0:20:13to ask about all those unhappy customers, we got no response.
0:20:13 > 0:20:14We understand, however,
0:20:14 > 0:20:18that the authorities out there have launched an investigation
0:20:18 > 0:20:20into that end of the business.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25Meanwhile, we were able to get some positive news for Martin and Leona.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29We traced their possessions to a shipping company that had been
0:20:29 > 0:20:32holding on to them while it waited for its fees to be paid
0:20:32 > 0:20:35by Expat Relocations. When we got in touch with that company
0:20:35 > 0:20:38and discussed the situation, it confirmed that it would be
0:20:38 > 0:20:42delivering Martin and Leona's possessions free of charge.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45- Good girl! - MARTIN AND LEONA LAUGH
0:20:45 > 0:20:48So today's the day that, after eight months of waiting,
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Martin hopes to be reunited with all their worldly goods,
0:20:51 > 0:20:55and I've called round at their home to check that they finally arrive.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Hi, Martin. Good to see you.
0:20:57 > 0:20:58Hi.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01'The word is that two lorry loads of their stuff
0:21:01 > 0:21:03'is heading up the motorway,
0:21:03 > 0:21:05'but Martin won't believe it till he sees it.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08'The stress of the last eight months has taken its toll
0:21:08 > 0:21:12'and he fears they may be let down again.'
0:21:12 > 0:21:15We're sitting here waiting for this container to arrive.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Do you have any anxiety at all?
0:21:17 > 0:21:21I've got nothing else to give, emotionally.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27We'll just see when it arrives - if it arrives, I guess.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31But as the day wears on and the delivery time passes by
0:21:31 > 0:21:33with no sign of any lorry,
0:21:33 > 0:21:36Martin fears he's going to be disappointed again.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39So, when a further three hours have gone by, I make some enquiries.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42I'm sure you've been as helpful as you possibly can be,
0:21:42 > 0:21:44but we rang this afternoon at half past one
0:21:44 > 0:21:47and was told it was coming at half past two,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50and now you've told us it's going to be here at seven
0:21:50 > 0:21:52or eight o'clock this evening.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54And, just as we were about to give up all hope,
0:21:54 > 0:21:56two lorries finally arrived,
0:21:56 > 0:21:59and I'm glad to say they WERE carrying
0:21:59 > 0:22:01Martin and Leona's long lost possessions.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03And, of course, all Olivia's stuff, too.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07Hopefully, she's excited to obviously get all of her toys back.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09It's a bittersweet moment for the family.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12Focused on their daughter's recovery, they didn't need
0:22:12 > 0:22:15the distraction of chasing down a removal company to get back
0:22:15 > 0:22:17what is rightfully theirs.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19It's here. What a relief.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22I don't think it's quite sunk in yet, but I guess when it does,
0:22:22 > 0:22:24we'll be over the moon.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35Still to come on Rip Off Britain -
0:22:35 > 0:22:38the music fans led on a wild-goose chase,
0:22:38 > 0:22:41who forked out hundreds of pounds for tickets they never received.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44It makes your hurt sink. Like, it's all your hard-earned money
0:22:44 > 0:22:46and they've just took it away from you, for nothing.
0:22:51 > 0:22:52Rip Off Britain is on the road,
0:22:52 > 0:22:56with Manchester Trafford Centre once again hosting our pop-up shop.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58Are you ready? Let's go.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02As usual, we loved meeting so many of you face-to-face.
0:23:02 > 0:23:03You're doing a wonderful job.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05Oh, I'm glad to hear you say so.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08I want you to tell me what's really bothering you.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10I do! What's really bothering you?
0:23:10 > 0:23:12You came to see us in your droves,
0:23:12 > 0:23:14and this year we had more experts
0:23:14 > 0:23:16on hand than ever before to offer advice.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19They have the facilities, as far as I'm concerned,
0:23:19 > 0:23:20to suspend the account.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25Olive Bailey from Norfolk and Lesley Garrow from Bradford
0:23:25 > 0:23:28both came to see solicitor Gary Rycroft to see if they might have
0:23:28 > 0:23:32a case, following some disastrous medical procedures.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35So, Olive, begin by telling us what happened in your case.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39I went to the dentist to have a crown fitted.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41The dentist, he gave me one injection,
0:23:41 > 0:23:43started to prepare the tooth.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46He said, "Oh, I'm afraid I'm going to have to give you
0:23:46 > 0:23:50"a second injection." So it went on, probably about another 15 minutes.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54And he said, "I'm going to have to give you another injection."
0:23:54 > 0:23:56'It was only after he'd fitted a temporary crown
0:23:56 > 0:23:58'that the dentist dropped a bombshell.'
0:23:58 > 0:24:00He said, "Well, I've got to tell you,
0:24:00 > 0:24:04"during the procedure, I drilled your tongue,
0:24:04 > 0:24:08"so I'm going to have to give you an injection in your tongue
0:24:08 > 0:24:11- "so I can stitch it." - What did you feel at that point?
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Well, I just wanted to run!
0:24:14 > 0:24:18But Olive stayed put while the dentist stitched up her tongue,
0:24:18 > 0:24:19and then she headed to reception.
0:24:21 > 0:24:26I paid my £196, I think it was.
0:24:26 > 0:24:27- And...- He still charged you,
0:24:27 > 0:24:29even though he'd drilled through your tongue?
0:24:29 > 0:24:32That was my initial payment, yes.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34And went home.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36'As the injections wore off,
0:24:36 > 0:24:40'Olive says she suffered persistent pain in her mouth and tongue,
0:24:40 > 0:24:44'and she's been left unable to face going to the dentist again.'
0:24:44 > 0:24:47You have no idea how petrified I am.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50So you've got the basic facts there, then, Gary.
0:24:50 > 0:24:55Olive, you've got a very strong case for medical negligence.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58There was fault, drilling through your tongue,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01and that has caused you distress,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04so your claim would be for, I would say,
0:25:04 > 0:25:07the cost of the treatment that you've had,
0:25:07 > 0:25:10the pain and suffering that you underwent
0:25:10 > 0:25:12and the psychological impact.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16But you've got to bring a claim within three years
0:25:16 > 0:25:19of you first discovering the injury.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Lesley, yours is quite a different problem.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24From teeth to eyes.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29To eyes. I had lens replacement surgery in 2015.
0:25:29 > 0:25:34Went and had the left eye done first - fine, everything fine.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38Week after, I went for the right one doing, for the distance.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41Had it done, gave it time to settle, you know.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Had the bandages taken off, went for a check-up.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47"Oh, yeah, everything's healing fine." I said,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49"But I haven't got any distance. I still can't see."
0:25:49 > 0:25:53'Though the surgeon said Lesley's eyesight would improve over time,
0:25:53 > 0:25:55'it didn't, even after she followed his advice
0:25:55 > 0:25:58'and subsequently forked out for laser surgery, too.'
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Did you get any guarantees when you had the work done?
0:26:01 > 0:26:05They did say that when we went we'd get 20/20 vision or your money back.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08But they're now saying that, no, that's only on laser.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11Effectively, have they told you that what they've done is failed?
0:26:11 > 0:26:13They say they can't understand why I haven't got the 20/20 vision,
0:26:13 > 0:26:15why I can't see long distance.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19Any medical procedure has inherent risks.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23And, as a patient, you're meant to have informed consent
0:26:23 > 0:26:27to understand when you go to the dentist, or go to the optician,
0:26:27 > 0:26:29that things may not work out.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33And just because they don't work out doesn't mean you have a claim
0:26:33 > 0:26:34in medical negligence.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38You will have a claim if there has been fault,
0:26:38 > 0:26:43and if that has caused damage to you that could have been avoided.
0:26:43 > 0:26:44Have you had time off work as well?
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Yes, I've had time off to go.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50So, you've got loss of earnings by having to take time off work,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53and that will actually all form part of your claim.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55So you've both got strong legal cases.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57Are we sending away two people who are a bit happier
0:26:57 > 0:26:59than they were when they came and sat down?
0:26:59 > 0:27:02- Yes, definitely.- Looks to be light at the end of the tunnel.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04- Thank you for your time. - Thank you.- Pleasure.- Thank you.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11When you want to have a good old moan about a consumer issue
0:27:11 > 0:27:13that's got on your nerves,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16what better place to come than our very own Gripe Corner?
0:27:16 > 0:27:21No wonder so many of you are taking the opportunity to let off steam.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23What really makes me angry as a young woman
0:27:23 > 0:27:26is going to a car garage, because I know they can rip me off
0:27:26 > 0:27:28because I don't know anything about cars.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32Each time you go into a shop and the prices have gone up
0:27:32 > 0:27:35and they use Brexit as an excuse.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37Cold callers, they drive me nuts!
0:27:37 > 0:27:40"Hello. How can I help today?"
0:27:40 > 0:27:42Don't call again!
0:27:46 > 0:27:50From The Beatles to Bieber - that's Justin, in case you didn't know -
0:27:50 > 0:27:53getting your hands on a ticket to see your pop idol
0:27:53 > 0:27:55has always been a bit of a scramble.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58But whether you've had to queue up at the box office
0:27:58 > 0:28:00or hang on the phone in the hope of getting a seat,
0:28:00 > 0:28:03it's all been part of the fun of being a fan.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06But these days things have got a lot murkier now that so many tickets
0:28:06 > 0:28:08are booked online.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11While the internet has undoubtedly made some of these
0:28:11 > 0:28:14transactions much easier, it also means that most of them involve
0:28:14 > 0:28:18dealing with someone who you can't see or speak to.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21And when it's hard to know who you're dealing with,
0:28:21 > 0:28:23how can you be sure that they'll actually deliver
0:28:23 > 0:28:27the tickets you want? Unfortunately for some people, they don't,
0:28:27 > 0:28:29like the families we're about to meet.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33But, after years of headlines warning about rip-off ticket touts,
0:28:33 > 0:28:37it could be that things are about to get better, at last.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39# Go through the darkest of days... #
0:28:39 > 0:28:4217-year-old Brandan Fowler from Leeds
0:28:42 > 0:28:44is more than a fan of Justin Bieber.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46He's a super-fan.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51I'd seen Justin Bieber previously in concert.
0:28:51 > 0:28:56Justin Bieber inspired me to play guitar when I was about ten.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00And his sister Roxy and mother Louisa watched
0:29:00 > 0:29:02as his music skills developed.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07He'd followed Justin Bieber from, like, the very beginning
0:29:07 > 0:29:10and kind of idolised him and he'd been a really big influence
0:29:10 > 0:29:13in his life in learning instruments and things like that.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16He probably wouldn't admit that now as a 17-year-old,
0:29:16 > 0:29:18but he does have a soft spot for his music.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25Two more dedicated Beliebers are Leah and her friend Erin
0:29:25 > 0:29:27from Retford in the East Midlands.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30Their mountain of memorabilia says it all.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32I've had this since I was little.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35And it means so much to me and it was always my favourite toy
0:29:35 > 0:29:39when I was a child. And it even sings and everything.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41DOLL PLAYS "BABY" BY JUSTIN BIEBER
0:29:41 > 0:29:46I can't even describe how much he means to me.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49I don't know, he's just everything!
0:29:50 > 0:29:54So, when Justin Bieber announced to his 2016 world tour
0:29:54 > 0:29:56would be taking in the city of Sheffield,
0:29:56 > 0:30:00just 40 miles from their home, Leah's mother Sadie
0:30:00 > 0:30:03leapt in to action as soon as the tickets were released.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06So the tickets went on sale at nine o'clock.
0:30:06 > 0:30:13I had my iPad, a laptop, two phones all, you know, refreshing each one.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15I did that for about an hour.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18And, up the road in Leeds, Roxy was also poised,
0:30:18 > 0:30:22ready to buy tickets so the family could surprise her brother Brandan.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25Well, cos he's such a big artist, it's so hard,
0:30:25 > 0:30:28so you have to sort of get there within, like, 30 seconds,
0:30:28 > 0:30:31they can be sold out, so I was looking through every kind of,
0:30:31 > 0:30:35you know, online place I could to try and find the best tickets
0:30:35 > 0:30:36for the most affordable price.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42With the official ticket website quickly under strain,
0:30:42 > 0:30:46both families started to panic that the tickets might soon be sold out.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50So they began looking elsewhere and each found themselves on a website
0:30:50 > 0:30:53called ticketselection.co.uk.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56To their delight, it appeared to have plenty of tickets
0:30:56 > 0:30:59for the Sheffield dates, although they came at a price.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03The Ticket Selection website just looked like
0:31:03 > 0:31:06any other normal website, really genuine, you know, just...
0:31:06 > 0:31:10Yeah, it looked really professional, it wouldn't ever cross my mind
0:31:10 > 0:31:13that it wasn't professional or legitimate.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15When we found the tickets,
0:31:15 > 0:31:19they were obviously a lot more money than what they were on general sale.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23But we were that glad just to have found the tickets
0:31:23 > 0:31:26because it meant our daughters could go
0:31:26 > 0:31:29that it was a massive weight lifted.
0:31:29 > 0:31:30We were so excited.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32- We were jumping up and down. - We were so happy.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34I remember jumping off the couch.
0:31:34 > 0:31:35Yeah. We were really giddy.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39- So excited.- We couldn't wait to tell Brandan.- Yeah.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43Unofficial online sellers, usually called secondary ticket websites,
0:31:43 > 0:31:46have attracted a lot of attention in recent years.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49Initially set up as a place where fans could off-load tickets
0:31:49 > 0:31:51they could no longer use,
0:31:51 > 0:31:54over the years they've gained a reputation for selling them on
0:31:54 > 0:31:56at many times the face value.
0:31:56 > 0:32:01So Sadie and Joanne each paid ticketselection.co.uk £300
0:32:01 > 0:32:05for a pair of tickets, and Roxy and Louisa paid over £400
0:32:05 > 0:32:07for all three of theirs.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09Though they were relieved to have been able to get them at all,
0:32:09 > 0:32:12some niggling worries began to creep in.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15I had an e-mail back saying,
0:32:15 > 0:32:20"The tickets will be posted out but if they don't get to you three days
0:32:20 > 0:32:24"before, then we'll get you to pick them up actually at the venue."
0:32:24 > 0:32:28Which I thought was a bit suspicious cos I'd never heard of that before,
0:32:28 > 0:32:30but obviously you just go along with it
0:32:30 > 0:32:33and accept that's what's going to happen.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39Well, three days before the event, no tickets had arrived.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42I started to think, "There's definitely something wrong
0:32:42 > 0:32:44"because we haven't got the tickets, what are we going to tell the girls?
0:32:44 > 0:32:47"What am I going to do if they don't come?"
0:32:47 > 0:32:49They'd been counting down for a year.
0:32:49 > 0:32:51Every day. I've been watching it.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54It's... They'd have been heartbroken.
0:32:54 > 0:32:55Absolutely heartbroken.
0:32:55 > 0:32:59Joanne and Sadie did what they now wished they'd done much sooner
0:32:59 > 0:33:03and checked out other people's experiences of the company online.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07To their horror, they read a stream of negative reviews, and though some
0:33:07 > 0:33:10customers HAD got their tickets, albeit at the last minute,
0:33:10 > 0:33:13they were many who had received nothing at all.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16Now desperately worried, Joanne called the number
0:33:16 > 0:33:18on the company's website and, to her surprise,
0:33:18 > 0:33:20someone picked up.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23To make sure she got all the information she needed,
0:33:23 > 0:33:25Joanne recorded the call,
0:33:25 > 0:33:29and was reassured she could still collect the tickets on the day.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48Joanne was told she could pick up her tickets
0:33:48 > 0:33:51from someone called David at 7:15pm outside the arena,
0:33:51 > 0:33:54just before Justin Bieber was about to start.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58And in Leeds, after making similar enquiries,
0:33:58 > 0:34:00Roxy and Louisa were told the same thing.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03They needed to meet David, presumably the same one,
0:34:03 > 0:34:06also at 7:15 at the venue.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10So, on the day of the gig, we were still really optimistic, weren't we?
0:34:10 > 0:34:13We had a whole day planned, we were going out for a meal,
0:34:13 > 0:34:16we were going to spend time with family in Sheffield,
0:34:16 > 0:34:18and then we were going to surprise Brandan
0:34:18 > 0:34:21and go to the gig, weren't we? We were really excited.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24But, on the other hand, despite all the excitement,
0:34:24 > 0:34:29Joanne couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31So, on her way to meet David,
0:34:31 > 0:34:34she called again to confirm the arrangements
0:34:34 > 0:34:36and the reaction wasn't at all what she'd expected.
0:34:39 > 0:34:41We're on our way there now.
0:34:43 > 0:34:44Because you said quarter past seven.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49Because you said quarter past seven.
0:34:50 > 0:34:51Baffled as to what was going on,
0:34:51 > 0:34:54they got to the arena as quickly as possible.
0:34:54 > 0:34:55But when they arrived,
0:34:55 > 0:34:58they found a crowd of other fans doing the same as they were,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01looking for this mysterious man called David,
0:35:01 > 0:35:03who was nowhere to be seen.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08And, as the start time for the concert drew ever closer,
0:35:08 > 0:35:10Roxy, Louisa and Brandan arrived at the venue
0:35:10 > 0:35:14and faced the same realisation - there were no tickets.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19I went into the arena and I said to the person behind the counter,
0:35:19 > 0:35:21where is this guy called David?
0:35:21 > 0:35:24And she said, there's no person called David whatsoever.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27So she then told me that I'd been conned buying tickets.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30I then came outside, and when I came outside,
0:35:30 > 0:35:32there were a congregation of about 20 people.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35- Yeah. All stood right here. - All stood roundabout here.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38It makes your heart sink, like, it's all your hard-earned money
0:35:38 > 0:35:40and they've just took it away from you for nothing.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45All of them had been left hundreds of pounds out of pocket.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47But, sadly, their story comes as no surprise
0:35:47 > 0:35:50to ticket industry expert Reg Walker, who's worked for some
0:35:50 > 0:35:53of the UK's biggest venues to help them tackle
0:35:53 > 0:35:55this kind of ticket fraud.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57And he believes that it's the way concert tickets
0:35:57 > 0:36:00are typically sold that leaves them open to abuse,
0:36:00 > 0:36:03not least because touts have developed software
0:36:03 > 0:36:06that allows them to snap up thousands of tickets
0:36:06 > 0:36:09at once to sell on at inflated prices
0:36:09 > 0:36:11on these secondary ticketing sites.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13Now, not long after we filmed this report,
0:36:13 > 0:36:16the government announced that it would be cracking down on that
0:36:16 > 0:36:19and Reg was able to demonstrate why such action was sorely needed,
0:36:19 > 0:36:22by showing us what happened when tickets
0:36:22 > 0:36:25for a Lady Gaga concert were released.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28OK, so it's just coming up to nine o'clock now.
0:36:28 > 0:36:34And what you should see is the general on sale for tickets.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36So these tickets are now available to the public.
0:36:38 > 0:36:43But, as quickly as they go on sale for £66 on the official websites,
0:36:43 > 0:36:46those tickets start to appear on the secondary sites, too.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49And, even as we speak,
0:36:49 > 0:36:55the tickets on the secondary sites are already increasing.
0:36:55 > 0:37:00We're seeing a jump on a second site here which is advertising
0:37:00 > 0:37:03318 tickets for a London show,
0:37:03 > 0:37:06306 for the Birmingham show,
0:37:06 > 0:37:08and 280 for the Manchester.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10That's on a secondary site.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14Reg is in no doubt about how they've got there so fast.
0:37:14 > 0:37:19Now, these are not genuine fans that have simply purchased tickets.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21Hundreds of fans don't purchase tickets and then think,
0:37:21 > 0:37:24five minutes later, "I can't make that event, I better resell them."
0:37:24 > 0:37:26It's an absolute nonsense.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30This is harvesting by touts who then relist these tickets at
0:37:30 > 0:37:33hiked-up prices and it artificially forces
0:37:33 > 0:37:35the price of tickets up to fans.
0:37:35 > 0:37:40So, effectively, it's a rigged market being manipulated
0:37:40 > 0:37:42by pretty unscrupulous people.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45Following a major report into the industry,
0:37:45 > 0:37:47and after years of fans being ripped off,
0:37:47 > 0:37:51the government's announced it will change the law and issue
0:37:51 > 0:37:54unlimited fines on touts using the type of software
0:37:54 > 0:37:57that lets them bulk buy tickets.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00But it's one thing to charge over the odds for a genuine ticket
0:38:00 > 0:38:02and quite another to do the same for one
0:38:02 > 0:38:05there's no guarantee you'll ever receive.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08Trouble is, Reg fears that when even the more reputable firms
0:38:08 > 0:38:10don't always stick to the rules,
0:38:10 > 0:38:13consumers are left wide open to being scammed,
0:38:13 > 0:38:17as they've very little way of telling which sites can be trusted.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22Looking through these, we're increasingly seeing
0:38:22 > 0:38:26that the majority of these tickets for Lady Gaga shows
0:38:26 > 0:38:30have no resellers' details and they certainly only have partial
0:38:30 > 0:38:33or incomplete seat details.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35This exposes the public to risk
0:38:35 > 0:38:39and the chance that they are being ripped off.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43And Reg's concerns are backed up by Sylvia Rook from Trading Standards,
0:38:43 > 0:38:47who says the law is clear when it comes to selling tickets.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50The Consumer Rights Act introduced rules for
0:38:50 > 0:38:53secondary ticketing agencies advertising online.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56The rules say that any ticket that is being advertised
0:38:56 > 0:39:00must give the face value and it must give the exact seat details
0:39:00 > 0:39:03so you know what you're buying before you enter into a contract.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06The reason that these rules are there is to make sure
0:39:06 > 0:39:08that we don't end up with a seat that's being advertised
0:39:08 > 0:39:10that doesn't actually exist.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14But Reg says that, if you do find yourself looking at tickets
0:39:14 > 0:39:16on a secondary site, there are things you can do
0:39:16 > 0:39:20to ensure you're dealing with a legitimate company,
0:39:20 > 0:39:22so that, even if you end up paying over the odds,
0:39:22 > 0:39:25you can at least be sure you'll get your ticket.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30If you are considering purchasing from a secondary website,
0:39:30 > 0:39:34check with the venue whether they have an authorised resale partner.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38And if there really are no further tickets that are
0:39:38 > 0:39:39going to be released for the event,
0:39:39 > 0:39:42only try on their authorised resale site.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45This will ensure that, if there is a problem with your ticket,
0:39:45 > 0:39:49you can get it solved on the night, at the venue.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53Check, too, that any site you use has a proper address
0:39:53 > 0:39:57that isn't simply a PO box, or indeed an address overseas.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59Otherwise, if things go wrong,
0:39:59 > 0:40:01there may be less chance of getting them sorted out
0:40:01 > 0:40:04or of getting your money back. As, I'm afraid,
0:40:04 > 0:40:08has proved to be the case with those disappointed Justin Bieber fans
0:40:08 > 0:40:12we met. The website they booked through, ticketselection.co.uk,
0:40:12 > 0:40:16ceased trading a few months before the Justin Bieber gig
0:40:16 > 0:40:20after being taken over by a very similarly named website,
0:40:20 > 0:40:23ticketselection.com, run by a company in Spain.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28Well, when we contacted that company, it told us that...
0:40:32 > 0:40:34..is always its priority.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37The company went on to say that the person David
0:40:37 > 0:40:40that Roxy, Louisa and Joanne were all communicating with
0:40:40 > 0:40:42in order to collect their tickets,
0:40:42 > 0:40:47worked for an external courier company that they no longer employ.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51It apologised...
0:40:51 > 0:40:54adding that the business has invested in its systems
0:40:54 > 0:40:57to address this, and suggested that the customers we filmed with
0:40:57 > 0:40:59get in touch to resolve things.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02The company also questioned the credentials of our expert,
0:41:02 > 0:41:06Reg Walker, and what it called his "wild claims",
0:41:06 > 0:41:09although, after doing all the appropriate checks,
0:41:09 > 0:41:12we're confident that Reg DOES know what he's talking about.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15Meanwhile, I'm pleased to say there was at least some relief
0:41:15 > 0:41:17for our disappointed Justin Bieber fans.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21They did manage to get to see their idol after all.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23The venue still had a few seats left but,
0:41:23 > 0:41:25at this late stage it meant
0:41:25 > 0:41:27Roxy, Louisa and Brandan had to sit apart.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30Sadie and Joanne also succeeded in getting in.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33And while all of them have managed to get their money back
0:41:33 > 0:41:35from their bank and credit card company,
0:41:35 > 0:41:37they won't be taking any chances
0:41:37 > 0:41:40on where they buy their tickets in future.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43In the future, I will buy the tickets from the venue,
0:41:43 > 0:41:45because I feel that's the safest option.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49Yeah. Definitely more cautious now in buying tickets.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53I'll now only buy tickets off official ticket sites.
0:41:53 > 0:41:57I won't buy tickets off any resale sites now.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07If you've got a story you'd like us to investigate,
0:42:07 > 0:42:11get in touch with us via our Facebook page, BBC Rip Off Britain,
0:42:11 > 0:42:16our website, bbc.co.uk/ripoffbritain...
0:42:17 > 0:42:19..or e-mail.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25Or, if you want to send us a letter, then our address is...
0:42:37 > 0:42:41Well, sad to say, we may never know for sure the entire truth
0:42:41 > 0:42:44behind some of the stories that we've heard about today.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47The businesses that were involved certainly all do claim
0:42:47 > 0:42:49to have genuinely intended to supply the services
0:42:49 > 0:42:53for which their customers ordered and paid,
0:42:53 > 0:42:56even if, ultimately, they did no such thing.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58That's one of the things that annoys me the most
0:42:58 > 0:43:00when I hear about cases like these.
0:43:00 > 0:43:04If a company knows that it cannot deliver what you've asked for,
0:43:04 > 0:43:06why on earth does it make out that it can?
0:43:06 > 0:43:08We know, of course, that anyone can make a mistake,
0:43:08 > 0:43:11but when it does the same thing to a number of people,
0:43:11 > 0:43:14as happened here, in all honesty, you can't help but question
0:43:14 > 0:43:18either its capability or, indeed, its motives.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21Well, perhaps the best tip is to be aware of any business
0:43:21 > 0:43:24that says it can supply something its better-known rivals can't,
0:43:24 > 0:43:27however much you might want to believe that.
0:43:27 > 0:43:30And, on that cautionary note, it's where we have to leave things today,
0:43:30 > 0:43:33but please do keep all your stories and letters coming.
0:43:33 > 0:43:35We wouldn't have a programme without them.
0:43:35 > 0:43:37And we'll be back to investigate more of them very soon.
0:43:37 > 0:43:40So, until then, from all of us, goodbye.
0:43:40 > 0:43:41- Bye-bye.- Bye-bye.