0:00:06 > 0:00:16Tonight - tricked out of thousands of pounds.
0:00:32 > 0:00:42Tonight - tricked out of thousands of pounds.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49The heartless online scams targeting pensioners like Clifford.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52You do feel as though you've been hypnotised by them
0:00:52 > 0:00:59and you are completely out of control of yourself.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02We set our own trap for one dodgy company!
0:01:02 > 0:01:06So it says be cautious, do you trust this call?
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Don't worry about that, just click on yes, ma'am!
0:01:09 > 0:01:13Just click on yes!
0:01:13 > 0:01:19And we all want traders we can trust - we investigate
0:01:19 > 0:01:21a new scheme on Anglesey, helping locals 'Buy
0:01:21 > 0:01:24With Confidence!' Tonight, we're bringing you two special
0:01:24 > 0:01:28reports into online fraud and some of the latest clever scams tricking
0:01:28 > 0:01:30people across Wales into handing over huge sums of cash.
0:01:30 > 0:01:40Rachel has the details.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46Online - it's a battle.
0:01:46 > 0:01:51We change our passwords and update our security,
0:01:51 > 0:01:55but the cyber criminals never stop.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57They bombard us with emails and viruses, always looking
0:01:57 > 0:02:03for new ways to trick us..
0:02:03 > 0:02:06One of the latest scams on our radar is so sneaky,
0:02:06 > 0:02:13the victims actually think that the fraudsters
0:02:13 > 0:02:14are helping them.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Clifford from Swansea is in his 70s and admits he's no expert
0:02:17 > 0:02:20when it comes to computers.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22I book holidays and you buy stuff occasionally on there,
0:02:22 > 0:02:29but I'm not computer literate at all.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32One day last September, he was online when a pop up window
0:02:32 > 0:02:34filled the screen of his laptop.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37All of a sudden this big message took over most of the screen to say
0:02:37 > 0:02:41there had been warnings or something or a virus or something or the other
0:02:41 > 0:02:49and to ring this number which is shown below.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51In a panic, Clifford called the number.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Convinced he had a virus, he allowed the person he'd
0:02:54 > 0:02:55called to gain access to his computer, remotely.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57He was then charged ?220 for anti-virus software
0:02:57 > 0:03:07he probably didn't need.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11And that wasn't the end of the story.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13Shockingly, just a few months later Clifford was hit again
0:03:13 > 0:03:17in exactly the same way.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21In January, he spoke to a different company.
0:03:21 > 0:03:26They convinced him to pay ?350 for more virus protection!
0:03:26 > 0:03:31Then a fortnight later, another call - this time though,
0:03:31 > 0:03:35instead of asking for money, the caller told Clifford
0:03:35 > 0:03:38they were transferring money back into his account.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Clifford was confused and the thieves took full advantage
0:03:40 > 0:03:44to deliver the really clever twist in their nasty scam.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46He said, "Oh my goodnesss.
0:03:46 > 0:03:54What we've done is over paid you by ?3000.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58What the hell am I going to do?" he said, "I'm going to lose my job."
0:03:58 > 0:04:02He seemed a nice guy and I thought gosh, if he was going to lose
0:04:02 > 0:04:05his job what can I do, can I help him at all?
0:04:05 > 0:04:08The conman begged Clifford to pay back the ?3,000 -
0:04:08 > 0:04:11half by money transfer from a post office, the rest, bizarrely,
0:04:11 > 0:04:16through iTunes vouchers.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18He was pestering me to get the iTunes cards
0:04:18 > 0:04:20quite urgently really.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23He actually found a Tescos quite nearby that sells ITunes cards.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25I said to the youngish staff on there, you're not
0:04:25 > 0:04:35going to believe this but I have ?1300 to spend on iTunes cards.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Late into the night, Clifford was scanning the 52 iTunes
0:04:40 > 0:04:45vouchers for the scammers.
0:04:45 > 0:04:50They stayed on the line throughout to 'help' him with the process.
0:04:50 > 0:04:56What Clifford didn't know, was that the supermarket where he'd
0:04:56 > 0:04:58bought the iTunes cards had raised the alarm.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01A knock on the window as the doorbell doesn't work, bang,
0:05:01 > 0:05:04bang, went to the door and there is two police constables.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06He said you're probably are involved in a scam,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08put the phone down don't do anything shut it down completely.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11You do feel as though you've been hypnotised by them
0:05:11 > 0:05:21and you are completely out of control of yourself.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27Clifford's case is now being investigated by the police.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Scams like these are also becoming a big focus
0:05:29 > 0:05:35for Swansea Trading Standards.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38These things are an everyday part of life and you need to be
0:05:38 > 0:05:40on your guard all the time.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42We've recently set up a friends against scams hub which is designed
0:05:42 > 0:05:45to take advantage of modern technology so that you can circulate
0:05:45 > 0:05:47messages on a regular basis about the latest scam
0:05:47 > 0:05:54that we are aware of.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56Many of the scammers are based overseas, but may use
0:05:56 > 0:05:57UK Freephone numbers.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01They tend to run on a call centre model where the people in the call
0:06:01 > 0:06:03centre will be working on commissions of the amounts of
0:06:03 > 0:06:10money they can extract from people.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12We're going to try a little experiment.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14We've had this laptop cleaned by IT experts,
0:06:14 > 0:06:20so we know there are no viruses.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22With Andrew's help, we're going to contact the first company
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Clifford dealt with and pretend a pop up virus warning has
0:06:25 > 0:06:26appeared on our screen.
0:06:26 > 0:06:31Hello.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Hi, ma'am, this is Stephen calling you from the technical
0:06:34 > 0:06:35team right now...
0:06:35 > 0:06:38The man claims he works for Windows and is based in London.
0:06:38 > 0:06:48He asks us to let him have remote access to our laptop.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50So it says, be cautious if you receive request
0:06:50 > 0:06:51to access your computer.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53Don't worry about that, that's why I am checking
0:06:53 > 0:06:56the problem to see what's going wrong into your computer
0:06:56 > 0:06:58so you don't have to worry with that.
0:06:58 > 0:06:59Click on yes or OK.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Oh, so you're Stephen Harris, are you?
0:07:01 > 0:07:02Yeah, yep that's me.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04OK, and there's like tick boxes there - allow to hear sound,
0:07:04 > 0:07:06allow to take control, allow to use clipboard.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08Yes, click on yes, click on yes, ma'am.
0:07:08 > 0:07:13And allow?
0:07:13 > 0:07:15Just click on yes.
0:07:15 > 0:07:22Yeah, allow me a moment,
0:07:22 > 0:07:25After a lot of typing his end - it's time for him
0:07:25 > 0:07:26to apply some pressure.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30Can you see it says as infections on PC?
0:07:30 > 0:07:33There are some kind of infections going on into your computer
0:07:33 > 0:07:37and unfortunately your email has been hacked, your network has been
0:07:37 > 0:07:42infected and your computer firewall has been corrupted.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Then, some serious scare tactics.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48That means, ma'am, that anyone from any part of the world
0:07:48 > 0:07:51can use your computer, can use your identity to use it
0:07:51 > 0:07:54as a proxy even they can use your images or anything
0:07:54 > 0:07:56like that to post it on any kind of wrong things like on porn
0:07:56 > 0:08:03websites or anything like that.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05What?!
0:08:05 > 0:08:07Someone is trying to send emails from your account to the other
0:08:07 > 0:08:13people account asking for money or for ransom on behalf of you.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17For his next trick, he reboots our computer,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19so we think it's crashed and is badly infected.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21Can you see something on the screen?
0:08:21 > 0:08:23It's just black.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26And if you're getting the black screen it is not a good sign.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30Your computer has been very badly corrupted.
0:08:30 > 0:08:35Finally, the punchline to the scam.
0:08:35 > 0:08:36Don't worry, ma'am.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39I'll help you out, I can go and fix it now but there will be technical
0:08:39 > 0:08:42fee to install the security and to make it safe
0:08:42 > 0:08:43and secure for you.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45It's ?150.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49?150?!
0:08:49 > 0:08:52You will lose all of the data you have onto your computer
0:08:52 > 0:08:54because if the windows crash you will be not able
0:08:54 > 0:08:56to use the computer.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00I don't think I can pay ?150, I'll have to speak to my husband
0:09:00 > 0:09:03about that because that's quite a lot of money there and then.
0:09:03 > 0:09:09What number can I ring you back on?
0:09:09 > 0:09:12So, what does Andrew make of all that?
0:09:12 > 0:09:14He was social engineering you.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17So when he said he was running a virus scam he was actually listing
0:09:17 > 0:09:18all the files on his computer.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20If you listened you could hear him typing.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Then when he says and he's showing you your PC's been hacked
0:09:23 > 0:09:25and things like that, that's obviously things
0:09:25 > 0:09:30that he's typed.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Because if you can see them he's typed them at the command line.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Because it actually came up with PC is hacked, PC is infected.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38In fact there was a type-o, in infected, but yeah it
0:09:38 > 0:09:41said PC in infected.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43And then he's saying this is terrible, you've been corrupted
0:09:43 > 0:09:46and that's where they hit you with you now have to pay ?150.
0:09:46 > 0:09:47Yeah.
0:09:47 > 0:09:48So he was bamboozling me.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51He was bamboozling you.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55We asked Technomart 365 Ltd, the firm we called,
0:09:55 > 0:09:56to explain themselves.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00But they haven't replied!
0:10:00 > 0:10:03And the other company Clifford dealt with told us they had given him
0:10:03 > 0:10:05genuine IT support and denied asking him to send
0:10:05 > 0:10:10any iTunes vouchers.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12For Clifford, it's been a bitter lesson -
0:10:12 > 0:10:19in total he was duped out of ?3,000.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21It is a lot of money.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23We are not wealthy people we are pensioners,
0:10:23 > 0:10:33so it is a lot of money.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36And we'll have more on this later.
0:10:36 > 0:10:42We'll be looking into a shocking scam which has seen people all over
0:10:42 > 0:10:43Wales held to ransom by cyber criminals.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48Remember, if there's anything you'd like us
0:10:48 > 0:10:58to look into, please do get in touch:
0:11:00 > 0:11:02Still to come tonight: Chaos at Carphone Warehouse -
0:11:02 > 0:11:05why is Debbie paying a packet for a phone she doesn't even own?
0:11:05 > 0:11:08It was very, very stressful.
0:11:08 > 0:11:13In the end I was just having palpitations every time I rung them!
0:11:13 > 0:11:16Now, when you're looking to hire a gardener, builder or plumber
0:11:16 > 0:11:19to do some work for you, it can be tricky to know
0:11:19 > 0:11:26who to choose and whether they'll do a good job.
0:11:26 > 0:11:31Let's see how people here in Beaumaris go about it.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33You've got to shop around, haven't you?
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Look in local paper.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Recommendations from people who've had work done and maybe go and see
0:11:38 > 0:11:44the houses and see what we think.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46My brother in law, he's a builder, he's built a an extension
0:11:46 > 0:11:49on our house in Talwn just outside Llangefni.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52I hope that went well, if he's her brother in law or that
0:11:52 > 0:11:53could have been awkward!
0:11:53 > 0:11:54Yes!
0:11:54 > 0:11:57You've got to have a good price and a good job.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59How do you go about that?
0:11:59 > 0:11:59Are you a haggler?
0:11:59 > 0:12:00Yeah, yeah.
0:12:00 > 0:12:01You've got to haggle!
0:12:01 > 0:12:02What about review sites?
0:12:02 > 0:12:03Do you trust those?
0:12:03 > 0:12:10Hm, yeah I read them and go by them - and you believe them.
0:12:10 > 0:12:16Not all of them to be honest Have you ever had any issues?
0:12:16 > 0:12:19I've just had a fence down in Storm Doris, thanks Doris.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21Gone on Facebook and asked a friend on Facebook,
0:12:21 > 0:12:23and then you can go to the friend who recommended them
0:12:23 > 0:12:26and say thanks a lot, that was a load of rubbish.
0:12:26 > 0:12:34Well, people here in Beaumaris seem to have been pretty lucky,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37but Anglesey like the rest of the UK has seen its fair share
0:12:37 > 0:12:47of rogue traders.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51And Trading Standards here are leading the way,
0:12:51 > 0:12:53launching a scheme to help protect people from the cowboys.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56When Rene Rhiando, from Holyhead, was moving house, he didn't
0:12:56 > 0:12:58want to take any chances with his belongings.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01I had some stuff that was quite precious to me and also valuable.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03There was sewing machines and delicate things that needed
0:13:03 > 0:13:06to be brought over with care.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08Having it moved by a professional company, from A to B,
0:13:08 > 0:13:15without any damage or hiccups was really very important to me.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17Luckily for Rene, the company he chose, M Removals,
0:13:17 > 0:13:24belongs to Anglesey's Buy With Confidence scheme.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26Members must agree to let Trading Standards check
0:13:26 > 0:13:28out their business practices and pay between ?250 and ?500
0:13:28 > 0:13:29a year for the privilege.
0:13:29 > 0:13:35But boss Gerry Maguire feels it's a price worth paying.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38We have had elderly people that have been ripped off by rogue traders,
0:13:38 > 0:13:40I absolutely hate that when that is done
0:13:40 > 0:13:41to vulnerable people.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44If they have a Buy With Confidence trader they know that that
0:13:44 > 0:13:46logo on their vehicles, and on their paperwork
0:13:46 > 0:13:49and everything is in place to make sure that things are done
0:13:49 > 0:13:54properly for them.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57There are plenty of review sites out there, full of ratings
0:13:57 > 0:13:59and glowing recommendations, but there's always a risk
0:13:59 > 0:14:04that some may be fake.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Under this scheme though, customer feedback is collected and checked
0:14:07 > 0:14:10by Trading standards themselves.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14And for customers like Rene, that's reassuring.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17I was very pleased to use somebody who was reliable and responsible.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21It also made me feel very secure in the way that if anything did go
0:14:21 > 0:14:25wrong I had something to go back to.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27Another local business which jumped at the chance to join up
0:14:27 > 0:14:32is Gwynedd Garage Doors Limited run by Carys Owen.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35They came and audited everything and they gave us really good tips
0:14:35 > 0:14:38and hints on how to improve things even further.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40To meet the strict standards, Carys was told that staff who deal
0:14:40 > 0:14:45with customers would need to have criminal record checks.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48We've since had DBS checks, so again to our customers we can
0:14:48 > 0:14:50demonstrate that we are safe, people have been checked
0:14:50 > 0:14:53and they get the peace of mind knowing that our team
0:14:53 > 0:14:59are exceptional people.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03Alison Farrar from Anglesey Trading Standards is here.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06Alison, the Buy With Confidence scheme has been rolled out
0:15:06 > 0:15:08across a number of areas in North Wales, hasn't it?
0:15:08 > 0:15:10Was there a particular need for it here?
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Well, we started it here in Anglesey because we found that a lot
0:15:13 > 0:15:16of people come and retire here, We were finding more and rogue
0:15:16 > 0:15:18traders knocking on the doors, so we needed a solution
0:15:18 > 0:15:19to this problem.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22And you have heard some horrendous cases, haven't you?
0:15:22 > 0:15:24Yes, we had one example where the next door neighbour phoned
0:15:24 > 0:15:27into the police saying that he could see a builder
0:15:27 > 0:15:29on the roof deliberately breaking tiles and he went and knocked
0:15:29 > 0:15:32on the door afterwards saying I can see you have broken tiles,
0:15:32 > 0:15:34do you want me to repair them?
0:15:34 > 0:15:36We've had another lady who paid almost ?50,000 to one builder
0:15:36 > 0:15:39and it's three years on, she still hasn't had her house
0:15:39 > 0:15:42built, she's having to live in a caravan on the site,
0:15:42 > 0:15:44she's in her 80s and she's really distressed.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49So this scheme was desperately needed.
0:15:49 > 0:15:54So how thorough are the checks you're doing on the businesses
0:15:54 > 0:15:56who wanting to sign up to this scheme?
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Our checks are really thorough we look at all their insurances,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02we look at do they belong to the correct trade associations,
0:16:02 > 0:16:04are they properly qualified when they need to be.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07We also look at their credit history, are they one of those
0:16:07 > 0:16:09businesses that opens and closes and disappears without paying
0:16:09 > 0:16:11their bills and everything.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13Would you take firm action against any of your members
0:16:13 > 0:16:15who don't come up to scratch?
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Very much so because we wouldn't them to bring the scheme
0:16:18 > 0:16:19into disrepute, they're using the Trading Standards name
0:16:19 > 0:16:23and this is a brand that they have on all of their work.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25We used to get phone calls in our office saying
0:16:25 > 0:16:27who do you recommend, do you have anybody on your
0:16:27 > 0:16:30list that is a plumber or an electrician or a builder?
0:16:30 > 0:16:32Everybody wants to support somebody around their own area.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35And we're really confident that once consumers start using this scheme
0:16:35 > 0:16:44it'll be a huge help to them.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47Great, Alison, thank you, well let's hope the scheme helps
0:16:47 > 0:16:48people.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50We'll put the details of it on our website for you.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52Next, if you want to upgrade your mobile,
0:16:52 > 0:16:55you'd expect your phone shop to know which deals you're entitled to.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58But as Omar's been finding out, it's not always that straightforward.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00They say, never sign anything until you've read it.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03In reality, we've probably all agreed to things without reading
0:17:03 > 0:17:13all the small print.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19But last August, Debbie Morris of Pentyrch in Cardiff found herself
0:17:19 > 0:17:29tied into a contract which she'd never signed -
0:17:30 > 0:17:31and knew nothing about!
0:17:31 > 0:17:33Debbie's nightmare began when her son Lewis went
0:17:33 > 0:17:34to the Carphone Warehouse store in Llantrisant, looking
0:17:34 > 0:17:37for an upgrade on his EE mobile phone account.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40My son came home and had an upgraded phone from Carphone Warehouse.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43I went to use my phone and my phone wasn't working.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45So I thought right, I'll take a trip over to Carphone Warehouse
0:17:45 > 0:17:46to see what's happened.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49And what did they say?
0:17:49 > 0:17:52The store were really helpful, the store were admitting it,
0:17:52 > 0:17:56were saying there was an error, they were blaming it on an IT error.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Lewis hadn't been eligible for an upgrade at all, but somehow,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01the shop assistant had processed a new two year contract
0:18:01 > 0:18:07through Debbie's EE account, not Lewis's.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10So they've got your numbers mixed up, and given your 20-year-old son
0:18:10 > 0:18:11an upgrade under your number.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15Yeah.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18So I said right, what are you going to do to resolve this,
0:18:18 > 0:18:22I need my contract back to as it was, and my son's contract
0:18:22 > 0:18:23back to what it was.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26Debbie says the store manager told her they'd cancel the contract,
0:18:26 > 0:18:30if she returned the new iPhone to Carphone Warehouse.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33So she did, but the contract kept on going, and was charging
0:18:33 > 0:18:37her double the amount she was paying before!
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Six months later, numerous, numerous emails, at least
0:18:39 > 0:18:41a dozen phone calls, visits back and fore
0:18:41 > 0:18:47to the store - no resolution.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50All this time, Debbie was paying ?23 a month for a contract she'd never
0:18:50 > 0:18:52agreed to and a phone she no longer had.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55And when she called the customer services team to complain,
0:18:55 > 0:19:01they refused to speak to her.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03They say you can't talk to them about the contract
0:19:03 > 0:19:04that's in your name.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07No because they said the contract was in Lewis name because they'd
0:19:07 > 0:19:08swapped the contracts over.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11In the end, I was just having palpitations every time I rung them.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14Because I knew the first thing they were going to say to me
0:19:14 > 0:19:17is you're not Lewis.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Debbie was then told that before Carphone Warehouse could even
0:19:20 > 0:19:21investigate her case, she'd have to fork
0:19:21 > 0:19:25out even more money.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27You've got to pay ?500 disconnection fee, to EE,
0:19:27 > 0:19:31to be able to revert your contract back to what it was!
0:19:31 > 0:19:34It's just so unfair that a company as big as Carphone Warehouse can put
0:19:34 > 0:19:37an individual through so much without getting it resolved.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41You know, this should have been done from my first email and my contract
0:19:41 > 0:19:47should have been back to as it was.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50What a mess!
0:19:50 > 0:19:53We asked our consumer law expert what she made of this.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56This really is basic contract law, that you should not be liable on any
0:19:56 > 0:19:59contract to which you have not agreed and she has
0:19:59 > 0:20:00not agreed to this.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02She's perfectly happy presumably to go ahead with the original
0:20:02 > 0:20:05contract that she had agreed to, but to expect her to pay
0:20:05 > 0:20:08for the privilege of getting out of a contract to which she had never
0:20:08 > 0:20:09agreed, is just ridiculous.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12Carphone Warehouse made the mistake, it's up to them to sort it out,
0:20:12 > 0:20:20without her having to pay over ?500.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23Six months down the line, Debbie's at the end of her tether,
0:20:23 > 0:20:25but sadly not at the end of her contract.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28They need to get their customer service sorted straight away -
0:20:28 > 0:20:30that's why I came to X-Ray, it was my last hope,
0:20:30 > 0:20:37I didn't know what else to do.
0:20:37 > 0:20:38So what's going on?
0:20:38 > 0:20:41Well, Carphone Warehouse told us they believe Debbie's son Lewis gave
0:20:41 > 0:20:43them his mother's 'details' in error, although the
0:20:43 > 0:20:46family denies this.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49But that doesn't explain why, when the contract was set up,
0:20:49 > 0:20:54no-one in the Carphone Warehouse store spotted that 20-year-old Lewis
0:20:54 > 0:20:56wasn't a woman called Debbie and it doesn't explain why it's
0:20:56 > 0:21:02taken six months to sort out this mess.
0:21:02 > 0:21:03Now Carphone Warehouse have now cancelled the contract
0:21:03 > 0:21:13and they've apologised.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16They also say they're working with EE to improve
0:21:16 > 0:21:17processes in the future.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20And 'as a gesture of goodwill' they're going to pay EE's early
0:21:20 > 0:21:23termination charge of ?500, they're also going to refund six
0:21:23 > 0:21:25months worth of phone bills and pay Debbie ?300 in compensation,
0:21:25 > 0:21:31which is fantastic news.
0:21:31 > 0:21:38Next, it's time for a news update.
0:21:38 > 0:21:39If you're a cat lover, listen up.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43Pets at Home has recalled its AVA range of dry cat food aimed
0:21:43 > 0:21:45at senior and neutered cats, after several animals collapsed
0:21:45 > 0:21:46and started fitting.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48The food has been taken off shelves - if you've bought some,
0:21:48 > 0:21:52take it back for a full refund.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55If you've ever had a loan, credit card or car finance,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58you've got a bit more time to check whether you were mis-sold payment
0:21:58 > 0:21:59protection insurance.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02The Financial Conduct Authority has extended the final deadline to claim
0:22:02 > 0:22:12PPI compensation to the end of August 2019.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16And tough new penalties which came into force last week mean
0:22:16 > 0:22:18that new drivers caught using their mobiles within two years
0:22:18 > 0:22:21of passing their test could now lose their licence and face
0:22:21 > 0:22:23a ?200 fine!
0:22:23 > 0:22:25More experienced drivers will get a fine plus six points -
0:22:25 > 0:22:26double the previous penalty.
0:22:26 > 0:22:36So it's really not worth the risk!
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Now back to the second part of our report into cyber crime.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42And Rachel's been investigating the growing number of ordinary
0:22:42 > 0:22:52families who are, quite literally, being held to ransom.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Last year, 4,000 people in the UK were blackmailed
0:22:56 > 0:22:58by computer criminals.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Their weapon is called ransomware, a malicious programme
0:23:00 > 0:23:02which invades your computer and encrypts your data.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04To get it back, victims must pay up, using an electronic
0:23:04 > 0:23:14currency called Bitcoin.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18In January, one of the targets was Apton - a new music streaming
0:23:18 > 0:23:28service in Caernarfon.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32I couldn't see any of the tracks and I couldn't see my
0:23:32 > 0:23:34own playlist any more.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37Somebody had hacked the server and had left a ransom note there.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40If we wanted our software back or our content from the server back
0:23:40 > 0:23:42we were to transfer .2 of a bitcoin to their computer.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Dafydd and his customers were locked out.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47And to get the encrypted data back, Dafydd was told he'd have to pay
0:23:47 > 0:23:57the equivalent of ?200.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59Initially we thought we might pay the ransom in order
0:23:59 > 0:24:01to get the content back, but the police advised
0:24:01 > 0:24:06us not to do that.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08Fortunately, the firm's data was backed up, and this time,
0:24:08 > 0:24:10the thieves didn't get the payout they were hoping for.
0:24:10 > 0:24:18But often, victims feel they have no choice.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20Imagine if you'd spent years running your own business -
0:24:20 > 0:24:23then someone told you that if you didn't pay up,
0:24:23 > 0:24:25your valuable work and customer details would be gone.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28That's what happened a few weeks ago, to Liz Gibbs Murray
0:24:28 > 0:24:33and her husband Paul.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35They were on holiday when they received a worrying
0:24:35 > 0:24:38text message from staff at their small accountancy firm.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40They discovered they couldn't access the data on the server
0:24:40 > 0:24:43and it was disappearing before their eyes.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45It was literally disappearing off the screen as they
0:24:45 > 0:24:51were trying to work.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53The server in their office had been attacked by ransomware.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56They contacted the police, but the couple felt they had no
0:24:56 > 0:24:58choice but to negotiate with the criminals to get
0:24:58 > 0:25:03their precious files back.
0:25:03 > 0:25:09Initially they were asking for 5 bit coins.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12The first day and 10 bit coins the second day to be honest
0:25:12 > 0:25:15with you a bit coin was something I had never even heard of.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18You have to weigh up the decision between how much that
0:25:18 > 0:25:23data is worth to you.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26In total, Elizabeth and Paul spent ?3,500 buying bitcoins -
0:25:26 > 0:25:34then watched as the hackers emptied the account.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37We sat all weekend waiting for some sort of response.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39We were expecting to receive an un-encryption key that
0:25:39 > 0:25:40would release the data.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43By Monday we realised we had paid the money and we were going to get
0:25:43 > 0:25:53absolutely nothing at all.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Although their data was backed up, the attack has caused
0:25:56 > 0:25:58a lot of heartache.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00The stress has been enormous, absolutely dreadful.
0:26:00 > 0:26:01Very angry.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04We are a victim of crime.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06It is the same as someone burgling you through the front door
0:26:06 > 0:26:15and taking your physical assets because that is what they do.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Across the country, police are investigating a worrying
0:26:17 > 0:26:18spate of similar attacks.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20Small businesses are a particular target, but it could happen
0:26:20 > 0:26:28to anyone who clicks on the wrong email.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30If you come through, this is our imaging laboratory.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33This is South Wales Police's Digital Forensic and Cyber Crime Unit.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37So what exactly happens in here?
0:26:37 > 0:26:39We remove the hard drive from the computer.
0:26:39 > 0:26:44The hard drives will be connected.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46We'll use forensic software to make an exact copy of the original,
0:26:46 > 0:26:49so we can later analyse depending on the enquiries or the needs
0:26:49 > 0:26:50of the investigating officer.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53So what's Richie's advice for anyone hit by ransomware?
0:26:53 > 0:26:55We're encouraging everyone who is subject to such an attack
0:26:55 > 0:26:58to report it to either ourselves South Wales Police at telephone
0:26:58 > 0:27:01101 or Action Fraud, and we'll come out and we'll find
0:27:01 > 0:27:03out if there's any lines of enquiry that we can establish
0:27:03 > 0:27:04who are the suspects.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07We can then put you in touch with companies which may be able
0:27:07 > 0:27:17to un-encrypt that data.
0:27:17 > 0:27:18Ultimately, police say simple precautions can
0:27:18 > 0:27:25greatly reduce the risks.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27The advice is always to back up your data.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29If you've got anything valuable on there, whether it be business
0:27:29 > 0:27:31documents or customer details, or even your family photographs.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33There's nothing more valuable than your wedding,
0:27:33 > 0:27:35or photos of your first child.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37Back them up, save them to a secure location,
0:27:37 > 0:27:43totally separate to your computer.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45Such a horrible experience.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48And if you've been affected by online scams, or if you'd
0:27:48 > 0:27:50like tips on how to protect yourself from cyber criminals,
0:27:50 > 0:27:55we've put some useful links on our website for you.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58That's it for this week, but if you need our help
0:27:58 > 0:28:00with anything at all, we want to hear from you -
0:28:00 > 0:28:05are details are on your screen now.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07Next week: These new homeowners were promised grand gardens,
0:28:07 > 0:28:09but the developers have left them in a muddy mess!
0:28:09 > 0:28:12It's just soul destroying, what should have been our dream home
0:28:12 > 0:28:19and this is what we're left with.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21And because of the football we're on at 7.30 on Friday next
0:28:21 > 0:28:22week, instead of Monday.
0:28:22 > 0:28:27We'll see you then - bye!
0:28:55 > 0:28:58Hello, I'm Riz Lateef with your 90 second update.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01Questions over Vauxhall's future in Britain after it was sold
0:29:01 > 0:29:03to French car maker Peugeot-Citroen.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06Vauxhall employs 4,500 people, but it's new owners