0:00:02 > 0:00:08Every year con men and scam artists net an estimated £3.5 billion from you and I,
0:00:08 > 0:00:12the British public. They don't care how they do it - or how much damage they cause.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15They only really care about one thing -
0:00:15 > 0:00:18that's how much cash they can get.
0:00:34 > 0:00:40'Coming up... Where there's a will, there's a way - especially if you're a scam artist.'
0:00:40 > 0:00:46- What do you make of what he did now, knowing what you know? - I feel I could strangle him.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50And the ruthless con man who targeted elderly women.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54I remember the case in 1998, and the front page of the local paper
0:00:54 > 0:00:58where John Davies was referred to as the most evil man in North Wales.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01I'm here to tell you what the con men don't want you to know -
0:01:01 > 0:01:05so you can stay ahead of the game and not get scammed.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15You work hard all your life to provide for your family.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18You want to make sure that they're looked after,
0:01:18 > 0:01:23but it doesn't put off the inevitable, and that is why you write a will.
0:01:23 > 0:01:28You want to make sure your house, your possessions...it all goes to the people you love and care for.
0:01:28 > 0:01:33Death is a taboo, and something we don't like to talk about,
0:01:33 > 0:01:36so when it comes to planning what happens after you die,
0:01:36 > 0:01:40scammers can use this reluctance to their advantage
0:01:40 > 0:01:42and fleece you of your money.
0:01:42 > 0:01:48What they want is to intimidate you, to control the situation
0:01:48 > 0:01:51and make sure that you sign the documentation there and then.
0:01:51 > 0:01:58Preferably a cheque - or even better, if they can get it from you, cash - for the services.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01They are not necessarily going to deliver those services,
0:02:01 > 0:02:05or they may actually only give you an incompetent document.
0:02:06 > 0:02:1056% of people in the UK haven't made a will,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13so there's no shortage of potential targets.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17And with no laws to prevent anybody from setting themselves up
0:02:17 > 0:02:21as a will writing company, it can be dangerous territory.
0:02:21 > 0:02:27Solicitor Helen Clarke has seen many people come through her doors after being caught out.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31Not all will writers are dishonest or incompetent,
0:02:31 > 0:02:33but it is an unregulated market.
0:02:33 > 0:02:38These people are not qualified. They're not legally trained.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43The fact that a will writer has a logo at the top of their pieces of paper,
0:02:43 > 0:02:47or a number of letters after their name,
0:02:47 > 0:02:49really doesn't mean anything.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52And when people do decide to write a will,
0:02:52 > 0:02:54they often go for what looks like the easiest option.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58Terry and Pauline Ash, along with their daughter Wendy,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00run a mail order firm from their home.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03The family has had a bad experience with a salesman.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05All three of them have been left confused,
0:03:05 > 0:03:11and in order to get a clear picture of what's happened, I'm chatting to them separately.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15In his workshop, Terry's been telling me what made them decide
0:03:15 > 0:03:17that now was the time to write a will.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19I think Pauline was a bit worried because
0:03:19 > 0:03:22I had been diagnosed probably six months earlier
0:03:22 > 0:03:25that I had a small touch of prostate glands cancer.
0:03:25 > 0:03:32And although they said I had a fairly good 15 years to go yet before I needed to worry,
0:03:32 > 0:03:34I think it worried her quite a lot.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38- So it's those little things that send alarm bells.- Yeah.
0:03:39 > 0:03:44'This realisation that they needed a will meant they'd now become a target.'
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Pauline and Wendy were out shopping when they found
0:03:47 > 0:03:50a will writing company advertising in a well-known high street chemist.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53This is why we thought it was authentic.
0:03:53 > 0:03:59They had a big billboard, and they had professional-looking leaflets.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03So we gave our name and address and just waited for the call.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07Within days the company got in touch, and an appointment was made
0:04:07 > 0:04:10for an adviser to come round and see the three of them.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14We thought, that's good - in the comfort of your own home
0:04:14 > 0:04:18you can list down where you want your bits and pieces to go,
0:04:18 > 0:04:19and it just seemed ideal.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22But Pauline, a home visit presents the scammer
0:04:22 > 0:04:25with an ideal opportunity to manipulate the situation.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29Many people fear actually making a will.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33And so when you are in that state of anxiety,
0:04:33 > 0:04:38it is very easy to be exploited, to be persuaded.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42What do you make of the guy, straight away when he walks in the door?
0:04:42 > 0:04:45A big fella, dripping in gold.
0:04:45 > 0:04:51He went straight into the patter - "You've got a lot of property here -
0:04:51 > 0:04:55"if one of you should feel ill and need nursing home treatment,
0:04:55 > 0:04:59"you could end up with having this taken off of you by the Council to pay for it."
0:05:00 > 0:05:03Then he went on to say about his wife dying of cancer,
0:05:03 > 0:05:06and so of course we were very sympathetic with it,
0:05:06 > 0:05:11and how much it cost for her to go into a nursing home.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14So that was the theme he was on.
0:05:14 > 0:05:19- So that had a bit of resonance? - Yeah, I wanted to get something done.
0:05:20 > 0:05:25Then he dropped in the price of £950.
0:05:25 > 0:05:30For the £950, he said he'd set up a property trust
0:05:30 > 0:05:33that would protect them from having to sell hearth and home
0:05:33 > 0:05:35to cover any future nursing care.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38He then offered to set up for Wendy to have
0:05:38 > 0:05:41power of attorney, in case her parents' mental health declined.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45Bang, another £250.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52Almost like that, you were up to over £1,000.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54- Exactly.- He's just sold us other services
0:05:54 > 0:05:57before he's even mentioned the wills...
0:05:57 > 0:05:58Oh, yeah, we mustn't forget the wills.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01You know - what he actually came for in the first place...?
0:06:03 > 0:06:07So far, our silver-tongued salesman had given the family
0:06:07 > 0:06:10a bill of over £1,000 to pay between them.
0:06:10 > 0:06:15He drafted out the wills at a cost of £47 each. Done? Not quite.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19There was an additional fee of £25 apiece to store the wills.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23After all, "you wouldn't want them lying around the house, would you?"
0:06:23 > 0:06:26So - the total that the family would now have to pay...
0:06:29 > 0:06:34All this, after only being with our man for two hours.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38- You've gone to over £1,000...- I know. It's unbelievable, isn't it?
0:06:38 > 0:06:42- How did he get away with that? - Smoke screen...? I don't know.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45Whatever it was, it was done very slick.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49"You can come back and you can alter it any point of time..."
0:06:49 > 0:06:52And of course we're sitting there doing the nodding dog...
0:06:52 > 0:06:58Your main objective, if you were trying to con somebody would be to
0:06:58 > 0:07:02get in, to get either a cheque from them or some money from them,
0:07:02 > 0:07:04and to be able to get out as quickly as possible.
0:07:04 > 0:07:10I said, "I can't afford £1,094, three cheques.
0:07:10 > 0:07:16"I'll take one now for £494 - two post-dated cheques for £600."
0:07:16 > 0:07:21'Wendy also handed over HER cheque for £322.'
0:07:21 > 0:07:25There was no urgency to pay there and then - you could have
0:07:25 > 0:07:30had as long as you want to say, "We've checked into it, it all looks fine.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34- "You hand me the documents, I'll hand you the money".- Yes,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37we could have done. With afterthought.
0:07:37 > 0:07:38A big word, "afterthought".
0:07:41 > 0:07:44The con artist left clutching the family's cheques.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46Unsurprisingly, he didn't hold on to them for long.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50The next day, those cheques were cashed.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55- All three?- Not the two post-dated - but her cheque, my cheque.
0:07:55 > 0:08:03- OK.- He'd banked it so quick, I said, "This is bad." You don't do that.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06'They were starting to fear something was very wrong.'
0:08:06 > 0:08:09This was the only paper he gave us.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11At the bottom there's a Canterbury number,
0:08:11 > 0:08:14so I phoned up and I said,
0:08:14 > 0:08:17"This chap came round and didn't leave us any paperwork."
0:08:17 > 0:08:21She said, "I'll make sure he gets it to you." Nothing.
0:08:21 > 0:08:27"Can you get somebody to phone me and tell me what we've bought?"
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Nothing.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31I said, "We're coming down.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35"There must be a solicitor somewhere in your building."
0:08:35 > 0:08:41"No, we're just a call centre. We just take messages."
0:08:41 > 0:08:44It dawned on the family they had given the cash to a company
0:08:44 > 0:08:49with no actual address they could directly ring or physically visit,
0:08:49 > 0:08:51and they had nothing to show for their money.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54So, back to the Trading Standards.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56She said, "I don't like the sound of this -
0:08:56 > 0:08:58"you know you can go for court action?"
0:08:59 > 0:09:05After starting court proceedings, they had to wait a fortnight for the company's reply.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08When it came, it was shocking.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12They did have the front, didn't they, to counterclaim.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15When we took them to court, they counterclaimed.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20- We - I - owe them £400.- For what? - Exactly. What, profits?
0:09:20 > 0:09:23After receiving no paperwork of any kind,
0:09:23 > 0:09:27the family had sensibly cancelled the post-dated cheques
0:09:27 > 0:09:31and now the company were claiming they were owed the money.
0:09:31 > 0:09:32It seems ludicrous,
0:09:32 > 0:09:37but crooks will sometimes use the court system to their advantage.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40Two reasons - one, it can scare off those claiming against them,
0:09:40 > 0:09:45and second, the process of claim and counterclaim can be lengthy,
0:09:45 > 0:09:49He said at the time that he was a member of the Institute of Willwriters.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52When I rang the Institute of Willwriters up -
0:09:52 > 0:09:55"No, they're not a member."
0:09:55 > 0:09:59They met the salesman a few months back, but the family has
0:09:59 > 0:10:03only recently had its first direct contact from the company.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07Wendy gets a letter two weeks ago from them.
0:10:07 > 0:10:12The only letter ever to have ever plopped through the door,
0:10:12 > 0:10:14saying they're moving,
0:10:14 > 0:10:17they're moving address up to Essex.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21Yeah - "As from the 1st June, our new address, e-mail as above.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25"Any future correspondence should be sent to the address.
0:10:25 > 0:10:30"If I can be of any further assistance to you,
0:10:30 > 0:10:32"please do not hesitate to contact me"(!)
0:10:32 > 0:10:35We checked that address out. There is a business centre there,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38but it's only a business messaging address.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41- There's no... - The same as the other one.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Yeah, there's no physical address there at all.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47- Can I paint a picture for you?- Yeah.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51What I think it's more likely that we're dealing with, is someone
0:10:51 > 0:10:53who operates from their own home.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57It may even be the guy you met - who probably isn't using his real name.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01And he's sending all the letters out himself,
0:11:01 > 0:11:06he's using mailing addresses rather than real physical addresses,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09so he can hide where he genuinely is operating from -
0:11:09 > 0:11:13and he comes out, he takes money from you,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16he leaves you with meaningless documents,
0:11:16 > 0:11:19and when things become a bit sticky and people start complaining
0:11:19 > 0:11:24and taking out court cases against him, he moves on.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26He changes the name of his company,
0:11:26 > 0:11:30he moves on, and does the same thing over and over again.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34I think, just from my experience - and I'm not a policeman,
0:11:34 > 0:11:38I'm not a lawyer - I think that's what we're dealing with here.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46'Despite cancelling the post-dated cheques,
0:11:46 > 0:11:49'the family are having to face up to the harsh truth
0:11:49 > 0:11:52'that between them, they've been conned out of £816.'
0:11:53 > 0:11:57- Do you think you ever stand a chance of getting your money?- No.
0:11:57 > 0:11:58I think it's gone.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01I cannot see why it happened.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05It seemed so bona fide in the beginning -
0:12:05 > 0:12:07but to be ripped off like that...
0:12:07 > 0:12:11- I just feel so gullible. - You do, don't you?
0:12:11 > 0:12:15Yeah, I feel so gullible. And I can't believe, if we've taken them
0:12:15 > 0:12:18- to court, that we're not going to get anything back.- No.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21And I thought, well, at least one thing,
0:12:21 > 0:12:25she did do two post-dated cheques which we stopped...
0:12:25 > 0:12:29But it still leaves a sour taste in your mouth that you've been
0:12:29 > 0:12:31scammed out of hard-earned cash.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34You think, "Where are my brains?"
0:12:34 > 0:12:39What do you make of what he did now, knowing what you know?
0:12:39 > 0:12:43What I know now...
0:12:43 > 0:12:48I feel I could strangle him if I could get hold of him.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54So when there are unscrupulous companies out there who just
0:12:54 > 0:12:57want to steal from you, what's the best way to go about getting
0:12:57 > 0:12:59your affairs in order and getting that peace of mind?
0:12:59 > 0:13:03As a solicitor, I would say go and see a solicitor.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07I would also encourage you to get a recommendation -
0:13:07 > 0:13:10so ask amongst your friends, your work colleagues.
0:13:10 > 0:13:15One advantage of using a solicitor over some will writing firms
0:13:15 > 0:13:19is that your documents are protected by law even if they go bust.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23They can't be just abandoned on a rubbish heap, or left to be
0:13:23 > 0:13:26stored in a barn - and both of those are examples that I know of.
0:13:26 > 0:13:31As a possibly cheaper alternative, there are plenty of reputable
0:13:31 > 0:13:34will-writing companies around, if look carefully.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38It's worth considering how long this business has been established,
0:13:38 > 0:13:42so if you receive a leaflet through the door or in a supermarket,
0:13:42 > 0:13:46is it going to be around in three, five years' time?
0:13:46 > 0:13:49And before handing over any money,
0:13:49 > 0:13:51make sure you know what you're paying for.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Ask for a quote. So if you're asking for a will,
0:13:54 > 0:13:57ask for a specific quote as to how much it is going to cost.
0:13:57 > 0:14:02Always make sure that you have something in writing to tell you
0:14:02 > 0:14:04what you are committing to.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07The Ash family are continuing their court action
0:14:07 > 0:14:09to chase down the company that conned them.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13They don't want the same thing to happen to others.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Will-writing scams are so hot right now,
0:14:17 > 0:14:21and here is what I think makes them despicable.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24They operate on people at their lowest point,
0:14:24 > 0:14:26when they're worried about their families
0:14:26 > 0:14:29and what's going to happen to them after they're gone.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32None of the victims of these scams are trying to get rich quick -
0:14:32 > 0:14:35they're just trying to buy a little bit of peace of mind,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38and to take advantage of that is unforgivable.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48Now for the story of a very different kind of scam.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50With the huge number of people who now use the internet,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53and the vast array of online scams that are out there,
0:14:53 > 0:14:57it's sometimes easy to forget that there are still people who do it
0:14:57 > 0:15:01the old-fashioned way - by getting on the phone
0:15:01 > 0:15:03or knocking on your door.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10It's December 2010, and at Mold Crown Court in North Wales
0:15:10 > 0:15:13a builder and his accomplice are about to go on trial.
0:15:13 > 0:15:18They stand accused of scamming elderly women out of over £100,000.
0:15:20 > 0:15:25Sadly, all of the women targeted by the couple
0:15:25 > 0:15:30were very upset by the experience, and can't talk about what happened to them.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33One of the women was Sylvia, a quiet pensioner who lived alone
0:15:33 > 0:15:38in this smart bungalow near the North Wales coast.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41Nicola is Sylvia's neighbour.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44She moved back here after her husband died.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48She was 72, and she didn't know anybody in the village.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52But one day Sylvia had a knock on the door from a man called
0:15:52 > 0:15:55John Davies, who claimed to be a builder.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58The first thing we saw him doing was the flat roof on the garage.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00He seemed to be doing a bodge job,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03but she was adamant the work needed doing.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05Nicola didn't like what she saw,
0:16:05 > 0:16:09and was concerned that Davies was taking advantage of Sylvia.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13My husband had been round to see Sylvia, to see if she was OK.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17She said she was, she said it was work that needed to be done.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21And we went a few more times, but she was adamant that everything was fine.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27Sylvia paid Davies for the work on the garage roof,
0:16:27 > 0:16:31but it wasn't long before he was back again.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33As time went on, he started doing more and more jobs.
0:16:33 > 0:16:38Taking the greenhouse down, laying stones over the lawn.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42The work appeared to be bodged and unfinished,
0:16:42 > 0:16:45yet Davies was charging Sylvia large sums of money.
0:16:45 > 0:16:50Cheques varying from £1,000, £2,000 and up.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52And we were really surprised
0:16:52 > 0:16:55because, for the work he'd done,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58how much he'd actually taken off her,
0:16:58 > 0:17:02knowing that a few stones for the garden,
0:17:02 > 0:17:06with no prep work, doesn't cost that much money.
0:17:06 > 0:17:11Nicola could see it was taking its toll on Sylvia.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13You'd go around and there'd be no food in the house,
0:17:13 > 0:17:15so you'd have to take food.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17And this was just her way of thinking then -
0:17:17 > 0:17:20"He's taken all my money and I haven't got any."
0:17:21 > 0:17:23But Sylvia wasn't alone.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27Margaret's elderly neighbour, Noreen,
0:17:27 > 0:17:29lived alone in a chalet in north-west Wales
0:17:29 > 0:17:31and was also targeted by Davies.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Noreen had was happy there on her own. She had her books,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37she used to read loads and loads of books in her garden.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41And then John Davies appeared on the scene.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44Again, it seems it began with a knock at the door.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47The first thing he did was repair her roof,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50but then he was supposed to be doing other jobs,
0:17:50 > 0:17:54keeping the chalet in good order.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57But instead, Davies charged Noreen thousands of pounds
0:17:57 > 0:17:59for bodged-up work.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01She accepted everything that he said to her
0:18:01 > 0:18:04and never questioned anything.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09And for Davies, it was like having a blank cheque.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Gradually, he seemed to worm his way in.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15He started taking her to get her pension
0:18:15 > 0:18:18and to get her money from the bank.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21It was clear John Davies needed to be stopped,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23and fortunately, in Sylvia's case,
0:18:23 > 0:18:27the authorities had got wind of what was going on.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31The hospital security knocked on my door
0:18:31 > 0:18:34to say they'd had concerns raised about Sylvia
0:18:34 > 0:18:38and would I mind going round and seeing how she was.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40He was going to inform the police.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Detective Sergeant Peter Jarvis works for North Wales Police
0:18:46 > 0:18:49and would lead the investigation into John Davies.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52He recalls the state Sylvia was in
0:18:52 > 0:18:55when officers first went to see her with Nicola.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58She was blue. Her hands were blue.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00There was no heating on in the house.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02There was no food in the house.
0:19:02 > 0:19:03And we had a chat to her
0:19:03 > 0:19:08and she was convinced that John Davies had taken all her money.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12And he was probably living the life of Riley while she was struggling,
0:19:12 > 0:19:14and worrying herself...
0:19:14 > 0:19:17She was making herself ill, really.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19But the police were on the case
0:19:19 > 0:19:21and the first thing they needed to do
0:19:21 > 0:19:23was take a full statement from Sylvia.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Although she was traumatised by what had happened,
0:19:26 > 0:19:28she bravely agreed to be interviewed.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30It's very difficult,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32because you want to appeal to them.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36You want to get the best evidence you can from speaking to them
0:19:36 > 0:19:39and yet at the same time, you want to care for them
0:19:39 > 0:19:42and make sure that their welfare is the paramount
0:19:42 > 0:19:46and you're putting their welfare before anything else.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48So that she wouldn't have to testify in court,
0:19:48 > 0:19:52Sylvia's interview with the police was recorded on video.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54And the following clips from her video interview
0:19:54 > 0:19:56give a shocking insight
0:19:56 > 0:19:59into the way Davies convinced her he was her friend.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26And by going through Sylvia's bank statements,
0:20:26 > 0:20:28the police had been able to establish
0:20:28 > 0:20:30that Davies charged Sylvia
0:20:30 > 0:20:34a staggering £12,000 for the work he'd done.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49John Davies' ruthless tactics came as no surprise to the police.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53It turned out he had over 70 previous convictions
0:20:53 > 0:20:58and in 1998, he'd been sentenced to three and a half years inside
0:20:58 > 0:21:01for defrauding an elderly lady out of £1,000.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06Having worked in the area where he now lives,
0:21:06 > 0:21:08obviously I was well aware of the type of person he is
0:21:08 > 0:21:12and his family and all his associates as well.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16The challenge now was to stop Davies once and for all.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19The option available was we swore out a warrant under the Theft Act
0:21:19 > 0:21:22to go and execute a warrant at John Davies' home address.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Armed with a search warrant,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27a team of officers from the police and Trading Standards
0:21:27 > 0:21:30turned up at the house John Davies shared with his partner, Rhian Jones,
0:21:30 > 0:21:34who, it later turned out, was also his partner in crime.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36During that search,
0:21:36 > 0:21:41we recovered in excess of £40,000, £45,000 cash
0:21:41 > 0:21:43which was strewn across the house,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45underneath cushions and under chairs.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49In drawers, within bedrooms and the living room - all over the house.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51The police also seized bank statements
0:21:51 > 0:21:53and other relevant paperwork
0:21:53 > 0:21:54and later that day,
0:21:54 > 0:21:57Davies was arrested and interviewed under caution.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01The following is a clip from the interview
0:22:01 > 0:22:04in which DS Jarvis asks Davies to explain
0:22:04 > 0:22:08all the cash that was found around his house.
0:22:08 > 0:22:09Why is that money not in the bank?
0:22:09 > 0:22:12- Well, you know, I'm a Gypsy.- Yeah.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16- And I told you all along, I'm not good with paperwork.- Yeah.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19And when you go in sometimes it says, "Fill this" and, "Do that",
0:22:19 > 0:22:21and I'm not trying to hide from nobody,
0:22:21 > 0:22:22I've just thrown it there.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25If I wanted to hide it, I would dig a hole in the ground
0:22:25 > 0:22:26and stick it there, wouldn't I?
0:22:26 > 0:22:30I've got nothing to hide, so why shouldn't I leave it there?
0:22:30 > 0:22:33Is there a law against that?
0:22:33 > 0:22:37Davies maintained the work he'd done for Noreen and Sylvia
0:22:37 > 0:22:39was completely legitimate.
0:22:40 > 0:22:46I'd gone there 100% to do the work the best I can
0:22:46 > 0:22:49and if the job is not up to standard,
0:22:49 > 0:22:50I can't see where I've done wrong.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53While Davies carried out the work,
0:22:53 > 0:22:57it seems his partner and accomplice, Rhian Jones' role,
0:22:57 > 0:23:00was to try and conceal their ill-gotten gains.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04And it was estimated the couple had taken in excess of £100,000
0:23:04 > 0:23:07from Sylvia and Noreen alone.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12But to build a watertight case against the couple,
0:23:12 > 0:23:13DS Jarvis and his team
0:23:13 > 0:23:17needed to prove that Davies had overcharged his victims.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19So he called in a chartered surveyor
0:23:19 > 0:23:23to assess and value the work that had been done.
0:23:23 > 0:23:28The cost of the work by the contractor was near enough £10,000
0:23:28 > 0:23:31and my valuation was £2,500,
0:23:31 > 0:23:35which is substantially less than the amount paid.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39But it wasn't just the cost of Davies' work that was so shocking.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41Some of his work was just horrendous.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44A child could have performed better
0:23:44 > 0:23:47on some of the painting contracts I've seen carried out.
0:23:47 > 0:23:53The police now had enough evidence to take both Davies and Jones to court.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55And it didn't take long to get a result.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58John Davies pleaded guilty
0:23:58 > 0:24:00at Mold Crown Court to 18 indictments
0:24:00 > 0:24:04and then following a two-day trial,
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Rhian Jones was convicted and found guilty by a jury
0:24:07 > 0:24:08of five indictments.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11John Davies' convictions included fraud and theft
0:24:11 > 0:24:17whilst Rhian Jones was found guilty of concealing criminal property.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Jones was sentenced to two years in jail,
0:24:19 > 0:24:22while Davies got four and a half years.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29It was a great result for North Wales Police,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32who'd worked with Trading Standards, social services,
0:24:32 > 0:24:33and the health authorities,
0:24:33 > 0:24:38and it was justice for the innocent pensioners preyed upon by Davies.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42Sylvia was extremely happy that he was in prison.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Very happy.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46She wasn't worried about the money.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49She was just happy to see that he got...
0:24:49 > 0:24:51That she got justice, basically.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54For more information about protecting yourself
0:24:54 > 0:24:56and those around you from scams, go to...
0:25:07 > 0:25:10Now, before I go, I want to tell you about
0:25:10 > 0:25:12some of the latest scams out there right now.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17I'm meeting with an expert from the National Fraud Authority
0:25:17 > 0:25:21and today we're looking at one of our biggest expenses - cars.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31Let's talk about vehicle scams. What's doing the rounds right now?
0:25:31 > 0:25:33What's happening now is
0:25:33 > 0:25:37people are phoning up to say that they have buyers for your vehicle
0:25:37 > 0:25:39and if you pay a fee,
0:25:39 > 0:25:41they will introduce you to those buyers.
0:25:41 > 0:25:46So you pay the fee and, of course, the introduction never materialises.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49- It's that simple.- It's that simple. - Nothing turns up.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53Quite simply, be very wary of anybody you don't know
0:25:53 > 0:25:56that wants any sort of finder's fee for getting you a buyer.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58That's not the only car-related scam.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01What else could I expect?
0:26:01 > 0:26:05We see people from abroad contacting you by e-mail to say,
0:26:05 > 0:26:07"I want your vehicle."
0:26:07 > 0:26:11OK, your car is £2,500,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14I've arranged for a cheque for £5,000,
0:26:14 > 0:26:19please use this £2,500 as the shipping fee,
0:26:19 > 0:26:23so please transfer this money to this account
0:26:23 > 0:26:24to pay for the shipping fee.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26The cheque will be counterfeit.
0:26:26 > 0:26:32If you paid them the £2,500 and sent to this account,
0:26:32 > 0:26:34you've lost that money as well.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36That's pretty harsh.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39No matter how tempting the amount on the cheque is
0:26:39 > 0:26:42to buy your car and ship it, it will be fake.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45Any cash you send in return will be lost for ever.
0:26:45 > 0:26:50Con men will continue to come up with ever-more ingenious ways
0:26:50 > 0:26:52of depriving you of your savings.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55If you recognise the warning signs,
0:26:55 > 0:26:57you can stay one step ahead of the con men.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00Stay safe. See you next time.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd