Watchdogs are urging people to beware buying fake hair straighteners The warning follows a West Yorkshire Trading Standards probe into fraudulent ‘ghd’ products being sold on a scam website.

Officers have been working closed with Jemella Ltd, the company based in Silsden, Keighley, which manufactures the genuine straighteners.

They have discovered that the fakes are being offered on websites mainly based in China where they do not require the strict UK safety standards.

To assess the extent of the safety defects, officers sent pairs of fake ghd straighteners for testing.

They were made with the intention of deceiving people into thinking they were getting the genuine product, said a Trading Standards spokesman.

Many were found to have poor electrical insulation and posed a serious risk of electrocution.

Bradford Councillor Val Slater, chairman of the Trading Standards Committee, said: “Many people who complained to Trading Standards didn’t realise that they had bought fakes from a scam website until the items either over-heated or they tried to register them on the ghd website.”

Graham Hebblethwaite, chief officer of West Yorkshire Trading Standards, said: “Buying over the internet can be confusing as many of the websites supplying fakes appear to be authentic and often look similar to the official site or one of the approved stockists.”

A ghd spokesman said a brand protection team worked closely with Trading Standards, revenue and customs and the UK Border Agency and police to stop the importation and sale of dangerous counterfeits.

“The safety of our consumers is paramount and as such we actively encourage purchase to be made from approved stockists only,” said the spokesman.

People concerned about fake stylers, you should contact Trading Standards on consumer direct 08454 040506.