Category: Investigations

TBT CHECKS | Tap water meets standards in 99.97% of tests, but 2,991 pollution incidents in a year. What the first joint regulators’ report shows

Four regulators have published their first joint report on water companies in England and Wales. Tap water met standards in 99.97% of tests, but in 2025 there were 2,991 pollution incidents, 84 of them serious. The industry’s environmental rating fell to 16 stars out of 36.

TBT CHECKS | 11 fines for failing to protect children online, only two paid. What Ofcom is really doing

Ofcom has issued 11 fines under the Online Safety Act, but only two have been paid. We checked what happened to the rest: some services introduced age checks, some blocked the UK, and three are still available. We explain what this means for parents.

TBT CHECKS | Identity verification at Companies House: almost 4 million people have done it. Does it cost anything and when is the deadline?

We checked three popular claims about identity verification at Companies House. Online verification is free, the deadline depends on the confirmation statement date, and the first court fines have already been imposed. We explain what is confirmed and what to do now.

TBT CHECKS | Scammed into making a transfer? Banks refund money in 88% of cases, but half of victims do not even ask

Since October 2024 banks in the UK have, in principle, had to refund victims of authorised push payment fraud. According to the regulator PSR, 88% of lost money has been returned, including a record £72.6 million in Q1 2026. The problem: half of victims never make a claim.

TBT CHECKS | 2.8 million bank account and card frauds. Victims up 10%

According to the ONS, there were 4.5 million frauds in England and Wales in the year to March 2026, and the number of victims rose by 10% to 3.8 million. Bank account and card fraud is growing fastest – up 15% to about 2.8 million. We look at what it means and how to protect yourself.

Rajmund Tochwin, Jack Saffell, Ada Saffell, Ricky Goodman and Tarsago: bankruptcy, a change of name and linked companies. What the registers show

Tarsago Polska is in bankruptcy, and Tarsago Media Group now operates as “Argonauts Media Group sp. z o.o.” and is undergoing restructuring. We have gathered only facts from public registers.

Digital evidence: why timestamps, context and provenance matter

Screenshots and exported messages can mislead when detached from their origins.

A company number is evidence of registration, not a seal of trust

Why reliable company profiles begin with a precise document trail.

How to build a source matrix before publishing a corporate investigation

A disciplined evidence trail protects readers, subjects and the newsroom.

The right of reply is part of strong journalism, not a concession

Critical reporting becomes more reliable when subjects can respond to specific claims.