Football fans warned about ‘surge’ in ticket scams ahead of new season

With the new football season set to get underway from this weekend, fans are now being warned of a surge in ticket scams.

According to a recent study conducted by Lloyds Bank – which is based on the analysis of purchase scams reported by the bank’s customers – it’s suggested that cases of ticket scams relating to football increased by more than two-thirds, or 68%, between January and June this year – which is compared to July to December 2021.

Victims lost £410 on average from the reported scams, the bank said.

Premier League and top-level football is said to have been a “particularly fruitful avenue of revenue” for the scammers.

The bank says scammers generally take advantage of fans’ desperation to watch their teams, knowing many matches will likely be sold out, and added that scams happen when people are tricked into sending money from their bank account to fraudsters online.

Once the money has been transferred, the scammer then disappears and the victim receives nothing.

“It’s easy to let our emotions get the better of us when following our favourite team,” admitted Liz Ziegler – Retail Fraud and Financial Crime Director at Lloyds Bank.

“But, while that passion makes for a great atmosphere in grounds across the country, when it comes to buying tickets for a match, it’s important not to get carried away in the excitement [as] the vast majority of these scams start on social media, where it’s all too easy for fraudsters to use fake profiles and advertise items that simply don’t exist.

“These criminals are ready to disappear as soon as they have their hands on your money.”

She added that football fans should always look to buying tickets directly from the clubs or their official ticket partners, as this is “the only way to guarantee you’re paying for a real ticket.”

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Lloyds said fraudsters have exploited the demand of people wanting to attend sporting and live events after the COVID-19 pandemic.

It added that it’s important for fans to be aware that scammers will target any major event where demand is likely to exceed supply.

Featured Image – Alex Motoc (via Unsplash)