Inspiring Business by Sharing Success
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 10 June 2024
It’s the dream of many a football fan to attend a major international football tournament supporting your own country... but it isn’t cheap.
The advice is always to buy tickets, flights and accommodation from official sources. But as the cost-of-living crisis continues to grip the nation and fans simply cannot afford the inflated prices offered via official means, they may be tempted to scour the web for cheap deals. This should be done with extreme caution, and it’s worth reading into a few stats before you go 'unofficial'.
Action Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service, have released new data that reveals that in 2023, more than 8,700 people reported they had been a victim of ticket fraud, with a total of £6.7 million lost. This works out to an average loss of £772 per victim.
Their warning comes ahead of the Glastonbury Festival ticket resale and before top summer events, such as Taylor Swift’s sell out Eras tour. But with such high-profile sporting events happening this summer also, including the European Championships and the Olympic Games in France to name but two, people are urged to be on their guard against scams.
Fraudsters are aware of the high demand for tickets to major events and will know that getting to an event like the EUROS is not cheap, and you may see fake adverts for cheap deals. Scammers prey on the desperation of those fans who want to cheer on their nation but who cannot afford the inflated prices.
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If you see an advert, or receive an email or a link offering tickets to major events that have sold out or that are likely to attract huge interest - sometimes at vastly discounted prices - be aware.
As we always say: if it looks too good to be true, it probably is, a sentiment echoed by Detective Chief Inspector Craig Mellish, from the City of London Police. DCI Mellish states:
“As many events sell out or are simply too expensive, don’t be deceived by offers on secondary ticketing websites or social media, as this is often where criminals will advertise fake tickets to popular events. Remember: if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
Pauline Smith, Head of Action Fraud, adds:
“We all want to enjoy ticketed events this summer, but that doesn’t stop fraudsters from taking the fun out of things we look forward to doing. Too many people are losing out to fraudulent activity or genuine looking phishing messages.
“Make sure you're not getting scammed – recognise the signs of ticket fraud before getting caught out. Remember to be wary of unsolicited messages offering deals too good to be true.”
How to protect yourself from ticket fraud
If you feel at all suspicious, report the email to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) at report@phishing.gov.uk. For more advice on how to stay secure online, please visit cyberaware.gov.uk.
Find out how to protect yourself from fraud: https://stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk
If you live in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and have been a victim of fraud or cybercrime, report it at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, victims of fraud and cybercrime should report to Police Scotland on 101.