Football fans warned about online ticket scams

The new premier league season is kicking off soon and footie fans are being urged to be on the ball when buying tickets.

An analysis by Lloyds Bank found the number of football fans being scammed rose by a third (32%) last season when compared to the previous season.

Fraudsters are likely to take advantage of fans’ loyalty and eagerness to watch their favourite team, especially as most big matches will be sold out.

Fans lost around £177 on average last season – though some lost over £1,000.

Who’s being scammed?

Footie fans aged between 25 and 34 years old (29%) were most likely to be taken in by a ticket scam last year, closely followed by 18- to 24-year-olds (27%).

Demand for tickets is strongest for England’s biggest teams, with Arsenal and Liverpool fans most frequently falling victim last season.

That’s not all though – fans of all major clubs are at risk. Tickets for international matches and cup finals are falsely advertised on a regular basis.

How to spot a fake ticket sale

The scam usually starts with a fake post on social media or an online marketplace.

More than half of all football ticket scam (56%) reported last season started on Facebook, including Marketplace, while 23% began on X, formerly Twitter.

These posts advertise tickets that don’t exist – using a picture of a real ticket to try and convince you it’s genuine – or fake tickets.

The victim is then tricked into paying for the non-existent ticket, usually by bank transfer (also called faster payment). This method of payment wasn’t originally designed to pay for things online so it offers little protection if something goes wrong.

After the money has been transferred, the scammer disappears and the victim is left without a ticket and out of pocket.

Top tips for safely buying tickets

Follow these tips to safely buy a genuine matchday ticket:

• Beware of social media. Fake tickets are likely to be advertised on social media, or they could even be forgeries, putting you at risk of not being allowed entry as well as losing your hard-earned cash.
• Only buy matchday tickets from football clubs or their official partners. Clubs will provide details of any authorised ticket partners on their official website, including any legitimate resales. Follow the Premier League’s guide on how to purchase tickets safely.
• Be wary of low and high prices. Unrealistically low prices are one way fraudsters try to lure you in. But if demand is high, they might charge more to trick desperate buyers.

Remember, if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.