Sports ticket scams cost fans over £240,000 this year
- Consumers lost £243,000 to sports ticket scams between January and September 2024.
- Young adults aged 19 to 34 represented the majority of cases, constituting 84% of reported incidents.
- Experts advise being cautious and checking the legitimacy of ticket sales to prevent financial losses.
In the United Kingdom, a significant amount of money has been lost to sports ticket scams in 2024, totaling £243,000 from January to September. Santander, a major bank, published these findings, indicating that a large portion of the fraud cases involved fans aged 19 to 34. This demographic accounted for a third of the total financial losses, amounting to £80,491, and represented 84% of the reported scam cases, highlighting a concerning trend among younger fans. As excitement builds around sports events, these individuals appear particularly vulnerable to falling for fraudulent schemes. Football-related scams have been the most prevalent, making up over half of the reported losses, at £127,544. Scammers commonly exploit social media and fake websites to lure fans into purchasing non-existent tickets or counterfeit versions. Although football scams dominate numerically, fans of other sports also face significant risks, with motorsport fans losing an average of £3,851 per scammed transaction, while golf fans registered average losses of £860. The surge in average losses per scam is alarming, escalating from £225 in 2023 to £352 in 2024. This increase signifies the growing sophistication of fraudsters, who have adapted their tactics to prey on fans' eagerness for popular events. As a response, Chris Ainsley, the head of fraud risk management at Santander, urged fans to practice caution when purchasing tickets, emphasizing that a quick verification could prevent substantial financial losses. He highlighted the importance of ensuring the legitimacy of ticket sellers, especially when tickets for events are sold out. Santander provided useful tips to help consumers avoid falling victim to scams. One of the primary recommendations is to be cautious of offers that appear too good to be true, as well as ensuring that the purchasing website is secure by looking for indicators such as the padlock symbol and the URL starting with 'https.' By being vigilant and informed, sports fans can protect themselves from the rising tide of ticket fraud and the associated financial consequences.