Premier League: How to spot, and avoid, ticket scams

Saturday 16 August 2025 8:00 am
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Thursday 14 August 2025 12:36 pm

With the Premier League again throughout the nation, how do followers keep away from being scammed by fraudsters to the tune of tons of of kilos?

Fraud is at present essentially the most prevalent crime towards people within the UK, accounting for an estimated 41 per cent mirrored within the Crime Survey for England and Wales for the 12 months ending September 2024. Fraudsters are constantly reinventing methods to rip-off victims and the strategies have gotten extra subtle. Fraud has now infiltrated the nation’s beloved soccer leagues, with soccer followers being urged to be careful for ‘ruthless’ ticket scams within the run as much as the subsequent Premier League season. 

Premier League followers should be vigilant

This warning has been fired by Lloyds Financial institution who has estimated that nationally there are prone to have been no less than 12,000 victims for the reason that begin of the 2023/24 season, with greater than £2.5m stolen by fraudsters.

This type of fraud just isn’t solely relevant to soccer tickets, but additionally applies to different kinds of leisure, together with live shows and gigs. This summer season it was extensively reported that 19 individuals paid a person £6,000 for Oasis tickets that have been by no means obtained. 

Cease! Assume fraud

Fraud of this nature preys on individuals’s desperation to help their groups or see their favorite artists, subsequently ticket purchasers are inspired to contemplate the ‘Cease! Assume fraud’ marketing campaign and be aware of what to look out for.

Initially, purchasers ought to think about the web site they’re considering of buying tickets from and do their very own due diligence. This may very well be so simple as checking to see whether or not the occasion has been offered out, contemplating the value of the tickets, and asking your self whether or not the value is cheap within the circumstances.

Additionally, it is very important verify the legitimacy of the corporate and its web site, significantly reviewing the ‘About us’/’Contact us’ pages, the type of fee that’s accepted and the returns coverage. Evaluations of internet sites or sellers can be an ideal useful resource that will help you navigate threat; these embrace, for instance, Feefo, Sitejabber and Trustpilot amongst others. Finally, followers are inspired to purchase from official sources, together with golf equipment, their official companions and legit resale retailers.

What occurs in case you are scammed?

For those who consider you might have been a sufferer of ticket fraud, it is best to report it to both Motion Fraud or the Nationwide Cyber Safety Centre. Assets nevertheless are restricted as proven within the Oasis instance when ripped off followers complained that Motion Fraud suggested that there have been ‘no viable traces of enquiry’ and solely reviewed this resolution after the BBC started to analyze.

Ed Sheeran himself has tried to fight fraud and was praised when he cancelled 10,000 tickets to his London reveals to stop ticket resale websites from turning them round at massively inflated costs. Sadly, although, it is rather unlikely that you’ll obtain reimbursement in case you are subjected to ticket fraud. 

Ought to Premier League followers be supported?

The UK authorities and police forces ought to give attention to establishing wide-scale fraud prevention mechanisms as fraudsters grow to be extra subtle and increase the variety of methods to elicit cash from unsuspecting followers. Till this occurs nevertheless, ticket purchasers should keep vigilant and think about the validity of the tickets and sale technique used earlier than parting with their money.

Arabella Dulcie is a Enterprise Crime Affiliate at JMW Solicitors in London