Liverpool supporters have been identified as the most frequent and highest-paying victims of ticket scams in the English Premier League football season 2023/24, according to a report by NatWest Bank.
Last season, Liverpool fans lost over £17,000 ($22,000) to criminals, closely followed by Arsenal fans who lost £12,000 ($16,000).
This according to NatWest Bank’s ‘League of Ticket Scams,’ which details how much fans at each club lost last year to ticket scams.
On average ticket fraud is costing those scammed fans £180.66 a season.
As Arsenal club tried to win its first title in 20 years, one fan reported the highest ticket scam case in which the individual lost £900 ($1200).
As the end of the season approached, April 2024 was the month the most amount of money was lost by fans with £9,925.50 ($13022.11) stolen by criminals. A Newcastle United fan also reported a case of £846.50 ($1110.29) being lost to cybercriminals and the highest loss for Liverpool was £850 ($1114.88).
Stuart Skinner, Head of Fraud Prevention at NatWest, said: “As the new season kicks off, we urge customers to be extra vigilant and stay safe from criminals who are exploiting fans devotion to their club. We estimate the actual value of ticket scams is potentially much higher but not all of the scams are reported.”
“Social media platforms need to give a red card to the fraudsters using them to exploit people’s passion for football,” Skinner added.
Eight Tips to Avoid Football Ticket Scams
- Buy from official sites or well-known and reputable resale platforms
- If buying from a secondary market or an individual seller, verify the seller
- Avoid too-good-to-be-true deals, scammers lure buyers with significantly lower than the market rate
- Before making a purchase, carefully examine the ticket details. Be cautious of vague or incomplete information which could indicate a fraudulent ticket
- Use secure payment methods and avoid paying with cash or bank transfers
- When purchasing tickets online, ensure the website is secure. Look for https:// in the URL and a padlock icon in the address bar
- Beware of social media scams. Be cautious of ads or sellers on social media
- Report suspected scams If you encounter a suspected scam, report it your bank and the police immediately.
Other scams to be aware of include advanced fee scams in which victims are asked to pay an upfront fee for a product or service that does not exist.