Football fans warned of online ticket scams as Premier League kicks off

With the Premier League season kicking off in just two weeks’ time, football fans have been warned of the rising threat of online ticket scams by Lloyds Bank.

Fraudsters take advantage of fans’ loyalty and eagerness to watch their favourite team, knowing that most major matches across the country will be sold out.

Unsurprisingly, it is fans of some of the biggest clubs in England – where demand for tickets is strongest – who are most likely to be targeted. 

Know the score: Football fans are being warned to keep sharp for ticket scams this month

Supporters of Liverpool and Manchester United fell victim most often last season, along with Arsenal and Chelsea fans. 

Lloyds Bank’s analysis of its own customers found that the number of people being scammed buying football tickets rose by 101 per cent compared to the season before. Victims lost £154 on average.

Lloyds said more than 90 per cent of football ticket scams reported during the 2022/23 season started on just three online platforms: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

Those aged between 18 and 24 years old were most likely to fall victim.

How the football ticket scam works

When tickets for big events are scarce or in high demand, fraudsters know they can cash in on desperate fans willing to pay much more.

They create fake posts on social media or online marketplaces to advertise tickets that don’t exist. 

Often they will include pictures of real tickets to convince the unsuspecting buyer that they are genuine.

The victim is tricked into sending money via bank transfer (also known as a faster payment). 

Many consumers are unaware that bank transfers were not designed as a way of paying for things online, and offer little protection if something goes wrong.

Tickets for international matches and major cup finals are also falsely advertised on a regular basis.

Once the money has been transferred the fraudster simply disappears, and the victim receives nothing in return.

How to stay safe when buying football tickets

Those who pay for tickets by credit card or debit card benefit from Section 75 and chargeback rules, which have been protecting consumers for decades.

Section 75 protection means if a consumer buys something on credit worth between £100 and £30,000 – even if they only pay £1 of the total on a credit card – the lender and seller are equally liable to sort the problem out if something goes wrong. 

Chargeback is a protection placed on most debit, prepaid and credit cards that allows customers to request that a transaction is reversed if there is a problem with the goods or service they’ve paid for.

Supporters of Manchester United (pictured) and Liverpool fell victim to fraud most often last season, along with Arsenal and Chelsea fans

It is not enshrined in law so there is no obligation for banks to offer it, but it is included in the rules and regulations of most banks and lenders. However, these rules may vary between card companies.

The English Premier League says if you are looking to buy match tickets you should purchase them directly from the clubs. 

Those clubs will also provide details of any authorised ticket partners on their official website, which may include legitimate ways for tickets to be resold by individuals.

It’s also important to remember that fraudsters will target any major event where demand for tickets is likely to exceed supply. 

Earlier this year Lloyds Bank said concert ticket scams surged by more than 500 per cent last year.

Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds Bank, said: ‘Buying directly from football clubs or their official ticket partners is the only way to guarantee you’re paying for a real ticket, and always use your debit or credit card for maximum safety. If you’re not doing those two things, there’s a big chance you’re going to get scammed.’