Wembley Stadium prior to the 2024 Community Shield | Photo by Jkhsdjki, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
UK Sports Fans Lose Nearly Quarter of $1M in Ticket Scams This Year
Ticket scams were more rampant in the UK sports world more than ever this year — totaling almost a quarter of a million pounds lost.
According to Santander bank, a total of £243,000 was lost due to sports ticket scams between January and September 2024 across the UK, with football-related scams making up over half of all ticket fraud cases in the region.
Chris Ainsley, head of fraud risk management at Santander, noted in a statement that football fans lost over £127,000 in 2024.
“Scammers know how to exploit the excitement around big games,” Ainsley said. “Don’t let them score at your expense. A quick check could be the difference between cheering in the stands or being left on the bench, out of pocket and out of luck.”
Young men between ages 19 and 34 were the prime targets, the bank reported, which equated to 41% of the victims and a loss of £80,491. On average, a person lost £352 per scam – an increase from £225 last year.
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Alongside football-related scams, other sports fans were swindled; motorsports fans that were scammed had the highest average loss of £3,851, and altogether, motocross scams reached £50,070 in total. Golf fans were also targeted, with a total loss of £51,685, averaging £860 each scam.
Santander encouraged sports fans to be vigilant when purchasing tickets online and avoid bank transfers. Many scams begin with a fake ticket listed on fake websites or advertised on social media.
Earlier this year, two men who scammed Liverpool fans out of thousands of pounds for the 2022 UEFA Champions League final have been sentenced. According to the BBC, one victim paid £8,500 ($11,000) for “Category One” tickets, and two men paid £2,500 ($3,274) for two tickets each to the event in Paris. However, none of the victims received tickets, nor a refund.
