UK football fans lose £2.5m to scammers

UK football supporters are encouraged to Stop! Think Fraud as Lloyds Bank estimates that over £2.5 million ($3.3 million) had been stolen by fraudsters nationally since the start of the 2023/24 season.

Lloyds Bank customers have reported more than 2,400 cases of football ticket fraud over the past two seasons. This amounts to over £500,000 in total losses for those looking for better deals or tickets to sold-out games.

However, the bank warns that these results are based solely on the reports from its customers, suggesting that the total number of victims has been at least 12,000 since the start of the 2023/24 season, amounting to at least £2.5 million ($3.3 million) in losses.

The UK government has joined Lloyds as part of its Stop! Think Fraud campaign, urging all football supporters to stay vigilant when purchasing tickets online.

“Stay alert and only buy directly from the clubs, their official partners and legitimate resale outlets. None of us want to miss a big game, but that will feel ten times worse if you’ve also handed hundreds of pounds to a fraudster for a ticket you’ll never see,” said Lord Hanson, the UK’s Minister for Fraud.

Lloyds Bank adds that Liverpool fans are being most heavily targeted, followed by Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Manchester City supporters. When it comes to the age demographic, people aged 25–34 were the most likely to fall victim (28%), followed by 18-24 year olds (26%).

Most often, people get tricked into the scam with promises of tickets that don’t exist. Criminals post fake adverts online, offering tickets at a lower price or for sold-out events. Scammers request up-front payment and disappear without a trace upon receiving it — leaving the person without the ticket and their money.

“The best way to avoid ticket scams is to buy directly from clubs or their official partners – and steer clear of deals that look too good to be true,” suggests Liz Ziegler, Fraud Prevention Director at Lloyds.

Customers are encouraged to only buy tickets from authorized sources, avoid making direct payments, and take their time to think whether the offer is really genuine or just simply too good to be true.

Last year, Lloyds Bank issued a similar warning after soccer ticketing fraud jumped by around a third compared to the previous season.