Experts warn that ticket scams are more popular than ever in the English Premier League due to high demand and scarcity of tickets.
Lloyds Bank analysts used customer reports of fraud to uncover football ticket fraud, which more than doubled last season (+101%). Victims lost an average of £154, but some were scammed out of thousands. Younger fans were often targeted, with 18-24 year olds being the most likely victims.
Fraudsters use three sites almost exclusively: Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter), with over 90% of cases coming from these platforms. Supporters of the biggest teams such as Liverpool and Manchester United were at greatest risk.
What to look for
Fake tickets are advertised on social media, requesting money via bank transfer before the scammer disappears after receiving the money. Bank transfer offers little to no protection against this type of fraud, so it was a common tactic used by criminals.
Lloyds warns that the only guaranteed way to buy legitimate tickets is directly from the football club or an official ticketing partner website. Low prices or too-good-to-be-true deals have often been used to deceive eager fans.
Social media was used to push offers straight into fans’ inboxes, knowing that desperate fans are willing to pay more than expected and take risks on less secure tickets.
“The vast majority of ticket fraud starts on Twitter and Facebook, where it is far too easy for criminals to set up fake profiles and advertise items that simply do not exist,” said Liz Ziegler, director of fraud prevention at Lloyds Bank. “Social media companies need to do more to tackle this problem, as the vast majority of fraud starts on their platforms.”
The Premier League also has a list of known unauthorized ticketing websites, so customers know where to avoid. Fans are warned to be vigilant with all ticket purchases, as concert ticket fraud increased by 500% last year.