Startling figures released by Lloyds and the Home Office reveal that fraud victims coughed up an average of £218 for tickets that did not exist last season
Football fans have been conned out of more than £2.5million for fake tickets in the past two seasons, with scammers using social media to trick supporters.
Alarming figures show victims coughed up an average of £218 for tickets that did not exist last year, with Liverpool supporters most likely to be targeted. It is estimated that 12,000 people have been defrauded since the start of the 2023/24 season.
Con artists flooded social media with fake tickets to see Premier League giants Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea and Manchester City, as well as newly promoted Championside side Wrexham, new data shows.
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Home Office minister Lord Hanson told The Mirror the figures were “shocking”. More than 2,400 cases of football ticket fraud were reported by Lloyds banking customers in two years, with total losses topping £500,000.
The bank estimates that nationally there will have been 12,000 cases, with unsuspecting fans coughing up £2.5million. Three quarters of the scams start on social media, the Home Office said.
Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds, said while fans are looking forward to the new Premier League season, scammers are “banking on that excitement”. She said: “With demand for tickets often outstripping supply, fraudsters know they can trick fans into paying for tickets that simply don’t exist.”
And warning sport lovers to steer clear of deals that “look too good to be true” she said: “Social media is the main breeding ground for ticket scams and it’s time these firms cracked down on the fraudsters lurking on their platforms.”
Analysis found supporters aged from 25 to 34 are the most common victims, making up 28% of all cases. They were closely followed by 18 to 24 year olds.
Lloyds is working with the Home Office on its Stop! Think Fraud project, aimed at stopping people falling victim to scammers. The Premier League urges supporters to buy tickets directly from clubs.
Several clubs employ staff dedicated to tackling ticket fraud, who will often buy tickets from unauthorised sellers to identify the source of resold tickets.
From season 2026/27 the Premier League will require a minimum of 70% of tickets to be digital. It says this will give additional security.
Lord Hanson said: “Fraud is a ruthless crime that preys on our passions, our trust, and our excitement. As the nation gears up for the new football season, so too do fraudsters, waiting to take advantage of loyal fans searching for tickets.”
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