Rangers and Celtic fans warned over online ticket scams as fraudsters target clubs
Rangers and Celtic fans have been warned to look out for ticketing scams this season as new data reveals an estimated £2.5 million has been lost to football ticket fraud over the past two years.
The Glasgow giants are among the UK clubs most targeted by fraudsters who market non-existent briefs for sale on social media sites such as Facebook and X.
More than 2,400 cases of football ticket fraud were reported by Lloyds customers over the past two seasons, with total losses topping £500,000. The bank estimates there are likely to have been at least 12,000 victims across the UK since the start of the 2023/24 season, with over £2.5 million stolen by fraudsters.
The UK Government has now joined forces with Lloyds to issue a warning to supporters as part of its Stop! Think Fraud campaign. Led by the Home Office, the campaign aims to better inform supporters and small businesses about the risks of buying dodgy briefs.
Supporters of Liverpool are most likely to be targeted by fraudsters, followed by fans of Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City. But cases have also involved fans of Celtic and Rangers, while Wrexham featured in the data after racing back to the second tier of the English football pyramid for the first time in more than 40 years.
Fans aged 25–34 were the most common victims, making up 28 per cent of all cases, closely followed by 18-24 year olds.
More than three-quarters of football ticket fraud cases last season started on social media, underlining the need for tech firms to do more to stop the fraudsters operating on their platforms.
Fraudsters typically try purchase scams where people are tricked into paying for goods or services that don't exist. This involves scammers posting fake adverts or listings on social media, offering tickets at discounted prices or for sold-out games.
Victims are then asked to pay upfront – usually by bank transfer – but the tickets never arrive and the fraudster disappears.
Anti-fraud experts are urging fans to stick to official sources and only buy tickets directly from official club websites, ticket offices or their authorised partners. Deals advertised on social media should not be trusted.
Liz Ziegler, Lloyds fraud prevention director, said: "It's easy to get swept up in the buzz of a new season – but scammers are banking on that excitement. With demand for tickets often outstripping supply, fraudsters know they can trick fans into paying for tickets that simply don't exist.
"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."
David Hanson, minister for fraud at the Home Office, said: "As the nation gears up for the new football season, so too do fraudsters, waiting to take advantage of loyal fans searching for tickets.
"That's why we urge all football supporters hunting for tickets to Stop! Think Fraud. 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."
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