Lloyds Bank warns Britons conned out of hundreds of pounds buying fake tickets

Lloyds bank scam alert as Britons lose hundreds if not ‘thousands’ buying fake tickets (Image: GETTY) With the new English Premier League season kicking off in just two weeks’ time, football fans are being warned to be aware of cruel fraudsters selling fake tickets as scam numbers surge. New research by Lloyds Bank , based on analysis of reported fraud cases among its own personal banking customers, found that the number of people being scammed when buying football tickets more than doubled (up 101 percent) last season compared to the season before, with victims losing £154 on average. Lloyds Bank said some victims had even lost ‘thousands’ of pounds to the fraudsters, who largely take to social media to shift their counterfeit tickets. More than 90 percent of football ticket scams reported last season were said to have started on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram , and those aged between 18 and 24 years old were most likely to get caught out. Britons are advised to report suspected scams to Action Fraud (Image: EXPRESS) Football ticket scams to watch out for When tickets for big events are scarce or in high demand, fraudsters know they can cash in on desperate fans willing to pay much more. According to Lloyds Bank, they create fake posts on social media or online marketplaces to advertise tickets that don’t exist. It said: ‘Often they will include pictures of real tickets to convince the unsuspecting buyer that they are genuine.’ The victim is tricked into sending money via bank transfer. But what many may be unaware of is that bank transfers were not designed as a way of paying for things online and offer little protection if something goes wrong. Unsurprisingly, it’s fans of some of the biggest clubs in England – where demand for tickets is strongest – who are most likely to be targeted. The Lloyds Bank statement reads: ‘Supporters of Liverpool and Manchester United fell victim most often last season, along with Arsenal and Chelsea fans. Tickets for international matches and major cup finals are also falsely advertised on a regular basis.’ Once the money has been transferred, the fraudster disappears and the victim receives nothing in return. Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds Bank, commented: ‘It’s easy to let our emotions get the better of us when following our favourite football team, but when it comes to buying tickets for matchday, it’s important fans keep a clear head. ‘The vast majority of ticket scams start on Twitter and Facebook, where it’s far too easy for criminals to set up fake profiles and advertise items for sale that simply don’t exist. Social media companies must do more to tackle this issue given the vast majority of fraud starts on their platforms.’ Ms Ziegler said that buying directly from football clubs or their official ticket partners is the ‘only way’ for people to guarantee they’re paying for a real ticket. She added: ‘Always use your debit or credit card for maximum safety. If you’re not doing those two things, there’s a big chance you’re going to get scammed.’