UKNIP247 
With the new Premier League season fast approaching, Lloyds Bank is urging football fans to be vigilant against ticket scams, after numerous supporters lost significant amounts of money last season.
According to Lloyds, the number of reported scams involving football tickets rose by about 32% during the 2023/24 season compared to the previous season. The average loss was £177, but some fans were swindled out of more than £1,000.
The bank’s analysis shows that fans aged between 25 and 34 were most frequently targeted, accounting for 29% of all cases. They were followed closely by 18 to 24-year-olds, who made up 27% of the victims.
Who is Most at Risk?
Lloyds’ data suggests that supporters of Arsenal and Liverpool were the most frequent victims last season. However, the bank cautions that fans of all major clubs are at risk.
Scammers often create fake posts on social media or online marketplaces, advertising tickets that do not exist. These posts frequently include images of real tickets to deceive buyers. Victims are usually asked to make payments via bank transfer, after which the fraudsters disappear, leaving the buyers with nothing.
How to Avoid Scams
Lloyds advises fans to always purchase tickets from trusted sources. This includes buying directly from the clubs or through their authorized ticket partners, whose details can be found on the official club websites.
Liz Ziegler, Fraud Prevention Director at Lloyds Bank, emphasized the importance of sticking to official channels and being wary of deals that seem too good to be true. Most scams kick off on social media, where impostors create fake profiles to sell non-existent tickets,” she said.
Broader Impact of Ticket Scams
Ticket scams are not limited to football. Earlier this year, Lloyds estimated that Taylor Swift fans lost more than £1 million to scammers ahead of her UK tour. Fraudsters typically target major events where demand for tickets exceeds supply.
Expert Advice
Lisa Webb, a consumer law expert at Which?, advices buying tickets directly from clubs or authorized partners and reporting scams to banks and fraud agencies. “Scammers are always on the lookout for new opportunities to part people from their hard-earned cash, and unfortunately, tickets to sought-after football matches are no exception,” she said.
She also highlighted that most major banks are part of a voluntary reimbursement code, which should consider reimbursing scammed customers. Victims may need to escalate their cases to the Financial Ombudsman Service if their initial claims are rejected.
Upcoming Premier League Season
The Premier League 2024/25 season is set to kick off on August 17, 2024, 90 days after the conclusion of the 2023/24 season on May 19.
For more information on how to protect yourself from ticket scams, visit the Lloyds Bank website or contact Action Fraud.
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