UK football fans warned over ticket scams ahead of new season
Football fans are being urged to guard against scams when buying match tickets for the upcoming Premier League season, which kicks off next week – as newly-released data from Lloyds reveals an estimated £2.5 million has been lost to football ticket fraud over the past two years.
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.
As these numbers are based solely on Lloyds’ customer data, the bank estimates that nationally there are likely to have been at least 12,000 victims since the start of the 2023/24 season, with over £2.5 million stolen by fraudsters.
The government has now joined with Lloyds to issue a warning to supporters as part of its Stop! Think Fraud campaign. Led by the Home Office and supported by partners across law enforcement, banking, tech, retail and the charity sector, the campaign empowers individuals and small businesses with the tools and knowledge they need to stay ahead of fraud.
More than three-quarters (76%) 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.
The data shows that supporters of Liverpool are most likely to be targeted, followed by fans of Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City. Cases also involved fans of Celtic and Rangers, while Wrexham AFC also featured in the data after racing back to the second tier of the football pyramid for the first time in more than 40 years.
Those aged 25–34 were the most common victims, making up 28% of all cases, closely followed by 18-24 year olds (26%).
The Premier League advises fans to buy tickets directly from clubs, which will also list any authorised ticket partners on their official websites, including legitimate resale options.
Many football clubs employ dedicated staff to tackle ticket misuse and buy tickets from unauthorised sellers to identify the source of resold tickets. Some Premier League clubs also publicise details and/or numbers of fans who have been banned for touting.
From season 2026/27, the Premier League will require a minimum of 70% of tickets to be digital, which will offer enhanced security and tackle (but not fully solve) touting.
“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,” said Liz Ziegler (Fraud Prevention Director at Lloyds).
“We’re pleased to join forces with Stop! Think Fraud ahead of the big kick-off to help raise awareness of ticket scams and ensure supporters know how to spot them. 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.
“Consumers should feel empowered to shop safely online. The best way to avoid ticket scams is to buy directly from clubs or their official partners – and steer clear of deals that look too good to be true,” she said.
