As if it is not bad enough for England fans that the host team has been knocked out so early in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, as at other in-demand events, ticket fraud is a risk.
Mike Haley, Deputy Chief Executive at fraud prevention trade body Cifas, said: “Reports of ticket scams and suspect sites are concerning but sadly not surprising. Unfortunately there is a double danger for victims of dodgy ticket sites or emails. Often these fraudsters won’t just be looking to grab cash, they will attempt to harvest personal details too. It is then used or sold to commit identity fraud.
“Fans need to be very careful with their personal details or payment information when trying to buy a ticket – if it’s not an official site the risk is high. There are already reports of “phishing” emails offering fake lotteries or sweepstakes, attempting to tempt fans into giving up their personal details. This means fans risk losing control of their identity, as well as their ticket to the game.
“The message is clear – use official channels and search them out yourself, don’t respond to unsolicited emails. As ever with fraud, if an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
For advice on how to avoid Rugby World Cup scams visit: http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/.
