Met Police has largest number of sport event ticket fraud reports

Between 2021 and 2024, there were 15 cases, the highest in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

In fact, the average for all police forces combined was only three, meaning the Met is five times the average.

Furthermore, the force reported the highest average loss to victims, at £2,781, and the highest individual loss at £27,000.

Most victims were male and aged 20 to 29.

Jessica Nimmo, from Harlow Leisurezone, who conducted the Freedom of Information Request, said: “This year has been huge for sport, with not just the Olympics, but also the Euros, and the usual yearly events such as Wimbledon.

“Just as we’ve seen with Taylor Swift and Oasis this year, supporters of sports are always keen to witness events live and cheer on their favourites.

“But unfortunately, with a limited number of seats, and escalating prices, people sometimes let down their guard to try and secure a great deal, often resulting in scams.

“Our advice is to always remain vigilant when buying anything online, especially things with a limited quantity, like tickets for a football game.

“With the pressure of knowing only limited numbers of tickets are available to purchase, it can very easily cloud our judgement, so remember to take a breath, step back, and remember, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is.”