Want to go to a sporting event like the Olympic Games but are put off by the inflated prices? Or maybe the festival you fancy is sold out. You may be tempted to look for unofficial deals for cheap tickets, flights and hotel packages to avoid those extortionate costs. However, our advice - as always - is to be cautious of ticket fraud!

Our advice is always to buy tickets, flights and accommodation from official sources. But as the cost-of-living crisis continues to grip the nation and people simply cannot afford the inflated prices offered via official means to the events they want to attend, they may be tempted to scour the web for cheap deals. This should be done with extreme caution, and it’s worth reading into a few stats before you go 'unofficial'.

Action Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service, have released new data that reveals that in 2023, more than 8,700 people reported they had been a victim of ticket fraud, with a total of £6.7 million lost. This works out to an average loss of £772 per victim.

Their warning came ahead of the Glastonbury Festival ticket resale and before top summer events, such as Taylor Swift’s sell out Eras tour, and the European Championships in Germany. The Olympic Games in France is the next big sporting event, but with still a fair amount of the summer left, festivals are a huge draw, too, so people are urged to be on their guard against scams.

Fraudsters are aware of the high demand for tickets to major events and will know that getting to an event like the Olympic Games is not cheap, and you may see fake adverts for cheap deals. Scammers prey on the desperation of people who simply cannot afford the inflated prices.

If you see an advert, or receive an email or a link offering tickets to major events that have sold out or that are likely to attract huge interest - sometimes at vastly discounted prices - be aware.

As we always say: if it looks too good to be true, it probably is, a sentiment echoed by Detective Chief Inspector Craig Mellish, from the City of London Police. DCI Mellish states:

Pauline Smith, Head of Action Fraud, adds:

How to protect yourself from ticket fraud

• Only buy tickets from the venue’s box office, the promoter, an official agent or a well-known and reputable ticket exchange site.

• Avoid paying for tickets by bank transfer, especially if buying from someone unknown. Credit card or payment services such as PayPal give you a better chance of recovering the money if you become a victim of fraud.

• The password you use for your email account, as well as any other accounts you use to purchase tickets, should be different from all your other passwords. Use three random words to create a strong and memorable password, and enable 2-step verification (2SV).

• Be wary of unsolicited emails, texts or adverts offering unbelievably good deals on tickets.

• Is the vendor a member of Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR)? If they are, the company has signed up to their strict governing standards. STAR also offers an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution service to help customers with outstanding complaints. For more information visit star.org.uk/buy_safe.

• Fraudsters often create fake ticket retail companies. Victims are lured in using social media or phishing emails with offers of the chance to buy tickets to a popular event, but instead give away their personal information or money, with no tickets received in return. Phishing messages often look real, but instead will either steal your information or divert to malicious websites which can infect your computer with malware.

If you feel at all suspicious, report the email to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) at report@phishing.gov.uk. For more advice on how to stay secure online, please visit cyberaware.gov.uk.

Find out how to protect yourself from fraud: https://stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk

If you live in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and have been a victim of fraud or cybercrime, report it at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, victims of fraud and cybercrime should report to Police Scotland on 101.

Reporting

Report all Fraud and Cybercrime to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or online. Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk. Report SMS scams by forwarding the original message to 7726 (spells SPAM on the keypad).