With tickets to the AFL finals on sale from today, footy fans are being warned to look out for scammers out for a big score.
Australian Banking Association (ABA) CEO Simon Birmingham said scammers would take advantage of the hype and passion around footy finals to trick fans into paying for tickets that didn’t exist.
Mr Birmingham said with both AFL and NRL finals about to kick off and demand for tickets set to surge, fans needed to be cautious.
He said Australians lost more than $26 million to buying and selling scams last year, with fake tickets among the most common.
“Footy finals tickets can be as rare as hens’ teeth, and unfortunately scammers take advantage of this.
“If you are on the hunt for finals tickets, take extra care – the last thing you want is to fall for a dodgy ticket deal.”
Mr Birmingham said regardless of a fan’s desperation for a ticket they should always buy from official ticketing platforms or authorised resale sites.
He said they needed to be wary of tickets offered from random sellers on social media or through unofficial websites.
“Banks have strengthened protections and are investing heavily in real-time detection and scam-blocking tools to stop money from getting into the wrong hands.
“However, once you’ve paid for a dodgy ticket there may be no way to get your money back along with no ticket to the game.”
Tips to avoid a dodgy ticket deal:
- Official ticketing platforms or authorised resale sites are your safest option.
- Avoid purchasing tickets through social media platforms and online marketplaces where possible.
- Double-check the legitimacy of websites and scrutinise emails or text messages encouraging you to purchase tickets.
- Use secure payment methods and be aware of requests to pay via crypto, a direct bank transfer, or gift cards.
- Report scams immediately to your bank and Scamwatch.gov.au.
