Admin l Saturday, June 15, 2019
LONDON, UK – Ahead of the Cricket World Cup coming up in England and Wales, the Met Police has called on members of the public who are hoping to attend a Cricket World Cup fixture not to purchase tickets from touts outside the stadium, stressing that those selling fraudulent tickets will be prosecuted.
Detective Chief Superintendent Treena Fleming said Met Police has been working closely with the International Cricket Council, the England and Wales Cricket Board, The Oval and Lords to ensure spectators, players and staff can attend safe and enjoyable events.
“Having the Cricket World Cup 2019 in England and Wales is such a privilege and we love hosting parts of it in London; however a small minority are attempting to fraudulently sell fake or copied tickets.
“We advise anyone who is thinking of purchasing a ticket from someone outside a cricket stadium to think twice. The ticket you are about to buy may be a fake or possibly even a photocopy and you are very likely to be handing over your money to a criminal and will not be allowed into the stadium. We also ask that if you are purchasing a ticket online and the price seems too good to be true, then it possibly is.”
According to Action Fraud, there were 4,755 ticket fraud in 30 April 2019 – a decrease from the 6,486 reports received in the previous 12 months. The total reported losses to victims was £1,654,888: an average of £365 per victim.
Det Ch Supt Fleming continues: “If you would like to buy a ticket to attend a cricket match, please do so via the appropriate channels such as www.cricketworldcup.com or www.icc-cricket.com. Alternatively, please search on a reputable resale website where you will be protected from fraudsters.”
Action Fraud has recently announced that it is partnering with the Society of Ticket Agents and retailers (STAR) to urge people to avoid fraud by taking more care when buying tickets for live events.
