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Global swoop shuts down 100 sites selling fake Premier League tickets
Justin Davenport, Crime Editor7 Aug 2009
Police today swooped on more than 100 illegal websites selling millions of pounds of Premier League tickets.
In a worldwide operation officers took action to close sites behind sales of either fake or non-existent tickets.
Most of the sites are based overseas — but many are believed to be run from Britain.
Many advertised UK phone numbers and a UK web address to dupe buyers but in reality were run by organised crime gangs based abroad.
The action by the newly established Police Central E-Crime Unit was the first major initiative against fraudulent football websites. It comes eight days before the start of the new season.
Detective Superintendent Charlie McMurdie, the head of the unit, said: “Today's operation is the first time any law enforcement agency has shut down this many sites in unison and demonstrates our unit's commitment to tackling
this issue.
“One of our main aims is to raise people's awareness of this issue. If it looks too good to be true it probably is. Many of these companies are making an absolute fortune.”
During a seven-month inquiry officers trawled hundreds of websites looking for tickets being sold fraudulently. A number of offences were also reported by football fans.
Police estimate there are about 300 sites selling Premier League tickets — about half of which are acting fraudulently.
Many of the legitimate sites are associated with Premier League clubs and police urge people to use them.
However, some of the sites targeted are legitimate but are breaking laws brought in after the Hillsborough disaster to control illegal ticket sales.
Officers say many of these are cooperating with police. No one was arrested and no properties
were raided as officers pulled the plug on internet infrastructure supporting the dodgy sites.
Dozens of sites closed down voluntarily after receiving warning letters from police. Other websites are run in Russia, eastern Europe and America.
One of the sites believed to have been shut down is called smarthospitalitytickets.
com. Access to the site was denied this afternoon and messages on one chatroom included several from people claiming they were victims.
One read: “I also bought tickets from them and I
am now pretty sure they are a scam!”
Today's initiative comes amid increasing concern about internet fraudsters targeting the Olympics.
Reader views (8)
The point is.........Ticket Touts are breaking the law, The Police and the Football Clubs turn a blind eye, now why is that?
- Paxton, N17, 08/08/2009 17:34
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Shame the Premiership can't be shutdown as well, then
we won't have to hear about these aggressive, overpaid
morons every day!
- Lb, Bromley, 07/08/2009 21:33
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A tout selling legitimate tickets outside any event is offering a much needed service to any punter wanting to see an event. Tickets bought from the box office can also be described as rip off prices. They simply charge what they think the market will bear. If a punter has the money, and wants to pay the price being asked from either box office or tout then good luck them all.
- Jack, london uk, 07/08/2009 16:51
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Ticket touting outside of football stadia is not very high on the police agenda in view of what could kick off outside a ground at anytime,however i agree that they are a scourge and if football clubs really wanted to stamp it out, it would easily be within their remit to do so.
- Leonard Lillywhites, N.London, 07/08/2009 15:18
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I approached a police man outside the Emirates last year because there were touts selling tickets to Bruce Springsteen and ripping people off with the prices they were charging. I told him that as far as I knew it was illegal to sell tickets. The police man just shrugged his shoulders and said " nothing I can do madam - I know its frustrating". With that, he carried on walking!
- Maya - London, London, 07/08/2009 14:40
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This story is about fraudsters, whose fake commodity happens to be tickets: no real tickets are being illegally sold. Touts on the other hand are simply selling a real commodity for more than they paid for it, to people who are willing to pay the price asked. That's what Tesco do as well: should they be closed down, Paxton?
- Mdj E10, london uk, 07/08/2009 14:06
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Outside the Emirates stadium you see the same touts every home game. As season ticket holders and members gain ticketless access where do the touts get the paper tickets from? Strange the police turn a blind eye every week when they could do something if they tried.
- John, Kingston, 07/08/2009 13:49
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What about cracking down on the touts outside the stadiums, same faces in the same places every home game, selling tickets at upto 4 x face value, you wouldn't have to be Sherlock Holmes or have a specialised squad to crack that one !
- Paxton, N17, 07/08/2009 13:30
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