Matildas fans, beware! This new scam tactic could trick you next!
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As Australians join in on the Matildas World Cup fever with pride, we here at the SDC also urge our members to be cautious of the latest scam doing the rounds and targeting Matildas fans of all stripes.
A consumer watchdog has warned that Aussies running hot with admiration for the Matildas are particularly ripe targets for opportunistic scammers, who set up bogus live stream links and fake ticket sales to drain bank accounts and dupe people with counterfeit tickets.
‘We are already seeing initial reports of scam activity, particularly on Facebook, where scammers are responding to posts from people looking for tickets and using compromised accounts to sell non-existent tickets,’ said Catriona Lowe, deputy chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
'There have also been reports of scammers claiming there is a problem with the payment and asking for it to be made again.'
In one instance, an anonymous fan looking for a ticket for the faceoff between the Matildas and England found themselves talking to a suspicious ticket seller.
‘For the record, I knew it was probably a scam, but I was making a small-stakes gamble in the distant hope it was legit,’ they said.
‘I searched “women's world cup tickets” in the search bar, and this group of fake accounts came up–using pictures from real accounts, I suspect–selling tickets for the game.’
The bogus seller said they were selling tickets for $50 apiece, but they were insistent they couldn’t sell just one. They even called the fan at one point, and the fan claimed that ‘a pre-recorded’ sound of a woman saying they couldn’t hear the call was played.
Eventually, the fan’s suspicions became too much, and after shelling out $50 to ‘test the water’, they asked the scammer for a refund.
Unsurprisingly, the fan never received a response.
Keeping our members safe from scams is a top priority here at the SDC, so here’s what you need to know if you’re searching for World Cup tickets.
Watch out for scammers scanning social media platforms for vulnerable audience members.
According to the ACCC, they may post or directly contact you, telling you that they have tickets available to purchase. To make them appear a legitimate source, they may also send convincing screenshots of made-up ‘proof’ of the World Cup ticket ownership.
Beyond ticket sale scams, scammers also send links to supposed live streams of the World Cup matches to Matildas fans via social media. This new scam exploits sports fanatics’ eagerness to watch the game.
Unsuspecting fans will be led to believe they will have access to a live-streaming service and all they need to do is submit their payment details via the provided link. But what happens is that the scammers usually steal the credit card details and never deliver the content.
Please note, there is no need to search for live streams as the game is being broadcast on Channel Seven and Optus Sport.
The best advice for our members is to be wary when buying tickets online and always purchase tickets through official channels.
We hope this has given you some insight into what to look out for, and we wish all the Matildas the best as they face England in the semi-finals!
Our very own Maddie has thoughts about how these women have Australia transfixed with their stunning journey—you can read more here!
What are your thoughts about this, members? Have you heard of other sneaky tactics scammers use to victimise avid sports fans? Share them with us below!
A consumer watchdog has warned that Aussies running hot with admiration for the Matildas are particularly ripe targets for opportunistic scammers, who set up bogus live stream links and fake ticket sales to drain bank accounts and dupe people with counterfeit tickets.
‘We are already seeing initial reports of scam activity, particularly on Facebook, where scammers are responding to posts from people looking for tickets and using compromised accounts to sell non-existent tickets,’ said Catriona Lowe, deputy chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
'There have also been reports of scammers claiming there is a problem with the payment and asking for it to be made again.'
The Matildas have captured the hearts of Australians, and scammers are well aware. Image Credit: Shutterstock
In one instance, an anonymous fan looking for a ticket for the faceoff between the Matildas and England found themselves talking to a suspicious ticket seller.
‘For the record, I knew it was probably a scam, but I was making a small-stakes gamble in the distant hope it was legit,’ they said.
‘I searched “women's world cup tickets” in the search bar, and this group of fake accounts came up–using pictures from real accounts, I suspect–selling tickets for the game.’
The bogus seller said they were selling tickets for $50 apiece, but they were insistent they couldn’t sell just one. They even called the fan at one point, and the fan claimed that ‘a pre-recorded’ sound of a woman saying they couldn’t hear the call was played.
Eventually, the fan’s suspicions became too much, and after shelling out $50 to ‘test the water’, they asked the scammer for a refund.
Unsurprisingly, the fan never received a response.
Keeping our members safe from scams is a top priority here at the SDC, so here’s what you need to know if you’re searching for World Cup tickets.
Watch out for scammers scanning social media platforms for vulnerable audience members.
According to the ACCC, they may post or directly contact you, telling you that they have tickets available to purchase. To make them appear a legitimate source, they may also send convincing screenshots of made-up ‘proof’ of the World Cup ticket ownership.
Image Credit: Seniors Discount Club
Beyond ticket sale scams, scammers also send links to supposed live streams of the World Cup matches to Matildas fans via social media. This new scam exploits sports fanatics’ eagerness to watch the game.
Unsuspecting fans will be led to believe they will have access to a live-streaming service and all they need to do is submit their payment details via the provided link. But what happens is that the scammers usually steal the credit card details and never deliver the content.
Please note, there is no need to search for live streams as the game is being broadcast on Channel Seven and Optus Sport.
The best advice for our members is to be wary when buying tickets online and always purchase tickets through official channels.
We hope this has given you some insight into what to look out for, and we wish all the Matildas the best as they face England in the semi-finals!
Our very own Maddie has thoughts about how these women have Australia transfixed with their stunning journey—you can read more here!
What are your thoughts about this, members? Have you heard of other sneaky tactics scammers use to victimise avid sports fans? Share them with us below!
