Ajax-Tottenham semi-finals sold out; beware of fake tickets, police warn
Tickets for the Champions League semi final match between Ajax and Tottenham Hotspur in Amsterdam next week have already sold out. Desperate fans are searching online trading sites for a way to still see the match, where tickets are being offered at sky-high prices. Beware of scammers, the Dutch police warn.
Scammers regularly make use of big events like the upcoming football match to find victims, offering invalid tickets for sale on social media and online market sites, according to the police. The same may apply to tickets offered for sale at the stadium prior to the match. Unlucky buyers usually only find out that they've been scammed when they try to enter the stadium. "In that case, access to the stadium is denied", a police spokesperson said. It also happens that people transfer a lot of money for tickets, which they never receive.
"Preferably buy tickets first hand, via the official website or the official sales address of the organization of an event", Gijs van der Linden of the National Online Fraud Hotline said. In this case that is no longer possible. "If you buy a second-hand ticket, you always run a risk. Only do that if you know and trust the seller."
If you decide to take a chance and buy a second-hand ticket online, the police advise you to check whether the seller's account number, URL, telephone number or email has been blacklisted here. Always do a price comparison - if the price seems to good to be true, it usually is, the police said. Check how long the seller has been active on online market sites, and what their ratings are. Never send the seller a copy of your ID, and be extra wary if the seller sends you a copy of their ID without you asking for it. "It is no guarantee that you are actually negotiating with the person on the ID", the police said. And never send a seller a copy of your bank card or any codes related to your bank account.
