Police launch fake ticket website to warn against scams

In an effort to combat ticket fraud, police have launched a mock ticket sales website offering access to in-demand concerts and sporting events, such as football games. Visitors who proceed through TicketBewust.nl are redirected to a police alert page that explains the risks of scams and offers advice on how to avoid them.

The fake website advertised so-called exclusive tickets to sold-out shows by artists including Lady Gaga, Typhoon, and Roxy Dekker. Over the past few months, people were directed to the site via an ad on Marktplaats, which, according to police, was clicked and viewed by more than 30,000 users.

Since October 30, the mock ticket store has attracted 7,402 click-throughs, with 3,432 visitors going so far as to attempt a purchase. This happened despite multiple warning signs on the website, including registration details and an address that, when checked, clearly led back to the police.

icketBewust.nl replicates the tactics used by online fraudsters. “Scammers are smart: suddenly that coveted ticket appears available, and the urge to act fast is exactly what they exploit,” explains Gijs van der Linden, team leader at the National Internet Fraud Reporting Centre (LMIO), on the police website. “The deals on the site are simply too good to be real.”

Last year, the police created another mock online store, pakjedeals.nu, to raise awareness of scams. It advertised electronics at improbably low prices, with the same key message: “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.”