New ticket buying rules in england could spark £100 million worth of scams

WE FIGHT FRAUD (WFF) SAYS PRICE CAPS WON’T PROTECT FANS - THEY’LL EXPOSE THEM. 14:56, 02 Jun 2025 Ticket fraud is costing consumers £70 million a year, as We Fight Fraud and Revolut warn

that the Labour Party government’s proposed resale caps risk handing fans money over to criminal networks. The proposal to restrict the price of resold tickets is raising serious concerns.

In response to the Government’s recent consultation on ticket resale regulation, which includes proposals to restrict the price of resold tickets, We Fight Fraud (WFF) says price caps won’t

protect fans - they’ll expose them. New figures from Bradshaw Advisory, backed by independent research from We Fight Fraud, suggest that number would quadruple as ticket resales migrate from

the regulated secondary market to social media. READ MORE SMART MOTORWAYS COULD BE SCRAPPED FROM ENGLAND ENTIRELY This would mean consumers being hit in the pocket to the tune of £280

million a year – with £100 million of that falling in the peak summer months alone. Article continues below Dr Nicola Harding, CEO of We Fight Fraud, a specialist unit made up of ex-police,

intelligence officers, cyber experts, and financial crime investigators, said: “Capping resale prices may sound fan-friendly - but in practice, it pushes buyers into unregulated, risky

spaces where criminals operate freely. We’ve tested this market. We’ve seen what happens. Price caps don’t stop fraud - they multiply it and we could see live event fans defrauded to the

tune of £100 million this summer.” “These aren’t opportunistic chancers,” said Harding. “They’re organised criminal networks exploiting fans who’ve been shut out of safe, legitimate resale

routes. “The more you limit legitimate access, the more you push desperate fans into the shadows - and that’s exactly where scammers lie in wait.” "We know that highly anticipated

events, like concerts and sports matches, can become a target for unscrupulous criminals preying on enthusiastic fans,” said Dave Eborne, Head of Fraud Operations at Revolut. Article

continues below “Especially with sought-after tickets, fraudsters leverage both the fear of missing out on a unique opportunity and a sense of urgency due to scarcity and high demand. The

idea that a potential ticket could disappear quickly encourages people to act fast without thinking – but it’s vital that consumers look for tell-tale warning signs before handing over their

hard-earned cash. "As Dr. Harding’s research shows, banning or capping resale doesn't stop these scams; it simply provides another platform for them to thrive, costing fans and

the wider economy through increased fraud. Smart, transparent regulation of the resale market, and robust consumer education on the warning signs of ticket scams, are the only real solutions

to protect fans."