HSBC and Lloyds urge Brits to keep receipts as 1 type of scam rising | Personal Finance | Finance
Britain’s leading banks have issued a warning to Brits following a surge in brutal fraud. Scammers are constantly finding new and creative ways to scam hard-working Brits out of their money, and one of the most common scams of modern times involves exploiting dedicated and desperate football and music fans. HSBCs latest fraud alert It involves ticket fraud, in which they say “thousands of music, sports and other fans are tricked each year into purchasing fake or non-existent tickets.”
Lloyds Bank announced 2025 research He said football fans lost a staggering £2.5 million after falling victim to ticket fraud, with the average loss coming in at around £218 each time. Some big shows and sporting events are on the horizon in 2026, so experts have issued new warnings that consumers should pay attention to. “If you buy from unofficial sources, you may become a victim of fraud,” warns HSBC.
HSBC said most cases involved a person pretending to be a ticket seller on social media. Backing up this claim, research from Lloyds Bank found that three quarters of recorded ticket frauds were caused by this method.
HSBC has urged sports and music fans to follow certain steps when purchasing tickets to any major event. For example, they should obtain and keep a receipt until the incident occurs.
HSBC is urging event ticket hopefuls to:
- Only purchase tickets at the venue’s box office or from official retailers (such as Ticketmaster).
- Do not click on social media, text or email links or attachments offering tickets. They may link to scam or malware sites
- Avoid paying for tickets via bank transfer
- Check sellers’ privacy and returns policies
- Keep receipts until the event occurs
When it comes to football matches, Lloyds found that the fans most likely to be caught by ticket fraud are Liverpool fans. Meanwhile, the most common victims were people aged 25-34.
“If you are offered tickets for a match that is in high demand, do not let the fear of missing out make you rush. Take a moment, think and check whether the offer is real,” the bank advises customers.
Meanwhile, HSBC notes that only criminals will rush or panic. This will be a warning sign to look out for when purchasing a ticket.
