Revolut is warning of a rise in ticket scams in relation to rugby matches, saying it recorded a third more ticket scam victims among its customers in Ireland during the last two weeks of February.
The fintech bank said it identified such scams have been most prevalent on social media platforms such as X, Facebook and WhatsApp, with consumers aged between 25-34 being the most vulnerable potential victims.
The fintech bank has issued a warning to customers ahead of Ireland’s Six Nations match against France this weekend.
According to Revolut, some of the most common tactics identified as being used by scammers include saying they cannot meet in person and preferring to make deals online, using unofficial sites or social media marketplaces where there are fewer verifications, and selling fake match tickets at very good prices, attempting to lure victims into transferring money quickly to avoid missing out.
The bank, which has three million customers in Ireland, also said some scammers are sending victims screenshots of legitimate looking digital tickets to build confidence, that but these are often fake and fraudsters have nothing to transfer.
Consumers are advised to make purchases solely through legitimate platforms.
General Manager at Revolut Ireland Malcolm Craig said: “We know how important the Six Nations is to so many of our customers across all of the competing nations but none more so than Ireland, where Irish rugby fans are so anxious to support their team.
“Sadly, fraudsters capitalise on the scarcity and demand for these events, particularly ahead of Championship-defining matches such as this weekend’s.
“We urge customers not to panic-buy or fall for offers that are too good to be true. The security of our customers’ money is our absolute priority and we firmly advise people to only purchase tickets from trusted ticketing platforms that offer clear protections against fraudulent sellers.”
In 2023, Revolut said it prevented over €550m in potential fraud against its customers.
