FIFA has warned fans that genuine 2010 World Cup tickets can only be purchased from legitimate sources. Fans wishing to purchase last minute tickets to the World Cup are advised to:
- only purchase World Cup tickets from the FIFA website
- not purchase tickets from unauthorised sources
- use participating tour operators listed on FIFA’s website when purchasing tickets as part of a travel package.
FIFA has also warned consumers to be wary of emails or text messages claiming recipients have won tickets in a prize draw with a payment required to ‘secure’ the ticket.
Fans can only purchase legitimate tickets from official sources. If you have any doubts about the legitimacy of your tickets, contact FIFA at enquiries@2010fwctc.com.
Ticket scams
Ticket scams emerge around popular music and sporting events; and the World Cup tournament in South Africa is no different. These include fraudulent travel packages, individuals trying to sell tickets they don’t possess and bogus websites or emails claiming to sell tickets. Scammers will go to great lengths to convince you that their website is legitimate; often the website will look professional and use similar web addresses to genuine websites.
Protect Yourself
- How did the website obtain the tickets to sell? Check with the event coordinator’s official website or local representative to find out when tickets are being released for sale and when the tickets will be sent out.
- What are others saying about the website? Search the internet to find out what other people's experiences have been. If the website is written in another language, use the translation function (if it is provided) so that you can understand the content.
- How can you contact the company? Check that the address provided is genuine by contacting the building operator or other neighbouring businesses. You should also check that it has a working landline phone number obtained from an independent source.
- Can they provide ticket details? Ensure that the face value of the tickets and the seat location/festival area are clearly listed.
- Do they provide refunds? Make sure there is a refund policy in case something goes wrong.
Report
You can report this matter via the report a scam page on the SCAMwatch website.
More information
Explore SCAMwatch to find out more about scams that commonly target Australians and find out ways to protect yourself.
