Warning over fake Rugby World Cup tickets

Fans seeking tickets for the Rugby World Cup 2015 should 'buy official' to avoid being duped by counterfeiters.

The Rugby World Cup 2015 kicks off on September 18 and eager supporters who have yet to secure official tickets are being strongly urged by National Trading Standards to use the Official Checker system at www.rugbyworldcup.com/buyofficial

The international campaign advises fans on what to look out for when buying online Rugby World Cup 2015 tickets to avoid disappointment at the turnstiles.

Fans are being urged to consider the following questions very carefully to avoid "financial loss and last-minute disappointment," says NTS:

• Who? Who are you buying from? Is this person likely to have Rugby World Cup 2015 tickets to sell? Some unauthorised sellers may not have tickets to sell. To check whether a company or a certain website is an official Rugby World Cup 2015 channel and has therefore been allocated tickets and authorised to sell them to the public, see the Official Checker list of agents.
  
  
• When? When will you get the ticket? Contact the seller to confirm that they actually have the ticket to supply to you, and confirm you will get it in good time before the event. Some unauthorised websites will take your money, and try subsequently to get you a ticket – but may not guarantee to supply. To eliminate risk, buy from the official channels. More information is available at www.rugbyworldcup.com/ticketing.
  
  
• What? What are you actually getting? Does the ticket have restrictions – for example on age?
  
  
• Where? Where will you be sitting? If you are buying several tickets, will all seats be located together?
  
  
• How much? How much will you be paying? Some sites charge delivery or administration fees, so the first price you see may not be the one you end up paying. How much is the face value of the ticket? When tickets are resold through unofficial channels, unauthorised sellers might charge a price that is different to that printed on the ticket. If the charges do seem high, it is a good indication that the tickets are being sold through unofficial channels, so check the Official Checker.
  
  
• What if? What happens if something goes wrong? For example, will you get your money back if the ticket doesn’t arrive? Make sure you understand what you are covered for if something goes wrong.

NTS' Mike Andrews said following this advice could help "avoid bitter and costly disappointment at the turnstiles."

The campaign sees the NTS eCrime Team join forces with Rugby World Cup Ltd, England Rugby 2015, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), and the City of London Police's National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB).


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