The disappointing number of empty seats at supposedly sold-out matches at football’s 2010 World Cup has left organisers and observers scratching their heads. Reasons put forward range from unutilised corporate allocations to the shady influence of ticket scalpers.
While there is little Fifa could have done about the former, the organisation will, no doubt, be lamenting the apparent failure of the stringent measures it has instituted against the latter.
Countless websites offering tickets for games have sprung up and initial indications are that the trade, despite the exorbitant prices and possible legal censure, is brisk.
Ironically, there have also been reports of ticket touts operating outside official ticketing centres!
Comments Symantec’s Con Mallon: “We’ve been warning about this possibility for some time and the dangers to football fans are particularly acute in cyberspace.
“The options open to the criminals are varied; they can set up false websites, buy and re-sell tickets from Fifa and even counterfeit official websites.”
Mallon advises fans to exercise caution when looking at purchasing tickets on the web. ”Always check that you are surfing to the correct URL or web address,” he says. “Also, when transacting online, make sure that the website is clearly designated as secure.”
Sure signs of secure websites include ‘https’ in the URL, browser bars that glow “green” and the ubiquitous padlock in the right hand corner of the webpage.
Adds Mallon: “Fans should not be tempted by unsolicited e-mails offering tickets. Do your research and follow the legitimate channels to avoid disappointment,” he says.
Fans would also be well advised to heed Fifa’s warning that tickets may only be resold through Ticket Transfer Platform, the organisation’s own website. Ticket holders can apply to resell their tickets up until three days before the actual match.
For more information check out Fifa’s Ticket Transfer Policy.