TICKET fraudsters have tricked victims in Dorset out of thousands of pounds with people urged to be vigilant of scammers.

In the past year, 120 reports of ticket fraud have been made across the south west, with losses totalling £81,100.

A total of 19 of these reports were made to Dorset Police, which saw victims lose £10,700 according to the NFIB Fraud and Cyber Crime Dashboard.

Dorset Police has issued a statement on social media warning people to be vigilant when booking tickets: “Criminals are sophisticated and will take advantage of those looking to buy tickets to music and sporting events this summer. Always take a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information.”

Figures from the national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime reveal almost £1 million has been lost to ticket fraud so far this year.

So far in 2021, 1,085 reports of ticket fraud have been made equating to an average loss of £850 per victim.

Almost two thirds of victims (61 per cent) were aged between 20 to 49 years old (Action Fraud).

David Sidwick, Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Be aware that sophisticated criminals are out there trying to fool people into parting with their money.

“Please, be cautious and learn how to spot the tricks that ticket fraudsters use to sell fake or non-existent tickets to events.”

Bournemouth Echo: The Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, David Sidwick Picture: Finnbarr Webster

Advice for protecting yourself against ticket scams, includes the following (Action Fraud):

• Only buy tickets from the venue’s box office, official promoter or agent, or a well-known and reputable ticket site.

• Avoid paying for tickets by bank transfer, especially if buying from someone unknown. Credit card or payment services such as PayPal give you a better chance of recovering your money if you become a victim of fraud.

• Be wary of unsolicited emails, texts or adverts offering unbelievably good deals on tickets. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

• Is the vendor a member of STAR? If they are, the company has signed up to their strict governing standards. STAR also offers an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution service to help customers with outstanding complaints.

Action Fraud also want to remind people that all tickets for UEFA EURO 2020 are issued by UEFA and are subject to strict terms and conditions which prevent their unauthorised resale and transfer.

UEFA encourages fans not to be duped by touts who demand exorbitant prices despite often not being in possession of the tickets they claim to have for sale.