Shared Regulatory Services Helps WRU Tackle Ticket Touts

Shared Regulatory Services (SRS) is continuing to work with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) to urge supporters to be wary of fraudulent 6 Nations tickets. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Residents in the Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend and Cardiff who bought tickets for Saturday’s match against England, as well as those still looking for tickets for Wales versus Ireland, have been advised to always ‘buy official’. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

‘Sold-out’ means that the WRU have no more match tickets available to sell, but there may still be a number of official routes (with limited availability) into Principality Stadium via WRU clubs, WRU hospitality and the WRU’s partners Events International, Gullivers Sports Travel and Seatwave. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Nevertheless, high-demand matches bring an increased chance of supporters being sold fraudulent or void tickets if they buy from unofficial sources – running the risk of not being able to actually enter the Stadium and watch the match. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

WRU Group head of sales and marketing, Craig Maxwell, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The potential for supporters to invest large sums of money in a dream day out at Principality Stadium, and to be left disappointed, is only increased by the size of the occasion, and both the England and Ireland matches this year have been in particularly high demand.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are imploring supporters to make sure they ‘buy official’, as this is the only way the WRU can guarantee, not only that they have the very best spectator experience possible, but, fundamentally, that their ticket is real and they will be allowed into the stadium. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We do everything we can on a match-day to help supporters who have been ripped off, but when a game is sold-out, if you turn up with an invalid ticket, there is very little that can be done at that stage.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Trading Standards team within SRS, which covers Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend, is all too familiar with scams of this nature, and also wishes to draw residents’ attention to fraudulent tickets. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Dave Holland, Head of Shared Regulatory Services, offers the following advice: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We often receive complaints about match tickets failing to arrive or not working on the day of the event. Online ticket fraud is now big business, with rogue traders operating here in the UK and abroad. Consumers need to be aware that if they spend tens, hundreds or even thousands of pounds on tickets from an unsubstantiated source, then they risk missing a match, but more importantly, never seeing their money again. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Whilst we can and will investigate fraudulent business practices, we have no jurisdiction over websites based outside the UK. If consumers decide to buy from an online source, we strongly urge you to use a credit card as a form of payment, as this provides additional protection to you if you spend £100 or more. From our perspective, this applies to all sporting events, as well as music festivals, concerts and the like. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It is easy for scammers to set up a fake website that looks genuine. Some will use a name or website address that is very similar to a legitimate website. If you’re unsure or it sounds too good to be true, leave the website and don’t provide your payment details, as you may also be at risk of identity fraud.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​