Liverpool release statement over ticket touting as 100,000 accounts shut down
Liverpool's attempts to crack down on ticket touting saw them close around 100,000 social media accounts while handing over 75 lifetime bans last season.
The club's zero tolerance policy on all forms of ticketing touts led to them taking decisive action to deactivate a huge number of accounts linked to what they say was "suspicious online activity" or identified as bots. A further 5,670 accounts are currently under review by the club for suspicious activity, while 136 indefinite suspensions were also handed out across the 23/24 campaign.
Liverpool have confirmed the vast majority of the lifetime bans and suspensions were handed down for unauthorised selling of season tickets, memberships or hospitality tickets that were in breach of terms and conditions and the club have continued to increase awareness around such issues to help supporters avoid falling into the pitfalls of online ticket touting.
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Liverpool say in a statement: "This season the club has continued to increase its investment in anti-touting measures, including developing greater online protection, delivering more boots-on-the-ground operations, and dedicating more internal resources to take action.
"Supporters are reminded not to buy tickets from unofficial online channels or from unofficial sellers, as there has been an increase in the number of fans being defrauded, particularly online."
In May 2022, Liverpool urged more than 50 social media companies to close the accounts of those actively involved in selling tickets for the Champions League final against Real Madrid after identifying 13 supporters who had offered their tickets for the Paris showpiece for sale online. Reds fans received fewer than 20,000 for the Stade de France clash, meaning prices skyrocketed on the black market.
In July of this year, a man was issued with three-year football banning order after an investigation by Merseyside Police on ticket-tout offences relating to Everton fixtures. Lester Woodard, of Baldock, Hertfordshire, was also fined £400 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £160 victim surcharge.
The dedicated page on the club's official website to stopping the illegal touting of tickets says: "Liverpool FC is committed to tackling ticket touting, and those individuals that fraudulently harvest tickets/memberships to sell at vastly inflated prices. Liverpool FC have a dedicated team that investigate both online and offline illegal ticket sales and use a range of tactics and enforcement measures that help to combat ticket touting.
"Any individuals that are found to have offered their ticket for sale will be subject to an internal investigation and sanction process and a range of sanctions are available to Liverpool FC including a life ban from purchasing tickets to Liverpool FC matches. In some cases, the matter will be reported to the Police for criminal prosecution."