
Scammed? Were these fans ripped off by illegal ticket touts and their 'membership loan' scheme?
A scheme to sell illegal tickets to matches at Arsenal's home ground has been exposed in the run-up to tonight's Champions League quarter-final first leg with Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium. According to reports in the Evening Standard, touts have discovered a way to circumvent Arsenal's membership card system which was designed to prevent the lucrative but illegal re-selling of match tickets.
The report says membership cards have been available for "loan" from a booth near to Piccadilly Circus in Central London. Fans interested in going to tonight's sold-out game are being asked to pay £225 - a mark-up of almost £180 on the cheapest tickets - plus a £50 deposit to ensure they return the card the next day.
The ruse works because each "fan" who becomes a member of Arsenal Football Club is issued with a swipe card, onto which they are able to "load" games if they are successful in applying for a ticket a match at the permanently sold-out stadium.
With each successful application Arsenal email the member the location of the seat, without ever sending out a paper ticket and the fans are then able to swipe their cards at the turnstile to the Emirates Stadium to gain access to their spot in the stands.
So a tout is able to pose as a "fan" and pass on the card and the relevant seating information to somebody who actually wants to attend the match in question. A tout told the Standard reporter that nothing could be easier, despite the fact he was issuing a woman's membership card, with her name, to a man: "That's all fine. All you have to do is swipe the card on a box outside the turnstile.
"There will be no questions and Arsenal don't suspect a thing. Don't worry, just tell them you've had a sex change. "But honestly they won't stop you and if they do, tell them it is your girlfriend's membership card and she can't make it."
Instructions on the Arsenal website confirm the lack of checks in place at the venue to ensure the correct person is using the card, although it does suggest bringing the above confirmation email "which will detail the Quadrant, Turnstile Area, Block Row and Seat, that you have purchased for a particular match".
The tout said that the scheme benefits everyone as he claimed he would pass on some of the money to the card's real owner who is a real football fan.
Hi,
We, Chan Ah Fatt and Ronnie Chow are affiliate agents for the biggest and strongest Sports Book in Asia (viz SBOBET and IBCBET). Via their two Sports Book, you will never be short of opportunity to make Tax Free Money as they offer all Odds and Live Betting of all Sporting Events including Financial Market Betting,
We are currently running a promotion till 30th June, 2008.
1. The promotions are 1st 500 new players who sign up with us will be given free $500 betting credit (can not be withdrawn), but surplus that is balance above $500 is considered your winnings and can be withdrawn on request.
You can open you account in whatever currency and we are currenly the most Popular Agent for SBOBET and IBCBET in Europe with customer exceeding 300 and daily turnover exceeding $500,000.00
If you are interested, we can be contacted via the following Phone Numbers:-
1. Chan Ah Fatt
Singapore - +6590760616, 0282099861
Malaysia - +60143878815, +60143878715, +60167225522
2. Ronnie Chow
Singapore - +6594568668
For more details including settlement, please call us at the above numbers.
We are also affiliate agents for Citibet, V3 and Aastar where you can bet on Horse Racing in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau, Australia and South Africa.
We welcome enquiries to act as our agent as well.
To assist our Players to beat the bookies, we are usually at our Private Chatrooms located at Sorcery.net (Sex-KT and Soccermamaks) and Galaxy.net (Asianbookie)
Our nick at Sorcery.net is Peanut, Fattkor, Phonnix, Cheers
To join us at our chatroom, you are required to download Mirc Software and this can be obtained here:- www.sorcery.net
The most accurate tips are given to our visitors to make sure they win money as a second income.
See you soon or at our Chat Room.