One in two Brits has fallen victim to event ticket scams, new study shows

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM; 11 AUGUST 2025 - 50% of people in the UK have been scammed trying to buy tickets online for an event, losing on average £100 each, new research has found. Three in four people (75%) have also seen what they believe to be online scams selling tickets to sporting events and concerts.

The study on football scams and in-stadium Wi-Fi found that 43% of people considered e-tickets more secure than their physical counterparts. That’s despite recent high-profile cases of event-goers having their online tickets hacked and stolen.

Undertaken by leading consumer privacy and security companies ExpressVPN, the survey quizzed 1,500 Brits who have attended an event in the past 12 months on their experiences connecting to in-stadium Wi-Fi.

While most people (80%) are aware of the dangers of connecting to public Wi-Fi networks, many are still taking risks with their personal information. Over a quarter (27%) have downloaded sensitive information (work documents, bank statements) when connected to in-stadium Wi-Fi, while 61% have used their banking app when connected.

Cyber criminals are known to target public Wi-Fi networks as they are often unsecured. The men’s England football team was famously banned from using public Wi-Fi systems during the 2018 World Cup over hacking fears.

Despite 60% of people believing their personal information is safe when connecting to public Wi-Fi systems in stadiums, more than a quarter (26%) don’t take extra precautions to keep their information secure.

The survey also showed the potential reputational and financial knock-on effects for event organisers and sports clubs offering unsecured Wi-Fi connections. 39% of people would think twice about going to a stadium or venue because of data and privacy concerns, while 60% believe sports clubs and event organisers should add extra precautions to their public Wi-Fi systems.

Getting scammed trying to buy tickets (59%) was voted the thing most likely to ruin the matchday experience - more so than watching their team lose (58%) and becoming a victim of a data breach/hack (48%).

Speaking on the results, Zac Eller, GM of Global Partnerships at ExpressVPN, said: “As fans look to stay on top of other match results or share their experiences on social media, in-stadium Wi-Fi has become a given. Wireless network systems must be built with security top of mind, as event-goers deserve to stay connected without putting their data at risk. 

“Increasing awareness of the potential risks associated with both phishing attacks and ticket scams ahead of big events; and those associated with the use of unsecured public Wi-Fi and other on-the-day cybercrime, is also key to helping protect fans and event-goers. Knowing the tell-tale signs of a phishing email, avoiding unofficial ticket resale platforms, and using a VPN to protect your online experience at home and on public networks all help reduce avoidable instances of ticket scams and hacking.

“By highlighting these potential issues, we hope to reduce the risks and allow event organisers to focus on delivering high-quality experiences.”

ExpressVPN has been the Digital Privacy Partner of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club since November 2024. Through this partnership, ExpressVPN and Tottenham Hotspur are continuing to work together to help raise awareness of digital privacy amongst sports fans, including initiatives to make the matchday digital experience safer; whether that’s at home, in the stadium, or on the move. The partnership’s ambassador program aims to educate fans and the wider public about the importance of digital privacy, the risks associated with public Wi-Fi, and how to stay safe online.

ENDS

Summary of key findings:

• 50% of people have been scammed trying to buy tickets online for an event (Q2), losing on average £100 each (Q3)
• 75% of people have seen what they believe to be online scams selling tickets to sporting events and concerts (Q1)
• 43% of people consider e-tickets to be more secure than their physical counterparts (Q4)
• A whopping 96% of people think social media has contributed to an increase in event-related scams (Q6)
• 83% of people have used free public Wi-Fi at stadiums/venues, 36% on a regular basis (Q7)
• The main reasons people connect to in-stadium Wi-Fi are to share experiences on social media (55%) and to keep updated with other sports scores (48%) (Q8)
• Over a quarter (27%) of people have downloaded sensitive information (e.g. work documents, bank statements) while connected to in-stadium Wi-Fi (Q9)
• 61% have used a banking app when connected to public Wi-Fi at an event, 25% on a regular basis (Q10)
• 26% of people don’t take any extra precautions (e.g. VPN, avoid accessing sensitive information) when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks (Q11)
• Just 60% of people believe their personal information is safe when connecting to public Wi-Fi systems (Q12)
• Four out of five people (80%) are aware of the risks of using unsecure public Wi-Fi network at sporting events/concerts (Q13)
• More than half (52%) have received suspicious emails or messages after attending a stadium event or sports match (Q14)
• Three-quarters (75%) would be willing to pay a small fee in order to guarantee a more secure Wi-Fi connection at events (Q15)
• 39% would think twice about going to a stadium/venue because of data and privacy concerns (Q16)
• 45% would be more unlikely to return to their favourite venue if they became a victim of cybercrime (Q18)
• 60% believe sports clubs and event organisers should add extra precautions to their public Wi-Fi systems (Q19)
• Getting scammed trying to buy tickets (59%) was voted the thing most likely to ruin the matchday experience, more so than watching your team lose (58%) - becoming a victim of a data breach/hack was third at 48% (Q20)

About ExpressVPN

Since 2009, ExpressVPN has empowered millions of users to take control of their internet experience. The company's award-winning consumer VPN service is backed by its open-source VPN protocol, Lightway, delivering user privacy in just a few clicks. ExpressVPN’s Keys password manager, Aircove router range, and Identity Defender tools make digital privacy and security easy and accessible for all. ExpressVPN's products have been extensively vetted by third-party experts, including PwC, Cure53, KPMG, and others.

Registered in the British Virgin Islands, ExpressVPN has been part of Kape Technologies since 2021. To learn more about ExpressVPN’s industry-leading privacy and security solutions, visit www.expressvpn.com.

Please contact the ExpressVPN press team for more details or any questions: press@expressvpn.com