Rugby fans around the world are being urged to take care when purchasing tickets for Rugby World Cup 2011 as a result of a number of fraudulent and deceptive websites claiming to offer tournament tickets.

The Commerce Commission is working in close collaboration with members of the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) and Rugby World Cup Limited to combat such scams and alert fans.

Rugby World Cup Limited Managing Director Mike Miller has welcomed action by the global network to crack down on fraudsters.

"We really appreciate the initiative of ICPEN in helping protect consumers from fraudulent and deceptive sales of Rugby World Cup 2011 tickets. We all have the common aim of protecting fans from around the world who simply want to enjoy rugby's showcase event," says Mr Miller.

Commerce Commission Enforcement Branch Manager Greg Allan says that big events such as the Rugby World Cup are irresistible to rip-off merchants and the global nature of the internet makes it easy for fraudsters to target consumers across borders.

"This makes international cooperation critical to identify these sites, warn consumers, and close down scam activity where possible," said Mr Allan.

Consumers are being advised to be on the alert for fake ticketing websites that may fraudulently use official Rugby World Cup logos and images, and email scams that may falsely claim to be a part of a Rugby World Cup 2011 lottery, prize draw or competition, particularly where they ask for additional payments or personal information to secure tickets.

"Many of these scammers have sophisticated sites and systems in place and trick consumers into believing that they are dealing with authorised ticket sellers. The worst case scenario here is that people travel all the way to New Zealand to discover their tickets aren't valid for any of the tournament matches," said Mr Allan.

Fans should be aware that the official Rugby World Cup 2011 ticketing website is rugbyworldcup.com. Details of the tournament's official travel and hospitality programme is available at rth2011.com.

Background

 

Rugby World Cup 2011 tickets

When purchasing tickets or ticket-inclusive packages fans should be aware of the following official ticket sales channels:

  • Individual tickets can only be purchased from Rugby New Zealand 2011 Limited (the tournament organisers). See www.rugbyworldcup.com/tickets for details.
  • Official travel packages (including match tickets) can be purchased from one of the appointed Official Travel Agents, details of which are available at www.rth2011.com
  • Official hospitality packages (including match tickets) can be purchased from one of the appointed Official Corporate Hospitality Agents, details of which are available at www.rth2011.com
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    • Be aware of how and when tickets for the event are being distributed by checking with the event organiser, promoter or venue where the event will be held.
    • Check the terms and conditions for collecting tickets to ensure it uses the official Rugby World Cup 2011 collection process.
    • Be aware that the official logo and trademarks (or their look-a-likes) of the event can be used to lure customers into thinking the site is official and they are an authorised seller.
    • Be wary of sites that say they 'guarantee' tickets.
    • What are others saying about the website? Search the internet to find out what other people's experiences have been.
    • Always print out a copy of your order and a copy of the acknowledgement you should receive when you place your order.
    • Fraud Prevention Month - a month long education campaign that aims to inform consumers about fraud and raise awareness of scams through a series of events and activities. Participants tailor the international umbrella theme to suit their priorities and domestic consumer issues.
    • International ICPEN Internet Sweeps - an annual enforcement initiative introduced in 1997 to improve consumer confidence in e-commerce by demonstrating a law enforcement presence online. Consumer agencies participate by sweeping the internet during a specific week to target fraudulent, deceptive and misleading conduct emerging on the internet, spam, mobile phones and other forms of electronic communication.
    • Econsumer.gov - Consumers who believe they have been a victim of deceptive practices on the Internet can register their complaint at www.econsumer.gov, the ICPEN's global online complaint mechanism which is available in seven languages.

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    Supporters purchasing tickets or ticket-inclusive packages from unofficial sources run the risk of tickets not arriving, receiving counterfeit tickets or having their tickets cancelled (and being refused entry to or evicted from match venues).  

     

    Tips for consumers when buying tickets for RWC 2011 or any major event

    When looking to purchase tickets online:

     

    ICPEN

    The International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) is an informal network of consumer protection law enforcement authorities from over 40 economies.

     

    ICPEN provides a forum where authorities can cooperatively share information and look to combat consumer problems which arise with cross border transactions in goods and services, such as e-commerce fraud and international scams.

     

    Mission

    The mandate of the Network is to encourage practical action to prevent cross-border marketing malpractice. The Network aims to share information about cross-border commercial activities that may affect consumer interests and encourage international cooperation among law enforcement agencies.

     

    Key Activities

     

    ICPEN Membership

    Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, EFTA Secretariat, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, OECD Secretariat, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States of America.