Season Ticket Transfer Scam on Facebook Groups
Team and stadium fan Facebook Groups are a common venue for season-ticket-holder scams, where a poster claims to be transferring unused seats but disappears once payment is sent.
Part of: Season Ticket Transfer Scam
Last reviewed: 5 July 2026
Dedicated fan Facebook Groups for a team or stadium build a strong sense of community, and members often assume that anyone active in the group must be a genuine fellow supporter. Season ticket transfer scammers exploit exactly that assumption, posting as an existing season-ticket holder who can't make several upcoming games and wants to pass seats to 'a fellow fan.'
Because these groups are usually moderated loosely and membership can be approved with minimal vetting, a scammer can join, post, collect payment, and leave the group long before members realize the 'transfer' never happened.
How this scam works on Facebook Groups
A post in the group describes a specific, believable scenario — relocating for work, a family conflict with game dates — and offers a partial-season ticket transfer at a discount, often including a photo of a season ticket card or app screen as proof. Interested members are asked to message privately, where the seller requests payment before completing any transfer, citing the team's 'transfer window' as a reason payment must happen first.
Because official season-ticket transfer systems typically require the seller to initiate a transfer to a specific name or account that the club then confirms, a scammer who has already collected payment can simply never complete that step, or complete a transfer for only one game before going silent, leaving the buyer with no recourse in a group with no purchase protection.
Common red flags
- Seller is a group member you don't personally know, offering a discounted multi-game season ticket transfer
- Proof consists of a photo or screenshot rather than a completed transfer inside the team's official system
- Request for payment before any transfer is initiated through the club's actual season-ticket portal
- Story includes urgency, such as a transfer deadline the buyer must beat
- Seller is unwilling to have the club or venue verify the transfer directly with the buyer
- Group admins have not vetted or vouched for the seller's season-ticket-holder status
How to protect yourself
- Ask the seller to initiate the season-ticket transfer through the club's official portal before sending any payment
- Contact the team or venue's box office directly to confirm the seat and season-ticket account details match what the seller describes
- Be wary of any group post offering a season-ticket transfer at a steep discount, especially for high-demand seats
- Check whether the Facebook Group is officially affiliated with or monitored by the club
- Keep all communication and payment records in writing in case a dispute arises
- Consider using the club's own official resale or transfer marketplace instead of a private group deal
How to report it
- Report the post and the seller's profile to the Facebook Group's admins and through Facebook's own reporting tool
- Report the incident to the team or venue's box office so they can flag the account if it's tied to a real season-ticket holder
- File a complaint with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov (US) or Action Fraud (UK)
- Dispute the payment with your bank or card issuer if funds were sent electronically
Frequently asked questions
Can I verify a season ticket transfer before paying?
Yes, most clubs allow you to contact the box office directly to confirm a seat and season-ticket account are legitimate, and the safest approach is to have the seller complete the transfer through the official portal before you pay.
Are Facebook fan groups moderated enough to prevent this?
Moderation varies widely and most groups cannot verify a poster's actual season-ticket ownership, so membership in a group should never be treated as proof of legitimacy.
What if the seller only transfers one game and then stops responding?
Document the partial transfer and all communication, then report the seller to the group admins, Facebook, and the club's box office, and dispute any remaining payment with your bank if possible.