Thursday 27 November 2008

Five Arrested for Online Ticket Scam

Five people have been arrested by police in London for allegedly taking part in online ticket scams by Xclusive Tickets Ltd and Xclusive Leisure and Hospitality Ltd.
It is alleged that they took payment from people who were led to believe they had purchased tickets from their website for events such as UK music festivals and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games but failed to supply any tickets.

According to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) over 4,000 fans were allegedly scammed.
On Tuesday night (November 25) the Metropolitan Police and the Serious Fraud Office raided three homes and a business, arresting four men and a woman in relation to the alleged crimes.

The five people arrested, all between the ages of 41 and 54 were released on bail after questioning, reports BBC 6music.

The SFO claim that an unauthorised website was set up in July, called bejingticketing.com, by a company called Xclusive Leisure and Hospitality Ltd, but was later closed down by the Olympic authorities. In August the company was placed into liquidation and according to the SFO, linked companies received payment for more than 4,000 tickets that never reached those paying customers. An investigation was started after members of the public in more than 60 countries complained that they had purchased tickets, but in return, received no tickets or refunds.

The Serious Fraud Office is appealing to those affected to get in touch.

This includes people that purchased tickets for the Beijing Olympics, who were most affected, as well as music fans who bought tickets for Reading and Leeds from Xclusive Tickets Ltd, but subsequently did not receive them.

If you have been affected contact the SFO at Sfo.gov.uk

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