To be forewarned is to be forearmed, hence the police are warning the public to steer clear of some recent bogus advertisements that have appeared in national and international media advertising tickets for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Such advertisements just feature a mobile phone number or email address to contact for more information.
Detective Superintendent Nick Downing from Operation Podium said; " Please do not attempt to buy tickets from adverts such as these as you risk paying over the odds for tickets that may not exist and your personal details may be stolen and used in other crimes. The safest way to buy tickets for the Olympic and Paralympic Games is from the London 2012 website. On this site you will find the most up to date information about tickets, future Olympic and Paralympic Games ticket sales and the London 2012 website checker."
The police are asking those who have tried to buy a tickets in this way to contact Operation Podium at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The spokesperson for the police has warned that it is illegal to advertise or sell an Olympic or Paralympic Games ticket without the appropriate authorisation from the event organisers LOCOG and carries a fine of up to £20,000 for each offence.
Operation Podium is the Met's dedicated team to tackle serious and organised economic crime against the Games and is working to disrupt those serious and organised criminals looking to target the Games