Rugby Fans Urged Not to Buy RWC 2015 Tickets from Unofficial Sources

With record demand for Rugby World Cup 2015 tickets, fans are being urged to only purchase tickets from the four available official options to guarantee a place at rugby’s showcase event.

Tournament owners Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) and tournament organisers England Rugby 2015, are warning fans that they risk being misled or let down if they purchase tickets, supporter tours, hospitality and merchandise from unauthorised sources.

Following the September sales phase, 300,000 tickets are still available and tickets go on sale from 24 November 2014 with priority access given to applicants who were previously unsuccessful. The remaining tickets will then go on general sale on a first come first served basis on 28 November 2014.

If any fan is concerned about the source of their tickets, they can access a dedicated official checker that will enable them to verify whether their Rugby World Cup 2015 tickets, supporter tours or hospitality source are official, a first for Rugby World Cup. This useful tool is accompanied by an official guide that provides advice on what to look for when buying RWC 2015 merchandise and also includes a list of official sources.

England Rugby 2015 Chief Executive, Debbie Jevans, said, "We were thrilled with the number of applications during the September sale, which saw record demand for Rugby World Cup tickets. With such a high demand there is inevitably going to be disappointment for fans but we urge them not to buy tickets from unofficial sources in order to avoid further disappointment. 300,000 tickets are still available for some great games so there is still plenty of opportunity to be at Rugby World Cup 2015."

City of London Police Commander Steve Head, Police National Coordinator for Economic Crime, said: "Rugby World Cup is a massive event which will be followed by millions of people across the UK and around the world. However, fraudsters will also be eyeing up this tournament as an opportunity to make a lot of money through sophisticated and very convincing online ticketing scams. The City of London Police, which is the National Policing Lead for Fraud, continues to work in partnership with Rugby World Cup Limited and England Rugby 2015 to make all rugby fans aware of this danger. Together we are urging people who want to attend a Rugby World Cup match to only buy from official outlets and to check the official Rugby World Cup 2015 website if they are unsure about a provider’s credibility. Doing this will keep the ticketing fraudsters at bay and ensure Rugby fans get to enjoy what should be a truly great sporting occasion."