Music festival fans warned of fake tickets sold online

Music festival fans are warned today of websites selling fake tickets to the summer's top music events.

Police say organised gangs are becoming increasingly sophisticated in targeting people who buy tickets online.

A new survey has found that one in 10 ticket buyers has been caught up in a scam.

Detectives say cyber criminals are now employing unsuspecting but professional web designers to make the sites appear genuine.

They are also paying for search advertising so the sites appear at the top of Google search results.

Detective Inspector James Clancy, of the City of London Police economic crime unit, said: "We have come across websites which are very close copies of the real thing and we are also seeing very professional websites which appear genuine.

"These are organised crime groups, mainly based in the UK, who are very clever at targeting consumers. They often target events that are sold out."

In one recent fraud nearly 1,000 Take That fans lost money after buying expensive tickets to see Robbie Williams re-join the band on tour.

City police launched an investigation into a firm called Ticket Index and arrested director David Spanton. He is on bail pending further inquiries.

Tony Neate, the managing director of campaign group Get Safe Online, which carried out the survey, said: "Intelligence from law enforcement and industry indicates that as many as half of the websites that sell tickets for summer festivals are bogus.

Online ticketing fraud is estimated to cost £168 million in the UK each year, with half a million victims losing on average £80 each.