East Midlands ticket fraud reports rise by 43%
As Oasis have recently announced their seismic reunion tour, research conducted by Lucia has revealed a shocking rise in ticket fraud reports.
A Freedom of Information request sent by Lucia to Action Fraud revealed that ticket fraud reports have risen by 43% in the East Midlands from 2021 to 2023.
Northamptonshire Police saw the biggest surge in ticket fraud reports (90%), although it was the only county that actually saw a decrease between 2022 and 2023. Leicestershire Police came second (44%), and Nottinghamshire Police closely followed in third (43%).
| Police Force Area | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Percentage Increase |
| Northamptonshire | 39 | 132 | 74 | 90% |
| Leicestershire | 79 | 100 | 114 | 44% |
| Nottinghamshire | 82 | 92 | 118 | 43% |
| Derbyshire | 61 | 69 | 77 | 26% |
| Lincolnshire | 48 | 51 | 60 | 25% |
Lincolnshire Police saw the smallest increase overall (25%).
Looking at the demographic details of the reports made from 2021 to May 2024 in the East Midlands, 686 came from females, 557 came from males and 163 were classed as unknown. Altogether a staggering 49% were females.
| Police Force | Female | Male | Unknown |
| Northamptonshire Police | 168 | 92 | 30 |
| Nottinghamshire Police | 162 | 128 | 49 |
| Leicestershire Police | 132 | 159 | 50 |
| Derbyshire Constabulary | 128 | 106 | 19 |
| Lincolnshire Police | 96 | 72 | 15 |
Interestingly Leicestershire was the only county that had more reports from male victims than female victims.
Looking at the victim age group statistics, the most common age group that were victims in the East Midlands were aged 20-29 overall.
Sadly, 6 victims in the region were children aged between 0-9.
Across the entire region 106 victims were children/young adults aged under 19 years of age.
Moving onto the monetary details, the East Midlands had an average loss of £707 between 2021 and May 2024 which are the latest up to date figures.
In terms of police forces, Leicestershire Police saw the highest overall average loss (£949), Derbyshire Constabulary was second (£813), and Northamptonshire Police was third (£665).
| Police Force | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Overall Average |
| Leicestershire Police | £732 | £822 | £832 | £1,846 | £949 |
| Derbyshire Constabulary | £518 | £1,041 | £848 | £805 | £813 |
| Northamptonshire Police | £691 | £627 | £732 | £641 | £665 |
| Nottinghamshire Police | £331 | £547 | £715 | £783 | £586 |
| Lincolnshire Police | £297 | £319 | £490 | £526 | £396 |
Lincolnshire Police had the lowest average loss in the region with £396.
When considering the highest loss, Derbyshire Constabulary was at the top reporting a loss of £25,000. Leicestershire Police had the second-highest loss (£23,170) and Northamptonshire Police came third reporting a loss of £20,000.
| Police Force | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Highest Loss |
| Derbyshire Constabulary | £9,055 | £25,000 | £15,740 | £5,873 | £25,000 |
| Leicestershire Police | £6,000 | £11,506 | £6,940 | £23,170 | £23,170 |
| Northamptonshire Police | £2,800 | £20,000 | £6,500 | £5,500 | £20,000 |
| Nottinghamshire Police | £2,181 | £4,921 | £12,000 | £6,800 | £12,000 |
| Lincolnshire Police | £2,613 | £2,481 | £3,250 | £2,236 | £3,250 |
Speaking on the findings, Georgina Pellant from Lucia said, “these findings are really shocking.
“It’s really easy to fall victim, all it takes is a small drop in focus, maybe a busy day, or you’re feeling tired, and you can lose a lot of money, no matter how fraud savvy you are.
“The fact that children, under the age of 10, are also falling victim means we don’t just have to be mindful of our own activities, but also our family and even kids.
“I urge people to be careful, always think twice, use trusted sources, never rush, and remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it most often is.”