The FPS Economy will be launching a large-scale campaign on Monday to raise awareness among consumers about ticket fraud. This government service has observed a clear increase in the number of reports filed. Last year, the FPS Economy received 360 reports from consumers who had fallen victim to purchasing a counterfeit ticket, which is a significant increase from the 141 reports received in 2022. The majority of these reports, 70 percent, were related to counterfeit tickets for festivals. Other reported fraudulent tickets included entrance tickets to concerts (19 percent), parties (8 percent), and amusement parks (4 percent). The total reported monetary damages amounted to 60,615 euros last year, nearly five times more than in 2022 when the reported damages were 13,142 euros. On average, victims lost 168 euros to scammers. However, the FPS Economy believes that the actual damages due to ticket fraud are likely much higher. According to spokesperson Lien Meurisse, victims may feel ashamed or not see the value in reporting the scam as they have already lost their money. Nevertheless, the FPS Economy encourages all victims to report instances of ticket fraud through ConsumerConnect.be to help identify the perpetrators and prevent future victims. The government service advises consumers to always purchase tickets through the official website of the event, concert hall, artist, sports competition, or amusement park. Even if an event is sold out, the official channels are still the safest option, as they may offer waiting lists or alternative methods for purchasing tickets from others in a legitimate manner and at the correct price. In the event that someone has unknowingly purchased a counterfeit ticket, the FPS Economy recommends reporting the incident through ConsumerConnect.be. Additionally, if the purchase was made with a credit card, individuals can attempt to dispute the transaction through mijnkaart.be. Reporting incidents of ticket fraud to the local police is also advised by the FPS Economy.