World Rugby are warning fans to be vigilant regarding a growing number of scams in the form of fake lotteries or sweepstakes claiming to be connected with or authorised by Rugby World Cup 2015, Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) and/or World Rugby.

Fans are being contacted (mostly via email), in the name of (or using trademarks associated with) RWCL, Rugby World Cup 2015 and/or World Rugby (formerly known as the International Rugby Board). Some correspondence falsely informs people that they have won a competition through an automated ballot.

Prizes are supposedly being awarded in a range of currencies that include pounds, dollars and rand, and can be claimed via the payment of an administrative fee, or by submitting personal details to an unofficial e-mail address.

Won tickets

Other correspondence tells people that they have won tickets to Rugby World Cup 2015 matches, with ‘winners’ getting the chance to travel to England and Wales to watch the Rugby World Cup 2015 tournament..

Buying online Rugby World Cup 2015 tickets – what to look out for

• Who? Who are you buying from? Is this person likely to have Rugby World Cup 2015 tickets to sell? Some unauthorised sellers may not have tickets to sell. To check whether a company or a certain website is an official Rugby World Cup 2015 channel and has therefore been allocated tickets and authorised to sell them to the public, use the ‘Official Checker’ tool which is located at www.rugbyworldcup/buyofficial

• When? When will you get the ticket? Contact the seller to confirm that they actually have the ticket to supply to you, and confirm you will get it in good time before the event. Some unauthorised websites will take your money, and try subsequently to get you a ticket – but may not guarantee to supply. To eliminate risk, buy from the official channels. More information is available at www.rugbyworldcup.com/ticketing

• What? What are you actually getting? Does the ticket have restrictions – for example on age?

• Where? Where will you be sitting? If you are buying several tickets, will all seats be located together?

• How much? How much will you be paying? Some sites charge delivery or administration fees, so the first price you see may not be the one you end up paying.

• How much is the face value of the ticket? When tickets are resold, unauthorised sellers might charge a price that is different to that printed on the ticket. If the charges do seem high, it is a good indication that the tickets are being sold through unofficial channels, so check the ‘Official Checker’.

• What if? What happens if something goes wrong? For example, will you get your money back if the ticket doesn’t arrive? Make sure you understand what you are covered for if something goes wrong.