Is there nothing sacrosanct anymore? Is there no part of modern life that scammers won't try to use for their ill-gotten gains? Sadly, these parasites have infiltrated our sport and are using the hard-won popularity of fully-subscribed races to fill their wallets and empty ours.

One common scam involves fake listings for race entries on social media, where individuals claim they’ll transfer their race number for a fee. After receiving payment, they delete their profile, leaving the buyer without a race entry, or any way to get their money back.

Setting yourself a motivating target race can be a great way to keep your training on track and help you push your fitness forward. However, you go onto a race website to secure your place and it's already sold out! All is not lost though, as you look on the social media pages for the race and see runners no longer able to take part offering to transfer their numbers. A few quick messages and one PayPal transfer later and you sit back and wait for the next steps in the entry transfer, and you wait, and you wait…

Bib transfers should always involve the event organiser and seek their advice on the process. Many race organisers prohibit the transfer of numbers to preserve the integrity of results and ensure that emergency contacts and health information match the participant. Selling or buying non-transferable numbers can lead to a ban from future events. It makes life difficult for the race promoter and puts you at risk as the organiser has no details about your entry if a medical issue occurs in the race.

Here’s how to stay safe and avoid falling victim to these and other online scams:

• Use only official number transfer channels – avoid third-party platforms for buying transferred race entries.
• Some races publish an entry/participant list – if someone has offered to sell you their number, check to see if their name is on the list, but be aware as this is not foolproof. 
• Beware of 'Friends and Family' payments on PayPal – while this method avoids fees, it also lacks buyer protection. If the transaction goes wrong, you won’t have recourse through PayPal.
• Watch out for social media red flags – fake profiles often have limited activity, few followers, or they are recently created accounts. 
• Take your time – scammers often push for quick transactions, claiming someone else is interested or the number will go to the first payer. Avoid feeling pressured to send money.
• Seek third-party verification – ask the seller to verify their registration, like a confirmation email or race entry ID, before considering making payment.
• If you are allowed to legitimately transfer entries, consider asking within your real world contact list and club network before looking online.
• Be cautious. If a deal seems too good to be true it probably is! Race numbers should be considered no different to buying any product or tickets online; in a sport you love it's easy to let your guard down.

What to do if you’ve been scammed: 

• Report the scam to PayPal or your payment provider to flag the issue and potentially prevent future scams.
• Contact the race organiser and report the scam, as they may be able to help recover some funds or warn others.
• Share your experience with others to raise awareness and help other runners to avoid similar situations.

Protect yourself by following these tips and ensuring you only buy race entries from trusted sources. Running is a passion for so many – by spreading awareness of these common scams, we can protect our community and enjoy our races with peace of mind.

runABC is grateful to the England Athletics national Endurance Manager for sharing these tips.

Image by BearyBoo from Pixabay