A man from Purmerend, known as โYou Neโ has scammed dozens of Ajax fans by selling overpriced, nonexistent season tickets, according to the Noordhollands Dagblad.
Victims of the fraud are demanding their payments back, which for some can amount to over 25,000 euros. โYou Neโ has been selling tickets as an intermediary for eight years, both for season tickets and individual matches.
โYou can be the middleman between the producer and the customer; Iโm the middleman between the club and the fan. Ajax knew about it too; they never liked what I did,โ says โYou Neโ about his own approach. โItโs a bit of a hobby thatโs got out of hand. If you look at my Marktplaats account, youโll see over a hundred five-star reviews.โ
Many affected supporters fear they will never be refunded. Warnings are now being shared on social media and in WhatsApp groups, with Ajax calling the situation โincredibly unpleasantโ. The club have advised those affected to report the incident to the police.
According to an online list, dozens of fans from across the country have bought tickets from โYou Neโ in recent months. The total damages, according to this list, amount to approximately โฌ350,000. The Noordhollands Dagblad cites amounts of โฌ5,000 and โฌ6,000 for four season tickets, โฌ2,000 for one, and โฌ5,400 for three. One fan, named Jack, reportedly spent more than โฌ25,000 on 18 season tickets.
So far, not a single supporter has received a season ticket. โYou Neโ claims to have initiated refunds. Screenshots are also circulating in which the retailer promises that payments will be processed and that fans should be patient. However, these deadlines are repeatedly postponed. The retailer claims to have already been on โnumerous vacations,โ visited Disneyland, purchased a new car, and flown business class.
In a statement to the NHD, Ajax stated that it knows the dealer. In November, the Purmerend native was already banned from the Johan Cruyff Arena due to โan altercation with a steward.โ Due to his ticketing practices, that ban has been extended until 2031.
โYou Neโ himself sees nothing illegal in his practices. โI donโt have a contract with Ajax, do I?โ he stated in an interview with the NHD. He also claims the victimsโ money hasnโt disappeared. โI just canโt transfer it to everyone at once without the bank saying anything. Itโs done in rounds, and hopefully, Iโll have it all sorted within a month.โ Nevertheless, he continues his practices and has offered tickets earlier this month.
GBeNeFNย |ย Max Bradfield
