BEIJING: Even while having dinner, drinks, and a selfie with Lionel Messi seems like the stuff of football fans’ fantasies, Chinese authorities have cautioned that this is only one of several frauds surrounding the player’s visit to Beijing.
The Argentine great is in China for a friendly match against Australia on Thursday, which has attracted con artists and ticket scalpers looking to profit on Messi mania, AFP said.
One highly shared advertising that offers an evening in Messi’s company for 300,000 yuan ($42,000) has Beijing police issuing a caution.
The typically sombre Beijing public security office cracked a joke on the Twitter-like Weibo, saying, “If you can be conned out of 300,000 yuan, we’ll raise a glass to you.”
5,000 yuan for “internal” stadium access and nearly 8,000 yuan for a “tailored VIP package” that includes a signed jersey, front-row tickets, and a photo with Messi are two further questionable offers that have been made public online.
Another unapproved commercial promises that Messi would promote your goods on your shopping channel in exchange for 50 million yuan.
The 68,000-seat Workers’ Stadium in Beijing has just undergone renovations, and Messi will captain the world champions against the Socceroos there on Sunday.
It’s a replay of their World Cup encounter from the round of 16 earlier this year, which Argentina triumphed 2-1 to win the tournament.
With tickets for the match costing between 580 and 4,800 yuan swiftly selling out, Chinese fans have been clamouring to be near their idol Messi.
Despite anti-scalping efforts including requiring ID for stadium entry, dozens of vendors on the Taobao online marketplace are attempting to resale tickets for as much as 18,000 yuan.
On Saturday, hundreds of spectators gathered outside the Argentina team hotel in the heart of Beijing. One fan told AFP they had reserved a room in the event they saw Messi after being unable to get match tickets.
When Argentina plays Indonesia in Jakarta on June 19, Messi, 35, who is expected to join Inter Miami after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, will also play in another friendly game.
