London Marathon scams warned
- Organizers and reporters warn that fraudsters are selling fake London Marathon places this week. - The 46th London Marathon is set for April 26, with about 59,000 charity runners expected. - Runners seeking late entries are being specifically targeted, so offers to buy places should be treated as suspicious ( ).
Fraudsters are trying to sell fake London Marathon places days before this year’s race, and organisers say any offer to transfer an entry is a scam. (theguardian.com) The 2026 TCS London Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, 26 April, and London Marathon Events says runners with places must collect their event packs at ExCeL London between Wednesday 22 April and Saturday 25 April. (londonmarathonevents.co.uk 1) (londonmarathonevents.co.uk 2) The official ballot for the 2026 race closed months ago: result emails went out on 19 June 2025, and successful applicants had until 4 p.m. British Summer Time on 10 July 2025 to register and pay. (londonmarathonevents.co.uk) That leaves late hopefuls looking for charity places, which London Marathon Events says must be obtained directly through listed charities on its own site. The organiser also publishes a dedicated page of charities with places. (londonmarathonevents.co.uk 1) (londonmarathonevents.co.uk 2) The pressure is unusually high this year because the event is expected to be huge. BBC programme listings say 59,000 charity runners will take part in the 46th London Marathon, with organisers aiming to set a new world record for marathon participation. (tvzoneuk.com) The scam works by exploiting that demand. The Guardian reported that sellers have approached runners with claims they can “transfer” a place after payment, even though organisers say entries cannot be transferred from one person to another under any circumstances. (theguardian.com) (londonmarathonevents.co.uk) A separate report by the i paper earlier this month said scammers were advertising fake London Marathon spots for as much as £80 in public Strava groups, often posing as injured runners who could no longer race. (inews.co.uk) Consumer groups describe the same pattern in other ticketing scams: a fake seller asks for money first, then never provides a valid entry. Citizens Advice says buyers should check they are using a genuine site before paying for event access online. (citizensadvice.org.uk) For runners still trying to get in, the safe route is narrow and official: use the organiser’s ballot and charity channels, and treat any last-minute resale offer as a warning sign rather than a shortcut. (londonmarathonevents.co.uk 1) (londonmarathonevents.co.uk 2) (theguardian.com)
