Fixed matches fraud!!!

Image by ivers via FlickrI would like to discuss this issue with you in order to save as many of you as possible from this fraud. It is common in Facebook to find people named "Fixed Matches", "Fixed Games", "Sold Matches" etc. In fact they might be as many as the rest of the Facebook users. :)

Sometimes they send you a message in the chat asking you if you need a fixed match. Other times they wait for you to approach them, by asking you to send a message if interested. They might also share some match suggestions on their wall for free and ask money for some more tips. Well, before spending your money (DON'T), you should really watch these guys for some days, or someone who has bought such tips. Well, I did watch them and here are my notes, based
on many sites like those, split into 3 categories:

Category 1 (Wall posts):
Some tips are offered for free; let's say match A and match B, with great odds usually. Of course more matches are available (with greater odds), if you have a PayPal account and send a private message. After these matches are finished match A had a correct tip and match B an incorrect one. Minutes or even seconds after match B ends, the only thing you can see on this "fixed man's" wall is match A's suggestions, along with some "WIN WIN WIN", "WOW!", "Congrats!" comments. Match B's tip-post was removed and it is as it never existed.

Category 2 (Photos from their profitable accounts):
On their wall you can only see posts like: "send inbox", "price 500 euro, odd: 50,  paypal" etc. Along these posts you can see some profile/ wall pictures showing their account balance in a bookmaker and a placed bet with the aforementioned odd, with hidden (from photoshop) teams and the match's date. After that date, like Category 1, if the match suggestion is correct the photo is revealed, otherwise removed. Some also replace the photos of lost matches with other matches that won (different dates, stakes and odds). A (Facebook) friend of mine asked me to check if a lost match was still online, after the "fixed match" owner removed him as a friend, after he had paid 500 euros for the tip and 500 euros for the bet. Of course, it wasn't...

Category 3 (Give me money):
This is my favourite category! These sites ask for money, claiming to know some matches' results. That's all! No proof, no history, no open information.

So I hope that I have convinced you not to trust these guys. After all, who would be so naive as to sell fixed matches so openly? Why not just bet on them if they are fixed?

Related articles

• Push to jail match fixers (heraldsun.com.au)
• Platini: I am afraid for football's future (independent.co.uk)
• Global match-fixing investigation claims major scalp as Wilson Raj Perumal is jailed for two years (telegraph.co.uk)