MLSE is warning of online scams after a number of Toronto Raptors fans who thought they scooped free tickets to see their heroes instead sent money to people using Twitter accounts that pretended to be affiliated with the team.

Paula Lukey wasn’t willing to relay how much she sent but said it was “more than I should have.” She said she reported the matter to police and was forced to close her bank account.

“(It’s) sickening, really,” she told Metro via social media. “They’ve screwed over many innocent, hard-working Raptors fans. They phished for people that would do anything to see their favourite team.”

Masquerading as a Raptors-affiliated group, accounts such as @6ixUprise and @Uprise6ix_ sent people Twitter messages telling them they had won tickets in free draws. The scammers asked for $50 refundable e-transfer fees before tickets would be sent. The fake accounts also offered far more costly “upgrade” and VIP packages for courtside seats. After the money was transferred, the “Raptors Nation” accounts disappeared.

At least some of the scams centered on Sunday’s home clash with the Washington Wizards, with targets promised tickets ahead of the game.

Another victim, Azfar Salahuddin, said he lost some $700 in installments.

“Saturday at 1:12 a.m. was the last contact I had with the scammer,” Salahuddin said via social media. “He promised to transfer the tickets by 3 p.m. on Saturday, but when I woke up Saturday morning his Twitter account and email address had been deleted.”In messages seen by Metro one account insisted to their targets that they were a legitimate company with a gaming licence issued by the province and claimed ties to Ticketmaster.

“A number of fans have alerted the organization to fraudulent social-media promotions using the Raptors name,” MLSE said in a statement.

“We unfortunately have to remind all fans that online fraud is on the rise and continue to emphasize the importance of only trusting promotions made through the official team, sponsor and league social-media channels.”

“Obviously people are making money,” said Danny Heath, who received similar messages and said they seemed believable.

“These people have been tweeting for quite a while,” he said. “They were followed by the Raptors, by Raptors Nation, everybody.”

MLSE is investigating whether it was indeed following dud handles. The Raptors follow more than 16,000 accounts on Twitter.

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The Toronto Police Service confirmed they had received one complaint on Monday and urged anyone with similar issues to come forward.

“Fans should also be mindful that neither the Raptors, nor any of our partners, would ever conduct a promotion requiring money from a fan in order to secure access to a ‘free’ ticket,” MLSE’s statement concluded.

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