Messi visits China after 6 years
Ticket prices soar
Chinese authorities warn "Beware of scams"
Argentina's football hero Lionel Messi visited China for the first time in six years, and amid this, a ridiculous scam advertisement has emerged, recruiting people to have dinner and drink with Messi, causing controversy.
According to AFP on the 11th (local time), scammers have recently appeared one after another in China, exploiting the news of Messi's visit. The scammers post false online advertisements promising that "if you pay 300,000 yuan (about 54.33 million KRW), you can have dinner with Messi."
In addition to the dinner advertisement, there are also false ads offering "customized VIP packages" that provide Messi's autograph and front-row seats for 8,000 yuan (about 1.44 million KRW).
As suspicious scam advertisements flood in, Beijing police have warned that such online advertisements are scams and urged people not to be deceived.
Previously, controversy arose over the ticket prices for the matches Messi would play in China, which were set between 580 and 4,800 yuan (about 107,000 KRW to 885,000 KRW). The prices were considered excessively high despite the matches being friendlies. It is reported that scalped tickets have soared to as much as 18,000 yuan (about 3.26 million KRW).
A user on China's Weibo commented, "The ticket prices themselves are absurd. With that money, you could go to Europe to watch the game and ask for autographs," and added, "What is the difference between a 3,800 yuan seat and watching from home on TV? Moreover, to buy even that seat from scalpers, you have to pay three times the price as a premium."
Meanwhile, Argentina, which won 2-1 against Australia in the round of 16 at last year's Qatar World Cup, will face the Australian football team again on the 15th in Beijing. This match has attracted attention especially because Messi and ?ngel Di Mar?a will participate. This is Messi's first visit to China since 2017.
Messi arrived in Beijing on the 10th, and it is reported that many people live-streamed Messi's movements through social networking services (SNS).
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