Like in any business, fraud can be committed by either side of the deal. In football (soccer), there are fraudsters who can impersonate licensed agents and scouts. These people promise players the world only to rob them and their families of their hard earned money. On the players’ side, fraud may be committed in the form of embellishments and edited videos, or simply through falsification of information and identity. These issues are some of the primary reasons many scouts, coaches and agents are still reluctant to view online scouting as a reliable tool. Fraudsters can be resourceful in their methods. It’s important to be well informed and to know how to avoid becoming a victim.
Problem: Talent Representation Fraud
As much as we at Tarfee.com conduct our due diligence when inviting organizations and professionals to join our scouting platform, a skilled fraudster may be able to sneak his or her way into any online platform. Here are some key giveaways which can help you identify and avoid them:
- Requesting to communicate privately outside of the recruitment platform can be a red flag. We recommend that all our users keep in touch through the Tarfee messaging system, as to avoid possible miscommunications and even fraud.
- Requests for advanced payment for a real or fictional trial: If an agent or scout is pushing you to urgently purchase something, don’t do it. If you truly are the diamond in the rough they are looking for, they will approach you in a more professional manner. Fraudsters often rely on not leaving too much room and time for their victim to think critically.
- Premature promises in exchange for small amount of money: Fraudsters often promise something grandiose, or to cover all expenses except for some insignificant-sounding fee to cover things like insurance or taxes. Does this sound familiar? Maybe you’ve received a call about winning a free cruise to the Bahamas, where they ask you for your credit card information in order to cover taxes. You later find out that there was no cruise, and that it’s the charlatan who called you was after that small amount of taxes in the first place.
- Lots of compliments and promises of dream fulfillment: Swindlers and deceivers want you to make a decision based on your emotions, not logic. Making you feel like you’re special can be a very effective tool for the trickster. He/she will make you feel like a million bucks, but make you pay hundreds if not thousands of dollars in return.
If you feel like something is too good to be true, the rule of thumb is that is probably is.
Overcoming the Problem
- Always double and triple-check the identity of the person contacting you.
- If the person or organization who is contacting you isn’t officially verified by Tarfee (no “verified” sticker on the profile), this means that official documentation proving their legitimacy hasn’t yet been processed. Though most unverified Tarfee users are invited by Tarfee admins through verifiable means, like official organization websites and official FIFA documentation, there may still be a risk of fraud.
- Never pay an agent up-front before having met and signed an agreement.
- Finally, if you feel like someone is trying to defraud you in any of the ways mentioned above, you can report the user to Tarfee, and we will take care of the rest, as well as give you feedback about how the matter was resolved.
Problem: Talent Identity Fraud
Fake agents aren’t the only nuisance that can surface on an online scouting platform. As a scout, you’re not only looking for when a player scores. You look for raw talent, personality and understanding of the game. Unfortunately, many players or their siblings, friends and others could potentially falsify information about their skills in order to gain a competitive advantage. Here are some examples of recruitment videos and player details that should be taken with a grain of salt:
- Blurry / low quality videos: Videos that don’t clearly identify the player. If the player is serious about being recruited, he/she will record a quality recruitment video.
- Videos that use fast editing and seem to cherry-pick shining moments and leave out details like how the player recovers after losing the ball, or what the player does when he/she doesn’t have the ball in his/her possession.
- Videos that leave-out information on the strength of the opposing team.
- Unverified lists of certifications, trophies and statistics, can also be misleading.
Overcoming the Problem
- Look for good quality, clear videos with introductions and an easily identifiable player.
- Look for 11 vs 11 full matches with highlight time-stamps, and request information from the host of the player card. This can be a school, a youth development club, a team, or an individual like an agent, coach, or parent.
- Observe the opposing team; It’s easy to look talented when your opponent isn’t.
Bottom line: If you gut isn’t buying it, don’t let your guard down. Ask questions, research your contact, and be diligent. Best of luck!
