Every football fan's fantasy is to have dinner, drinks, and a selfie with Lionel Messi, but as Chinese authorities have warned, that is only one of several frauds surrounding Messi's visit to Beijing. The arrival of the Argentine legend in China for a friendly match against Australia in the nation's capital on Thursday has attracted con artists and ticket scalpers eager to profit from Messimania. The Beijing Police Department is advising the public not to fall for a widely disseminated advertisement that offers an evening with Messi for 300,000 yuan ($42,000).


Other questionable deals may be found online, such as "internal" stadium permits for 5,000 yuan and a "tailored VIP package" for over 8,000 yuan that includes an autographed jersey, front-row seats, and a photo with Messi. Other unlawful commercial promises that Messi will appear on your shopping live stream for 50 million yuan to espouse the benefits of your product. Despite anti-scalping measures including requiring ID for stadium entry, dozens of vendors on the Taobao online marketplace are offering to resell tickets for as much as 18,000 yuan.


Chinese supporters have been clamouring to get a glimpse of their idol Messi, and game tickets costing between 580 and 4,800 yuan were swiftly sold out. As the captain of the world champions against the Socceroos at Beijing's recently remodelled 68,000-seat Workers' Stadium, Messi arrived in Beijing on Saturday. On Saturday, hundreds of spectators gathered outside the Argentina team hotel in the heart of Beijing. One fan told that they had reserved a room in the hope of seeing Messi, after being unable to get match tickets.