The Australian Olympic Committee yesterday branded a ticketing scam that stung hundreds of sports fans worldwide as a great shame.
Chef de mission John Coates said it was a pity people had not heeded advice to only purchase tickets through the official supplier for Australia, CoSport.
''Our sympathy goes to them,'' Mr Coates said of those who had lost tickets they booked through the www.beijingticketing.com website.
''I suppose you can understand if there aren't enough tickets, albeit we have 31,000 for Australia this time as against 19,000 for Athens, but some folk have gone looking for extra tickets, or to satisfy their demand.
''We certainly aren't in a position to step in, compensate, find substitute tickets or whatever.
''It's something that's a very great shame,'' he said.
It is believed some victims paid more than $60,000 for tickets. They only realised there was a problem when the tickets never arrived.
The International Olympic Committee has received complaints from hundreds of people in Australia and overseas who say they were duped by a website claiming to sell tickets to events beginning this week.
At least 33 people from four Australian states reported losing a total of $96,900 after buying tickets to the Games on the US-based website, which boasts offices in Sydney, London and New York. It is now believed the offices never existed.
Former NSW opposition leader Kerry Chikarovski was among the victims, and said the website appeared professional and sophisticated.
''I'm not surprised that people like me believed it was real,'' she said.
''I got a little bit suspicious when I went back in to check the website ... they still had tickets for sale and everyone was telling me that everything was sold out ... My antennas started going a little haywire.''
Visa International said its card holders should be able to recoup their money.
The families of Australian softball players who lost Games tickets and accommodation when www.olympicvacations.com went into receivership were able to find alternative tickets.
Softball Australia chief executive Mark McAllion said about 16 people associated with four players had lost bookings worth about $28,000, although it was hoped some of that could be recouped. They managed to find alternatives through a fourth ticket release by CoSport.
''I think there's one match that we're still trying to find 14 tickets for,'' Mr McAllion said. ''They're going to get there, they're all going to get to most of the matches.''
The ticketholders are all associated with players Sandra Lewis, Danielle Stewart, Stacey Porter and Kerry Wyborn.
Seeing the softball matches at the Games is vital for the team's supporters, as this is the last time softball will be played at the Olympics. AAP