Scottish football fans buying unofficial World Cup tickets from London-based agencies could be jailed or face a #50,000 fine.

The warning comes after fears that desperate members of the Tartan Army have turned to small companies in England.

A Government advertising campaign has already warned the 15,000 ticketless fans that they will not get into grounds with forgeries or unofficial tickets.

However, head of ticketing for tournament organisers CFO, Isobelle Delaye, said fans could also face severe penalties under French law.

''When you are buying tickets from someone who hasn't the official rights to sell the tickets, you take the risk of getting a forgery,'' she said.

''That is something of no value and you won't get into the stadium, but you can also be prosecuted and you can go to jail for that.

''So you are taking the risk of a fine, maybe jail if it's a false ticket, and in fact not getting into the stadium.

''If you do buy a valid ticket and it is from a person who does not have the right to sell that ticket, that is also an infringement of the law.

''If you buy a ticket from an unofficial agent, the fine for that is around #50,000.''

Scots fans have received only 5000 tickets for the opening match with Brazil, and around 3000 for the other first round games against Morocco and Norway.

There are only 17 travel agencies around the world who are licensed to sell tickets, and unofficial agencies have refused to say where they are getting theirs from.

Speaking on the BBC's Frontline Scotland programme tonight, Mr Michael Quinn, of the Galleria ticket agency, admitted his firm was unlicensed.

''I am an unofficial ticket agent, but we are not selling unofficial tickets. They're from official sources, but I can't reveal the details at this stage,'' he said.

Mr Bill Butterfield, head of trading standards for London's Westminster council, is investigating several unofficial agencies.

''These people are touts and we call them touts. The work that we've done would certainly indicate that there are thousands and thousands of tickets available,'' he said.

The football authorities have also warned the unlicensed selling of tickets could be a threat to security as rival fans sit with each other.

''Fans are going to find themselves with supporters of another nation. They cannot be with the other Scots because the ticket is unathorised,'' said Mr Butterfield.

''The segregation was an issue with the organisers, and if those fans find themselves in the wrong part of the ground, there must be concerns about safety.''